Among the numerous Cherax species Cherax quadricarinatus, also known as Australian red claw crayfish, occupies a special position. It has been propagated as edible crayfish in aquaculture for decades and was therefore one of the very first Cherax species available for aquaristics. 

Cherax quadricarinatus belongs to the largest representatives of its genus, males can reach up to 30 cm in length. Females always remain somewhat smaller. The sexes can be distinguished, as in all Cherax species, by the sexual openings (gonopores) on the walking legs. In females the gonopores are located on the 3rd, in males on the 5th pair of walking legs. This is the best form of sex determination, especially in young animals. In adults it is easier because only males develop the red blisters on the outside of the scissor finger.

Even though Cherax quadricarinatus is one of the largest species: it is also one of the most peaceful. Certainly the selection for keeping in aquaculture has also contributed to the fact that these crayfish – unlike many other crayfish species – are absolutely compatible even with each other and usually do not even damage each other when they are freshly skinned and still butter soft.

In the trade are usually the 3-5 cm long juveniles, which are pretty light blue in color. With age the animals become darker, we also attach two pictures of adult animals to the post, which show how they look then.

For our customers: the animals have code 481401 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Among the numerous species of North American crayfish, Procambarus alleni, under the name “Blue Florida Lobster”, has for many years been a fixture in the aquarium trade. However, one must know: although breeders prefer to breed with blue specimens and usually only blue animals are sold, this is by no means a species characteristic. There are many different color variations of this crayfish in nature. Blue animals can occur in pretty much all crayfish, including our native Astacus astacus.

In the aquarium Procambarus alleni is an interesting and easy to care for crayfish. It is naturally found east of the St. John’s River throughout the Florida peninsula to south of Levy and Marion counties, all animals in the trade are captive bred from Southeast Asia. It reaches a length around 12 cm, but becomes sexually mature at 4-6 cm in length. When mating, the male throws the female on her back and blocks those of the female with his claws. However, the female ready to mate falls into rigidity anyway and does not resist the threatening looking treatment. The crayfish, as omnivores, also eat small fish and aquarium plants, it is necessary to know that, besides, the species burrows strongly. 

You must not keep such animals – and this applies to all aquarium crayfish – in the garden pond. Especially Procambarus alleni lives amphibious in nature in self-dug burrows and can migrate far over land in wet weather. In the wild, this crayfish can spread a deadly disease to native crayfish. So please show a sense of responsibility and keep such crayfish only in the aquarium for which they are intended.

For our customers: the animals have code 486701 on our stock list. Please note that we supply only wholesale.

Many species of animals and plants have been discovered only because they were imported for the purpose of keeping them alive. This is very important, because species knowledge is the absolute basic requirement for species protection. You cannot protect a species that you do not know. In the north of India, in the district of Coochbehar, a very enterprising and knowledgeable man, Bipul Gope, has been active in ornamental fishing for many years. On his extensive excursions he has already discovered many species, such as the colorful snakehead fish species Channa andrao and C. bleheri, he rediscovered Dario dario, lost since 1822, and many other species more, including a freshwater shrimp. We first imported this species in 2007 and gave it the makeshift name Macrobrachium sp. “Banded”. Werner Klotz described the species one year later as M. agwi based on our imported animals. Now we could finally import this species again. Our supplier sent it this time under the name “Candy shrimp”, a nice popular name for a pretty shrimp!

Macrobrachium agwi belongs to the species where the males can develop very long claw arms. The maximum length of the animals is 5-6 cm (not counting claw arms), females remain smaller. The Candy Shrimp belongs to the large-armed shrimps, which can be bred well in the aquarium, that it lays few, large eggs (approx. 20) and the young shrimps hatch already far developed. They do not go through a larval phase in the sea. The experiences with Macrobrachium show in general that they can be kept together with not too small fishes. They are omnivorous, but clearly have a preference for carnivorous food. Many species like to eat small snails. Long-term experience especially with M. agwi has not been reported yet. The aquarium should not be too small and should have many hiding places, because these animals can become aggressive among themselves. The water temperature can be between 18 and 26°C.

For our customers: the animals have code 484232 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We have received a beautiful color variation of the zebra crayfish from New Guinea, which is characterized by deep blue claws. These are quite magnificent animals! For basic information about the species see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/cherax-peknyi-4/

For our customers: the animals have code 483025 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The colorful New Guinea crayfish of the genus Cherax have revolutionized aquaristics in some ways. Before their aquaristic discovery in the late 1990s, large crayfish in the aquarium were more a matter for specialists. They were considered formidable plant destroyers, tireless burrowers, and at night they would eat sleeping fish. These are all attributes, with which one does not necessarily make oneself popular. Cherax are different; basically they are also typical “armored robber barons”, but in the light version. And they are very, very colorful.

