Lemon Longarm Shrimp (Macrobrachium gracilirostre)

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Lemon Longarm Shrimp
Macrobrachium gracilirostre
Lemon Longarm Shrimp (Macrobrachium gracilirostre)
Name Lemon Longarm Shrimp
Name Lat. Macrobrachium gracilirostre
Family Palaemonid Shrimps
Family lat. Palaemonidae
Order Decapoda
Order lat. Decapoda
Origin Southeast Asia
Habitat Streams
Diet Detritus, algae, shrimp food
pH 6.5-8.0
Behavior ♂ territorial
Keeping Harem
Care Level Difficult
Reproduction Marine larval stages
Breeding None reported
Life Span 2-4 years
Protection No
Metric Units
Size 7-9 cm
Temperature 20-29 °C
Hardness 8-20 °dH
Aquarium 60 l
US Units
Size 2.8"-3.5"
Temperature 68-84 °F
Hardness 142-356 ppm
Aquarium 15 gal

Distribution and habitat

Striped shrimp are common in nearshore waters in Southeast Asia from Taiwan to Samoa and the Philippines. They live in slow-flowing streams and rivers that empty into the sea, preferably in places with foliage and dead wood.

Maintenance

They need a well-structured aquarium with many roots, some robust plants and large stones as well as a moderate current. The substrate of sand or gravel should be partially covered with foliage (e.g. sea almond leaves, oak leaves).

No ammonia, ammonium and nitrite should be detectable in the aquarium water, the nitrate value should not exceed 100 mg/l. To ensure water quality and oxygen content, a filter and heater adapted to the size of the aquarium is required, as well as lighting for the species-appropriate day-night rhythm of the animals. When choosing the filter, special care should be taken to ensure that the animals cannot be sucked in.

Diet

They feed on animal organisms, carrion, snails and dead plant material (sea almond leaves). The diet consists of a combination of live or frozen foods, such as cyclops, daphnia, mosquito larvae, artemia, mysis and tubifex, or a commercial frozen special food mix supplemented with dry foods (tablets, granules) for crayfish and shrimp. Occasionally, slow and weakened fish are also preyed upon.

Regular and varied feeding promotes health and prevents deficiency symptoms. Unaccepted food must be removed after 2-3 hours

Behaviour and compatibility

They should be kept in a harem, one male with several females and are well suited for a community tank with not too small fish. Males behave territorially within the species. Keeping multiple harems is only recommended in larger and richly structured tanks.

Basically, only compatible animals with similar demands on water quality and water temperature should be kept together

Reproduction and breeding

The males have slightly larger claws than the females. The breeding of striped shrimp in the aquarium has not yet been successful, because the larvae go through more than ten brackish water-bound developmental (zoea) stages.

Important

They are skilled fish catchers. Keeping them in a community tank with small fish is not recommended.

The foliage (sea almond tree, oak, beech, etc.) not only provides cover, but when rotting promotes the development of microorganisms, which are a valuable secondary food source

The well-being of the animals should be monitored regularly. Temperature should be checked daily, pH, hardness and nitrate levels at least every 14 days. Regular partial water changes are recommended, even when contaminant levels have not yet reached the upper limit. Sudden changes in water quality should be avoided. Newly introduced animals must be accustomed slowly to the water in the aquarium.

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: petdata; Image: www.aquamax.de

Source: KARGE & KLOTZ (2007): Süßwassergarnelen aus aller Welt, Dähne Verlag; ENGELMANN & LANGE (2011): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Wirbellose, Verlag Harri Deutsch