Jim

OK, it seems appropriate to start off my personal BLOG section with the coolest thing I've bought yet. I was chcking out a new store way down in Tampa which turned out to be a gold mine, and I came across this monster. I knew immediately I had to own it. I was just hoping it'd come out so I could get a pic, and when the big lights shut off about an hour ago it didn't disappoint me.
So without further adou..
Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls... Meet Wratha, my Vampire Shrimp

Martinismommy

Welcome Wratha! You're quite a sight to see.......How big is she/he?

Jim

Roughly 4 inches... and I've read she'll get bigger.

King_Snuggles

Did you get that at Fish World?

Lucy

Wow, it's kinda creepy and nice looking at the same time.

Shawnie

amazing pics...nice quality also...!

Jim

No, a place called Marine Warehouse on Hillsboro Ave by Town & Country. I didn't know about it until a couple days ago when someone told me they had CO2 equiptment; which they do to some extent.
Dude, you're in tampa? You'll love this place; these guys have a huge selection of very exotic critters, and maybe a dozen of these vampires! I bought this beast and a monster Madascar lace plant (I'll be posting pics of tomorrow). And I plan on going back as soon as i have a few extra $$$.

King_Snuggles

I'll have to check it out next time im in town

COBettaCouple

Very cool! I want some!

Shawnie

ah nooooooo eating the vampires!

MrWaxhead

Very nice find and very nice looking shrimp, more on them here.

http://www.petshrimp.com/africanfiltershrimp.html

Jim

Hey cool! I hadn't seen this link yet. Great pic, I guess mine might get darker... hmmm, I wonder if they change color like the flower shrimp?
Anyway Thanks.

Narcicius

gratz on the find, Hope hes getting all the food he needs from filtering, enjoi the addition.

Jim

I'm also checking into different filter feeder foods, mostly for salt water corals and such, to see what might work as a suppliment, just in case. I also have a great stone mortal and pestal to grind up algae tabs and baby fish food ultra-fine.

King_Snuggles

aww it says not to keep them with chiclids. so i guess that counts angles and kirbys.

Jim

I'm currently debating this very thing, because my new tank is going to have angels. Can I put somethinglike Wratha in with them? Now on the one hand small shrimp like Amano's would be angelfood in no-time. But i'm not exactly sure what an angel would do when facing something this big. Plus there's those massive front legs Wratha has. I've watched her, and I know they're NOT claws, they have no hinged "thumb" or whatever to close like a crab-claw. But it sure looks like one, doesn't it? I've been really wondering about this, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't serve any function, although I'm betting it could give a fish a good poke.
So why look so huge and deadly like a blue crab?? hmmmm?? Guys, I haven't seen this written anywhere, but I think my Vampire is a mimic... looking like it has big claws like a crab or crayfish when the truth is it's harmless and rather defenseless. I think it's intended to fake the preditors out! And if this is the case... again, I really wonder what an angel or other not too agressive cichlid would do.

Austin {Aquarist}

*hides under bed*

King_Snuggles

all the pictures i have seen the shrimp have those big front legs. and all the sites say they are harmless.
i guess there is only one way to find out what an angle will do. keep us posted if you have good luck i will have to try my hand at them they are really cool looking.

Trio123

I have a small angel and an African Knife in with my bamboo shrimp and he has been fine. I've had him for about two months, he is 4 inches, and has molted once in the tank successfully. I have not seen anyone in the tank pay a bit of attention to him. He lives mainly in this kinda overhang/cave I have and comes out at night and sits in front of the powerhead. I feed him cyclopees and very occasionally I put phytoplanton in there but I am not sure if he actually eats that. I see him eat the cyclopees but not the phyto. I think your onto something with that monster size tricking predators.

Jim

That's very good to know... My bamboo is about the same size, and loves to sit in front of the outlet at night. Something about being in the current to feed I guess. I also throw in some frozen cyclopees every now and then. All the fish chow on them. I guess the only question I have about your angelfish is how big is he compared to the shrimp? If he decided he wanted to, is he big enough to present a threat to the shrimp?

Trio123

No I dont think so. The angel is about the size of a silver dollar *EDIT: silver dollar the coin not the fish* (excluding fins). But the knife is plenty big enough to tear the shrimp up. He is about 7 inches now and his mouth gets really wide but the shrimp comes out at night which is when the knife is out so obviously the knife doesnt have the desire to. He is out in the open, so he could if he wanted to. I hope I never have to eat my words

I am honestly more worried about my congo tetras then anyone else... they nip on everybody, especially my farlowella. I personally would think the shrimp would be fine in with large angels but you know Im no expert so go with what you think. Good luck, sorry I am not of more help!

Jim

Thanks... and stop saying you're sorry! lol. This is exactly what I was wondering about. Maybe not so much the Angel, but the fact that a big knife, which is definitly a carnivore, leaves it alone says a lot.
My concern was actually not so much angels but my 4 new discus. But I got to find out the hard way anyway. Unfortunately I had a near disaster yesterday; my new Discus tank crashed. I'm still not to sure what happened, the cycle had been stable for over a month and everything was running fine. I put them in Monday and they seemed to be adjusting great, but then yesterday they were at the top of the tank gasping and when I tested it the Nitrites had spiked.
Luckily for my discus (and the SAE's in there) 2 feet to the right of this tank is my swamp tank: a nice, acidic, OLD soft water tank. I didn't blink an eye, I just took my biggest net, scooped up the whole lot of fish and dumped them into the swamp. I still lost 1 SAE, but everyone else perked right back up. In fact I'm a bit worried the Discus may like this tank TOO much!!! They seem right at home.
Anyway, so far so good, they don't seem to have even noticed my bamboo or vampire shrimp yet. I don't know how the amanos are holding up, but there's lots of little hiding places in there. They'll jut have to adjust for a few days until the other tank is stable.

Trio123

Im glad that everyone else made it. Sounds like quite a scare!