Sexy Shrimp puchases

[dannanokris]

Hey,
I was wondering if anyone here knew where I could get some sexy shrimp? I want to trade in my cleaner for one but in the end have somewhere between 2-3 sexies. I need to get rid of my cleaner he is way to agressive and seems to be growing at an asstounding rate. When I feed my fish formula one he acutally tackles them and rips the food out of their mouths. LOL its kinda a funny but I think he needs a bigger home. So if anyone knows where I could get some sexies please write back...
Thx
Dan

[Fliger]

Hey Dan, try to get 3 to start - at least. They are TINY. I have 3 and they are awesome. The sit up on the frogspawn 24/7 and wag their tails. They're small and don't irritate LPS. I only paid $9/each - when available, they're cheap. I would order more online with you if you were interested.

I know someone in LA that can get them - let me check. It might be awhile. I am totally jammed until the end of the month. Try to call liveaquaria, I know they have them from time to time also.

Gotta run, but won't be online for a few days.

[dgin]

Reeptopia has some I believe. You may want to check with the order that is going on over in the FRAG forum to see what the status is if you want to piggyback on the order.

[Fliger]

Just be sure they truly are sexy shrimp. Some that look similar require a special diet (linkia starfish?).

[njmar1]

I don't think they are sexy shrimp, CrystalAZ ordered one on the last order.

[dmorel]

David (fliger),
the shrimp that you are thinking of are called harlequin
shrimp.
Cool little buggers, but yes sir they eat starfish. For the most part I think people feed them choc chip stars most often. Linkia's are hard enough to keep let alone use for feeding!
I always liked the harlequin, but no way would I get something that I had to feed a starfish!

Sexy shrimp are cool, but listen to David's advice and make sure you get what you are looking for as the harlequin's do indeed look a bit like the sexy shrimp.

-dm

[mx_tang]

Although the sexy shrimp (Thor amboinensis) have similar markings compared to the harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera picta or (Hymenocera elegans), they are entirely different animals and you'll need to be able to able to differentiate between the two.

Here are some Sexy Shrimp:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/images/dec2003/photo.jpg

http://www.divegallery.com/shrimp_ambonian.jpg

http://www.cosmos.ne.jp/~divernk/ek/ek0004a.jpg


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Here are some Harlequin Shrimp

http://members.cox.net/lnilsson66/Hymenocera-picta_227-2.jpg

http://homepage3.nifty.com/nodeco-diver/topic-furisodeebi4.jpg

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cef99900/ku2.hurisode.jpg

The most noticeable difference between the two species will be:

1.) The harlequin shrimp has a skirt around it's midsection and tail. Sexy shrimp don't have this and resemble the body shape of a camel shrimp.

2.) The claws on the harlequin shrimp are enormous and look like canoe paddles. Sexy shrimp have small claws that resemble Lysmata sp cleaner shrimps.

3.) The legs of a harlequin shrimp are banded. Sexy Shrimp have the same color legs as the body color, and they may have an orange stripe going along the length of the leg.

4.) The markings of the Sexy Shrimp are white on an earth toned body (red, green, tan). The markings of the Harlequin Shrimp are either Red (H. picta) or Blue (H. elegans) on a white body.

5.) Harlequin Shrimp have a flat, pedal like, antennae. Sexy shrimp have normal antennae that are thin and long (hair like).

I hope that helps.