Now happened, what always happens, when the hobby turns to a hitherto hardly noticed group: there are big identification problems, because always new forms appear. Are these new species, local color variants or simply color forms that form a reproductive community together with other color forms? Such questions are difficult to answer and led to countless trade names and so far 13 new scientific descriptions (previously 12 species were known, so the number of known species has more than doubled!). Once again it became obvious: Biodiversity research benefits immensely from animal live trade! And without basic research there is no species conservation.

The “Red Brick” came late into the hobby, between 2005 and 2008. There is also a rather blue morph of it, called “Blue Brick”. Unfortunately also Cherax boesemani was sometimes already called “Red Brick” in the trade. Explicitly the former “Red Brick” has now been scientifically described by Chris Lukhaup and Rury Eprilurahman as Cherax wagenknechtae. The species name honors the German politician Sahra Wagenknecht. According to the authors, the “Red Brick” is from the Beraur River system, and the “Blue Brick” is from the Klasabun River drainage, both localized in the western part of the Vogelkop Peninsula (Kepala Burung), West Papua, Indonesia. Lukhaup and Eprilurahman assign the “Blue Brick” to their new species. According to the authors, the closest related Cherax is C. pulcher (the “Hoa Creek”). Besides color characteristics, C. wagenknechtae and C. pulcher also differ in anatomical details, but listing them here would lead too far, especially since they are difficult to study on living animals. 

Cherax wagenknechtae is very well suited for aquarium care. It is best to keep them in pairs in well structured aquariums. Basic food is dead leaves, besides that they will eat pretty much anything.The crayfish like it rather dim and not too warm (18-24°C), so they fit perfectly in our time, when electricity costs are no longer a negligible factor for aquaristics.

For our customers: C. wagenknechtae has code 481458 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The Hulk is a comic character from the Marvel universe, a strong, green colored fellow with high destructive potential. We assume that the new dwarf shrimp Neocaridina denticulata Hulk orange, which we could now exclusively import from Taiwan for the first time, is called Hulk because of its green main coloration, because you can hardly imagine anything more harmless and peaceful than a dwarf shrimp.

Under the green main color an orange second color emerges. According to our supplier, “This shrimp is very special that its body color is variant according to the environment.” 

Fancy!

For our customers: the animals have code 485447 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text: Frank Schäfer, Photos: Sophie Ho

The snails of the Malili Lakes on Sulawesi (formerly: Celebes) belonging to the family Pachychildae are great animals to keep for their own sake and not just as useful algae and debris eaters, like many other snails. All Tylomelania species of the region have in common that they occur in warm (around 30°C), soft and alkaline water. However, in aquaristic practice they have proven to be very adaptable.

Tylomelania towutensis grows to about 8 cm in length. The shell is black, has 6-9 distinctly sculpted whorls, and the soft body is black with bright yellowish spots, which has led to the popular name gold-spotted snail. They are separately sexed animals, not hermaphrodites, but the sexes cannot be distinguished externally. All Tylomelania species are viviparous and breathe through gills.

For our customers: the animals have code 488965 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The Nerites, also known as racing snails (family Neritidae), are distributed worldwide in warm and temperate zones. They have an operculum at the foot that allows them to close the shell completely, a cup-shaped shell, and they are often strikingly brightly colored. Many tropical species colonize uppermost shore areas and can live in both seawater and freshwater. Reproduction occurs via egg capsules, which usually hatch into free-swimming larvae (called veligers). These larvae live for some time in the plankton of the sea until they transform into the typical snail. Veligers cannot develop in freshwater, which is why, with the exception of the genus Theodoxus native to Europe, Nerites do not reproduce in freshwater. Theodoxus is a special case; in their egg capsules there are 50-200 eggs, but only one of them develops into the finished snail, while the rest serves as food for the single child.

Vitta virginea is a small (shell width not more than 1.5 cm), very variably colored Nerite. There are hardly two specimens that look exactly the same. The species has a very wide distribution from Florida to Brazil (where our specimens come from) and also on several Caribbean islands. The wide distribution is easily explained by the marine larval stage; adults usually live in fresh or brackish water. 

As with many other Nerites, there are two reasons that make them perfect aquarium snails: they are excellent algae eaters and very colorful. They do not eat filamentous and brush algae, but they do eat all algae films on glass, decorative objects and plants. The plants themselves are not attacked. 

