# Black Sulawesi shrimp



## Barbara Turner (9 Jan 2020)

Has anyone kept black Sulawesi shrimp? 
My local fish shop has them in stock, according to the assistant they grow to somewhere between cherry and amano size, Like hard water and are reasonably easy to breed. 

Looked cool with there white front legs, expensive little critters though.


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (9 Jan 2020)

They are beautiful looking things!


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## thatblokeoverthere (9 Jan 2020)

Wow! They are lovely looking.

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## Ed Wiser (9 Jan 2020)

Mark’s shrimps in YouTube keeps them.


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## Iain Sutherland (9 Jan 2020)

Never kept them but believe they are easy to keep initially with lots of breeding but are challenging after several months with entire populations crashing almost over night.  Think this crashing cycle is why you dont see them around... I'm amazed an LFS has them, even through breeding forums they are hard to source 


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## alto (10 Jan 2020)

They have become surprisingly available/affordable through some of the Indo farms - not sure if they are breeding or harvesting (or possibly breeding lakeside)

They are one shrimp that does much better with drip acclimation (begin by adding Prime etc), initial losses are usually around 20% but then relatively stable as long as tank parameters remain suitable and stable
Obviously an established tank is part of successful keeping (local specialist prepares new tanks 6-9 months before adding any Sulawesi shrimp sp ... some are much easier to keep longterm than others, diet is also an issue re colony longevity)

There are a couple of well written articles regarding these shrimp (unfortunately I don’t have bookmarks)

General “rule” is species tanks re water parameters and food


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## Barbara Turner (12 Jan 2020)

Iain Sutherland said:


> Think this crashing cycle is why you dont see them around... I'm amazed an LFS



Any reason, these would be worse than normal?

I've only ever had this happen once, I had a tiny nursery tank. That ended up with cherries and daphnia in. I'm guessing due to the water volume.  Once a few of the daphnia died it triggered a cascade.



alto said:


> They have become surprisingly available/affordable through some of the Indo farms - not sure if they are breeding or harvesting (or possibly breeding lakeside)



There in the World of Water Aquatic Centres Bicester where George recently scaped a tank.  I think he said he'd imported them from a breeder in Thailand.

Two things that put me off when I went back, first being £10 each.. Second is that the we're all hiding on the underside of some bog wood. I don't think I would ever see them.

They have a few interesting fish i didn't recognise, one was the same shape as addis butterflyfish, just freshwater, black with rainbow stripes. Label said something like African scrat.

There not the best when it comes to plants as half of there stock   are terrarium house plants kept underwater being sold as aquarium plants. (sorry pet hate)


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## sparkyweasel (12 Jan 2020)

Barbara Turner said:


> Label said something like African scrat.


African Scat, perhaps?
_Scatophagus tetracanthus_.


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## Barbara Turner (13 Jan 2020)

sparkyweasel said:


> African Scat, perhaps?
> _Scatophagus tetracanthus_.



Yes 
Pretty fish, I didn't realise they grew so big.. At 35cm definitely not shrimp safe. 
 I'm not sure which scat they were.. Not that it matters. 


I'm looking for a new centrepiece fish. but I don't think thats it..


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## Protopigeon (14 Jan 2020)

They are really gorgeous critters!

Out of interest which LFS has them? Sound like they have some interesting stuff and i'm just up the road from you...might have a wander down at the weekend for a nosey


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## Barbara Turner (15 Jan 2020)

Protopigeon said:


> Out of interest which LFS



There at the "world of water" in Bicester.


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## Protopigeon (15 Jan 2020)

cool thanks barbara,for some reason I thought you were in Ashby  might have to make the trip anyway sometime


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## sparkyweasel (15 Jan 2020)

@Protopigeon; there's a World of Water near Rugby, which is a bit closer to you (and me), they often have some interesting fish and shrimps, though I haven't been for a while so I don't know what they've got at the moment.
They sometimes have some nice wood too, but you need to look outside in the pond area.


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## Protopigeon (16 Jan 2020)

@sparkyweasel Thanks! I'll check it out that's much closer to me 

EDIT: It's closed for refurbishment until spring 2020 but I'll keep an eye on it


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## Gill (5 Feb 2020)

As said they need a well established tank, dirty with lots of algae to feed on. 
Once they have settled in they are a lovely shrimp. And look great with their bright white legs working on algae. 
Mark's shrimp tanks. Is a great resource and he has a good tutorial on them in his YouTube page.

Have kept them In the past and are a lovely addition. 

Also world of water rugby will be closing as lease has not been renewed, but are moving locations very soon. 

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