New Shrimp Species Found In London Aquarium
Keeping shrimps can be an interesting and engaging task for anyone setting an aquarium or developing an existing one, but it seems it is important to be prepared for unexpected arrivals.
The Independent has reported how a hitherto unknown species of shrimp has been found in a south London aquarium, having apparently arrived as a stowaway from the Carribbean.
It was found in a tank at the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill and this has led to it being given the Latin moniker Heteromysis hornimani.
The creature is believed to have been lurking on a rock taken from the Carribbean sea, and this is not the only case of it finding its way to Europe, with the shrimp also being found at aquariums in France and Poland. The elusive creature is small, measuring 6mm when fully grown and transparent in appearance, with patches of yellow-brown colouring and orange spots.
Curiously, the animal has not yet been found in the wild, with the discoveries at Wroclaw Zoo, the Oceanopolis Aquarium in Brest and the Aquarium de Paris owning to similar cases of serendipity.
Most of the time, of course, shrimps do not appear by accident but are part of the marine ecosystem you have chosen to have in your tank. In order to keep them happy and healthy, there are several steps you should take.
Shrimps like to have stones around and lots of plants. They aren’t too fussy about what plants, but they love java moss. They also devour algae, which makes them great for cleaning up the tank.
At the same time, it is important to know what might make the aquarium environment hospitable. Different shrimps do better with various PH levels in the water, so it is helpful to check out what the particular species you are hosting needs. Only have one shrimp species per tank.
Also, don’t include too many big fish in the tank or they will make a tasty meal of the shrimp. Lots of rocks will at least give them safe places to hide.
Finally, make sure you have a sponge filter to avoid sucking shrimps to an early doom.
By taking these steps, you can create a great environment for keeping shrimps.