# Indian Whisker Shrimp...



## CharStarr (Jul 3, 2012)

*I tried researching online for Indian Whisker Shrimp aka Blue Claw Whisker Shrimp but can't find any good solid information on this species. I recently went and purchased some duckweed from a lady who lives nearby and I also ended up picking up a shrimp. She told me these shrimp tend to be more aggressive towards other shrimp in the tank but that I shouldn't have any trouble with my betta. Now I have read online that in groups these shrimp are capable of pinning down a goldfish and attacking it, I'm wondering if on it's own it would attack Kudo? They have been in tank together overnight and so far he hasn't bothered Kudo or my two snails. He tends to stick to one corner/side of the tank and just check things out. Any information would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys!*


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## MSG (May 8, 2012)

Those things can get pretty. Some people claim they get over 3" but it could be another species entirely. I would worry when the betta tries to sleep @ night. The shrimp might find his fins tasty.


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## MSG (May 8, 2012)

1 night of peaceful cohabitation means nothing. 2 weeks or 1 month would be a better indication. Shrimp will molt sometime and there's a good chance he won't survive that.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Ah, a member of the macrobrachium shrimp family, if I'm not mistaken.

I would separate it from the betta... Fish have been known to exist side by side for months on end, and all of a sudden an attack can occur. Keeping incompatible species is just a waiting game. And those shrimp do like to grab things with those claws, like betta tails. 
I don't know if you've ever seen, but we've had several instances of ghost shrimp grabbing onto betta tails and ripping them up on here. Ghost shrimp are pretty closely related to this shrimp, so I can imagine a fish tail would be very tempting to him.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

The whisker shrimp I know about don't have claws-look a lot like ghost shrimp but bigger....Knowing the species and genus would be helpful...

The genus is most likely Macrobrachium


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## CharStarr (Jul 3, 2012)

*Indian Whisker shrimp, Machrobrachium, or Longarm, family, OFL you were right =) 

Thanks everyone for all your help and advice, I removed the shrimp from the tank for now and will probably just end up housing him separately in a 5 gallon. We named him Claus after the goldfish in American Dad lol. My husband can't stand shrimps, I personally think they're cute, he calls him my little sea monster.*


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I don't think a 5 gallon is a waste for the shrimp. The macrobrachium are a very amusing family of shrimp.


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## CharStarr (Jul 3, 2012)

*Olympia - I agree with you! I think I will get the 5 gallon in a couple of weeks and then give him another Indian Whisker Shrimp to play with! Hell have a lot of fun swimming in the 5 gallon, he really enjoyed swimming up to the fake plants and sitting on the leaves. He's a cutie.*


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

Shrimp only tanks are very fun!


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