which makes those that can
be found the world’s most
expensive fan shrimps. Due
to the difficulty of breed-
ing and caring for them, as
well as the presumably low
numbers in nature, it is hoped
that this species ends up in
the hands of professionals
who are capable of maintain-
ing them over the long run.
Although I was told that it is
very difficult—almost impos-
sible—to keep this shrimp
alive in captivity, I would like
to point out that since the
day it appeared, almost nine
weeks have elapsed. I feed it a special food that is
not currently on the market, but is very similar to its
natural diet.
Despite meticulous scrutiny of incoming shrimp
livestock shipments, our A. obscura male has remained
a single specimen, and he is enjoying life in his own
2.6-gallon (10-L) tank with an Atyoida pilipes for com-
pany. We will keep searching for a female.REFERENCE
Han, C.C. and W. Klotz. 2015. Australatya obscura sp. nov., a new
filter-feeding shrimp (Decapoda, Atyidae) from Taiwan and the
Philippines. Crustaceana 88 (1): 66–81.
—Lou HerfurthGold Nugget Pleco, Green Morph,
Baryancistrus xanthellus “Verde”3 |
During a recent visit to a breeding facility in Al-
tamira, Brazil, I came across some plecos iden-
tified as Baryancistrus xanthellus “Verde.” They are said
to be genetically identical to the Gold Nugget Plecos,
Baryancistrus xanthellus,
but differ in their lighter,
green base color and the
absence of the yellow
spots seen in “regular” B.
xanthellus. To date, they
have been caught only in
the last rapids of the Volta
Grande. Because this
area will probably dry out
in the coming years, the
fate of these large plecos
is uncertain unless they
can be regularly bred in
captivity.
—Andreas TankeBaryancistrus
xanthellus “Verde”
in the breeding
facility in Altamira.AMAZONAS
word obscurus means hidden or concealed). The spe-
cies, known from Taiwan and the Philippines, prefers to
live between roots and stones in clean, rapidly flowing,
oxygen-rich streams. In the aquarium, our little compan-
ion shows up punctually at feeding time, but the rest of
the time it hides between two roots.
Regarding gender differences, Kruck wrote, “Even
without morphological knowledge the determination of
the sex is quite simple. Females are larger than males,
and the enchanting red color is overlaid with vertical
white stripes. There are also specimens that have a
bright dorsal stripe. The telson (last body section) may
be white as well. Males are rather inconspicuous, with
whitish or transparent bodies and vertical black stripes.”
As with all species of fan shrimps, breeding A.
obscura is not easy and requires expert knowledge in
larval rearing methods. In addition, the size difference
between males and females in A. obscura makes it
more difficult.
Australatya obscura is not common in the wild, and
its habitats are known to very few specialists. As a
result, this shrimp is virtually unavailable in the trade,Bamboo Shrimp,
Australatya obscuraTOP: H. BUCK; BOTTOM: A. TANKE