For our customers: the animals have code 493954 on our stock list. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

For the first time ever we were able to import this pretty snail from Thailand. It is a typical viviparid snail that shares all the characters of the family: these animal breath via gills, not via lungs, and thus use the dissolved oxygen in the water for breathing, like fish do; there are males and females, the males can be recognize by the fact that one of the antennas is modified in shape; these snails are livebearers; and they are no algae-eaters in the strict sense, but feed on Aufwuchs and detritus. Food tablets (produced for ornamental fish) are a reliable food for them in the aquarium. Filopaludina (Siamopaludina) martensi cambodjensis attains a length of about 4 cm.

For our customers: the animals have code 483655 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Among the most unusual species of freshwater snail is the Red Spotted Bella Snail, Paludomus loricatus, from Sri Lanka. The eyes of this snail are very attractive coloured, brightly red-orange. Around the mantle are numerous folds of the same colour.

We are informed on the biology of P. loricatus by Starmühlner (Starmühlner, F. (1974): The freshwater gastropods of Ceylon. Bull. Fish. Res. Stn. Sri Lanka, 25, 97-181). According to him, the snails inhabit clear, very clean, fast running streams in the crystalline uplands of South-West Sri Lanka (altitude 60-700 m). The snails prefer to crawl near the water surface on rocks and stones in a current between 30 and 100 cm/s; sometimes they are also found outside the water. The water is very soft (total hardness 0.5-1.2°dH), the pH is between 5.8 and 7.1, the water temperature between 18 and 27.3°C. The snails feed on Aufwuchs and detritus. It is thought that they are – like all members of the genus Paludomus – are ovo-viviparous, eg that they give birth to completely developed youngsters.

For our customers: the animals have code 485812 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

This is the latest star in our stocklist: are real pretty little creature! The animals are German bred ones, available in very limited numbers only!

For our customers: the shrimps have code 485472 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The
snails of the genus Neritina have become very popular among aquarists.
These snails are excellent algae eaters. They feed most algae from the
glasses of the tank, because they prefer hard surfaces to live on.
Another advantage of these snails is that they cannot breed under
aquarium conditions, because the larvae develop in marine environments.
Neritina snails can live several years. However, one cannot say how old a
wild collected specimen is.

The
Red Lips Snail belongs to the species Neritina violacea, which is
fairly common along the coasts of Southeast Asia. In the wild it is
mainly found in the mangroves. So hard water with a pH higher than 8 is
preferable.

For our customers: the snails have code 485511 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The
Louisiana crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) has become a real domesticated
pet. Quite a lot of colour sports have been developed by breeders.
These sports do not exist in the wild. One of these sports is plain
white. In case the female bears eggs it looks like Snow White playing
with snowballs…

Sadly
the species P. clarkii has been proven to be one of the most aggressive
invasive species. Released animals – by accident or intentionally –
have become a plague in many countries and are the cause for the
extinction of many native species. So please keep this in mind. Never
abandon an aquarium animal in nature, no matter what species! Thank you.

For our customers: the crayfish has code 486982 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We
received really beautiful, very large Crystal Reds from Indonesia. It
is not so long ago that these animals very extremely expensive. But
luckily nowadays every enthusiast is able to afford some specimens if
he´s interested in doing so. We have produced also a little film on
these Crystal Reds which can be watched on our facebook page.

For our customers: the fish have code 485334 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Whoever
is on search for a large and easy-to-keep freshwater snail should try
the up to 10 cm long Brotia herculea. We recently received this species
from Thailand. The animals are relatives to the famed red-rimmed melania
(Melanoides tuberculata). But Brotia herculea hardly ever burrows
itself in the soil.

In
Brotia males and females exist. Sadly it is impossible to tell the
sexes apart. So anyone who is interested in breeding this animal should
buy a number of them to ensure that both sexes are included.

Brotia
herculea is a livebearing species. The juveniles are very numerous and
very tiny. Breeders found between 60 and 100 babies from one offspring.
Obviously these snails breed only twice or three times per year and have
still a kind a breeding season. For rearing the youngsters an old,
long-time running “dirty” tank fits best, otherwise one has to face a
lot of losses. B. herculea becomes fertile at an age of about two years
in aquaria. Then they are about 6 cm long.

Brotia
herculea feeds a lot. One can offer a broad variety of vegetables and
food tablets for ornamental fish. Some aquarium plants are also eaten.
It seems that individual preferences exist. If the snails are fed
properly they usually leave aquarium plants alone.

