Odd pep-shrimp

[Mini4x]

One of my peps looks like this:

Any idea what that thing is?

 

[NateHanson]

Looks like the thing that Ahnold pulled out of his nose in Total Recall

 

[jovreef]

looks like a camel shrimp...wont eat aptasia if thats what you got it for.

 

[Aquaman_68]

looks like a camel shrimp...wont eat aptasia if thats what you got it for.

Get back to work!!!

 

[zear0]

maybe its lysmata rathbunae? (Rathbunae have that yellow area within the cephalothorax.)

lysmata wurdemanni being the "true peppermint" and looks very very similar to the rathbunae:

picture of camel shrimp:

i should add that the rathbunae is reported to NOT chow on aiptasia. however, the fact that these shrimps are very likely to get confused with eachother may lead to misinformation being spread about.

 

[Myk]

zear0, you are exactly right. The Pep pictured up top is Lysmata rathbunae. They are usually not good predetors of Aptasia Anemones, while most L.wurdemanni usually love em'

I have seen some L. rathbunae actually develop a tumor like growth where that spot in the thorax is.

-B-

 

[Mini4x]

It's clearly only on one side of his body and looks like a lump or somehting.

 

[dad300]

if I remember correctly it is a parasite that lives under the carapace of the shrimp. it doesn't hurt the shrimp it just deforms them a little.

 

[Chris L]

does it always look like that? because the males and females often show different color gonads on there back where that spot is.

 

[Mini4x]

it's more to one side than on the back, only had him a few weeks, but hasn't changed at all.

 

[Mini4x]

FWIW the one aptasia I knew of growing is gone now too.. since I added these guys..

 

[Chris L]

well he is definatley a peppermint. there are several species so im not sure of the exact one

 

[~Flighty~]

The white bump is a specific type parasitic copeopod. The females bury themselves in the tissue of the shrimp and live there. They will make babies, but the babies do not survive in our tanks so there isn't a risk of spreading the buggers to other shrimp. They are ugly, but don't do any damage other than possibly shortening the lifespan of the shrimp.

 

[Mini4x]

Thats the bugger Cindy! Thanks, guess I'll call him Frankenpep..

 

[smcnally]

They are ugly, but don't do any damage other than possibly shortening the lifespan of the shrimp.

LOL...That's like saying that a brain tumor doesn't do any damage...just shortens your lifespan.