GunmetalBlue
1st Jun 2005, 08:19 PM
Hi everyone, while sorting through some pictures, I was so surprised to see claws/nails on the Bamboo shrimp's (Atyopsis Moluccensis) legs! I guess part of the surprise comes from the fact that considering their large size, they are quite harmless to other shrimp. So I just didn't expect to see it; hmmm, wondering if I'm the only person that didn't know... The African filter shrimp (Atya gabonensis) seem to have claws/nails too.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v376/Catgravity/ZMisco/01BambooNail2400W.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v376/Catgravity/ZMisco/02BambooNail1400W.jpg
I do know from my two Bamboo shrimp that they like to jockey for best filtering position, standing side by side and sometimes pushing at each other with their legs. It's almost as if they want to get the advantage by having their foot in front of, and over the other, much like a boxer makes sure to have their foot outside their opponent's while circling the ring. I also observed one of them on an algae covered rock actually scraping the algae with his/her claw/nail, then working the algae toward the fan, then into the mouth.
Anyone else observe any of this, or any other interesting behaviors? I do know they are good at clutching onto rocks and plants and often seem to prefer that rather than standing on the aquarium floor. They seem rather clumsy when walking around; perhaps when they walk on gravel it's a little like walking on high heels. lol :rolleyes:
-GunmetalBlue
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v376/Catgravity/ZMisco/01BambooNail2400W.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v376/Catgravity/ZMisco/02BambooNail1400W.jpg
I do know from my two Bamboo shrimp that they like to jockey for best filtering position, standing side by side and sometimes pushing at each other with their legs. It's almost as if they want to get the advantage by having their foot in front of, and over the other, much like a boxer makes sure to have their foot outside their opponent's while circling the ring. I also observed one of them on an algae covered rock actually scraping the algae with his/her claw/nail, then working the algae toward the fan, then into the mouth.
Anyone else observe any of this, or any other interesting behaviors? I do know they are good at clutching onto rocks and plants and often seem to prefer that rather than standing on the aquarium floor. They seem rather clumsy when walking around; perhaps when they walk on gravel it's a little like walking on high heels. lol :rolleyes:
-GunmetalBlue