Mine Are Here! Micro Crabs, Lots Of Pics

[three-fingers]

Was quite happy to wake up around 9 am this morning, for awaiting me at my door were these Thai micro crabs Limnopilos naiyanetri .

Acclimatised them (6! ) in a Pyrex dish:

Next to a 1p coin for size comparison:

1p coin next to a rule for size comparison lol (for those not familiar with the 1p):

Some attempted in-tank shots, probably should have used the flash ("Go forth and multiply"!):

And here is their home:

I'm pretty confident they should be able to avoid filter intakes (new born cherries find it OK), though I do have a fear that one of the Macrobrachium may try to much them (they do a great job at controlling the cherry shrimp population ). However, I've had Macrobrachium survive from larvae stage in the tank, and a large number of cherries make it to adulthood - so I feel they stand an excellent chance .

If I manage to spot one of the crabs with eggs in the future, I'll probably move it into a small tank with a sponge filter and floating plants to give birth .

There's a paper I want to get on these guys, but its costs $34.00 lol (which isnt that bad), so for now I cant justify buying that on top of the crabs .
[URL="https/commerce.metapress.com/content/t01u525866670840/resource-secured/?target=fulltext.pdf&sid=5b4hxaneqmaewgvdmyv1pvr4&sh=www.springerlink.com"]https/commerce.metapress.com/content/t01u...pringerlink.com[/URL]

To view any of the pics bigger go here: [URL="http/www.flickr.com/photos/threefingers/tags/crab/"]http/www.flickr.com/photos/threefingers/tags/crab/[/URL].

 

[AdAndrews]

they look amazing, i love these guys. it'll be good if they breed

 

[bae1994]

GOT TO ASK WILL these live with a betta 3 endler livebearers and pygmy cories and rasbora if so can i have a link and will they crawl out my tank as the lid has b ig 1 inch gaps

 

[three-fingers]

Considering their size, I'd say the betta would easily munch them. Also depends how big the rasboras are.

I hope they don't climb - I have no hood on mine!

 

[bae1994]

oh ok if there that small i wouldnt see them and if i did no one else would so theyd tink i had paid 20 pounds for nothing

 

[pippoodle]

Congrats babe they are just too cute
i saw 2 of mine this morning during feeding ---- i'm just well happy to see them again lmao

 

[three-fingers]

Glad to hear they haven't totally dissapered, that's a good sign . Thanks for the link to these guys!

Mine weren't interested in the Sera shrimp food I offered, but seem to love eating the dead staghorn algae that's been left on my moss since I defeated it (yeaaaah! ).

So I guess they may in fact prove very useful for eating types of algae that shrimp don't like.

 

[Kevin_D]

Great pics, I'd think the Macrobrachium would be a threat to them? especially if they are slower and easier to catch than the cherry shrimp. I'll be keeping my ones in a nano cube-type tank on their own. It came with a power filter, but i'd think it may be very dangerous for the free swimming larvae? Ive decidced to use a sponge filter instead.

 

[shroob]

Great pics, they certainly look like an interesting addition to a small shrimp tank. Maybe once they are more common I'll have a go with them.

 

[three-fingers]

Great pics, I'd think the Macrobrachium would be a threat to them? especially if they are slower and easier to catch than the cherry shrimp. I'll be keeping my ones in a nano cube-type tank on their own. It came with a power filter, but i'd think it may be very dangerous for the free swimming larvae? Ive decidced to use a sponge filter instead.

I'm not really too worried about the Macrobrachium anymore, they could eat them if they went out of their way to do it...but otherwise the chances are slim. The crabs hide a lot more than the cherries, the only time the cherries get eaten is basically when they swim into the macros claws, and even then the macros usually just ignore them. Macros will be going elsewhere anyway as soon as I have one of the 3 tanks in my room with basically orphaned fish are emptied.

I saw 3 crabs today . Two in the undergrowth and one upside down under a lilly pad . I'm going to need to get more...as until they grow bigger I'm sure I'll just be seeing them less and less as time goes on.

Powerfilters would certainly be deadly to larvae, thats what I plan on doing if I see a female with eggs or as soon as I get more crabs, but when I got these I had no spare tanks .

 

[pippoodle]

Great pics, I'd think the Macrobrachium would be a threat to them? especially if they are slower and easier to catch than the cherry shrimp. I'll be keeping my ones in a nano cube-type tank on their own. It came with a power filter, but i'd think it may be very dangerous for the free swimming larvae? Ive decidced to use a sponge filter instead.

I'm not really too worried about the Macrobrachium anymore, they could eat them if they went out of their way to do it...but otherwise the chances are shrimp. The crabs hide a lot more than the cherries, the only time the cherries get eaten is basically when they swim into the macros claws, and even then the macros usually just ignore them. Macros will be going elsewhere anyway as soon as I have one of the 3 tanks in my room with basically orphaned fish are emptied.

I saw 3 crabs today . Two in the undergrowth and one upside down under a lilly pad . I'm going to need to get more...as until they grow bigger I'm sure I'll just be seeing them less and less as time goes on.

Powerfilters would certainly be deadly to larvae, that what I plan on doing if I see a female with eggs or as soon as I get more crabs, but when I got these I had no spare tanks .

i keep finding mine under my amazon frogbit leaves lol

 

[Liam]

Excellent pics of the little guys.

 

[keenonfish]

Wow I love those little crabs Where did you get them from?

 

[three-fingers]

i keep finding mine under my amazon frogbit leaves lol

Saw one on a rock under some java moss today . I'm on constant "crab watch" right now, but I'll probably stop looking soon and just let them get on with their own thing .

Excellent pics of the little guys.

Cheers .

Wow I love those little crabs Where did you get them from?

Pippoodle was kind enough to send me a link to an eBay auction, but there's none up there at the moment .

 

[Amunet]

Wow, didn't even know such little things existed! So cute! And great photos! Gee.. wish our camera was that good heh.