For our customers: the animals have code 481312 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Fiddler crabs are always something very special. They live along the border of water and land. During the tide they hide in wholes in the sand. At low water the come out of their hiding places and search for food that the water left behind.

The males display their mighty claw to impress the females, but this also is used to awe other males. Within the very same species males exist, in which the left claw or the right is enlarged.

Currently we were able to import some males from Thailand that exhibit extraordinary large claws, which gain even humans respect!

For our customers: the animals have code 489704 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

This
attractive, about 6 cm long snail currently reached us from Indonesia.
It is a relative of the well known Malayian trumpet snail. In the wild
this animal occurs in the lowest reaches of rivers on muddy bottoms and
is thus very tolerant against salt. So it is possible to keep it in
freshwater tanks as well as in brackish water aquaria.

In
contrast to the Malayan trumpet snail, which is a livebearing species,
Faunus ater is an egglayer. The larvae can develop in marine environment
only, so it is impossible that an unwanted proliferation occurs in the
tank. Males and females cannot be distinguished by external features. In
nature, these snails feed probably on silt and mud. They do not work as
algae-eaters, but need detritus and similar material for food.

For our customers: the snails have code 483638 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexikon:
Faunus: a Roman god, patron of farming and livestock; corresponding to
the Greek Pan. It is not known, why this generic name was chosen. ater:
Latin, means “black”.

Suggestion of a common name: Cappucino snail

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The most popular and easy to keep dwarf shrimp for the freshwater aquarium, Neocaridina davidi, has another new dress: pitchblack! Of course there do exist already black sports of other species of dwarf shrimp, but N. davidi has against other species the big advantage that N. davidi is extremely tolerant against different temperatures. Other species of dwarf shrimp still bear the heritage of their wild living ancestors, which prefer rather cool water. Of course led the breeding over generations and generations of aquarium shrimp to more tolerant stocks, but non is as hardy as Neocaridina davidi.

N. davidi can be kept year-in year-out at temperatures as high as 26-28°C, if the keeper wishes to do that. But it also can be kept without any heater if that is desirable. The species is simply an artist of survival and the Black Choco differs in nothing from the red, yellow, blue or striped conspecifics except the coloration.

For our customers: the Black Choco Shrimp has code 485201 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

From Taiwan we were able to import beautiful land hermits. They belong to the species Coenobita rugosus, which can be recognized by the ridge-like swellings on the upper edges of the claws. The colour is very variable and can be grey, brown or reddish. Like all Coenobita species the animal likes to live in groups. They are omnivorous and can be fed easily with flake food for fish and several vegetables. It is necessary to feed always dried leaves (oak, beech etc.). In one bowl one has to offer daily changed fresh water, in another one seawater. The terrarium should be filled 10 cm high with a mixture of sand and garden earth. It is necessary that the ground is high enough to allow the animals to burrow themselves completely. Otherwise they are unable to moult.

For more informations please see Aqualog book „All about shrimps, crayfishes, & crabs in the fresh-and brackish-water aquarium and paludarium“

For our customers: the animals have code-number 483212. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Crabs
are very entertaining animals in the aquarium. They seem to be quite
intelligent and display a great number of interesting behaviour.
However, one must keep in mind that crabs are also great destructors.
They use to try any inhabitant of their tank – plants as well as animals
– if they are edible. And against conspecifics these crabs are very
pugnacious.

For
the first time ever we were able to import a species of large
freshwater crab from Paraguay now. The animals have a shell width of
about 5-8 cm. Together with the legs these crabs are larger than a man´s
hand. They belong most probably to the species Trichodactylus kensleyi.
The generic name means “hairy finger”. The hairs on lower segments of
the legs are clearly visible on the pictures.

For
our customers: the animals have code 488554 on our stocklist. Please
note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Only very few
specimens available!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We
received nice bred specimens of this tiny species from Indonesia.
Initially Cambarellus diminutus originates from North America, where it
occurs along the Gulf of Mexico. In contrast to the larger species of
crayfish, the species belonging to the genus Cambarellus fit perfectly
for community tanks. C. diminutus is the smallest species of all and
attains a maximum length of about 2.5 cm. The bright shine of the
carapax is very obvious: it looks a bit like polished porcelain.

For our customers: the animals have code 481322 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

For
the first time we can offer the very pretty, black-and-white “Mustang
Shrimp”. The dwarf shrimps belong – according to the “godfather of dwarf
shrimps”, Werner Klotz – to the species Paracaridina zijinica.
Regarding keeping and breeding they do not differ from the well known
dwarf shrimp “Crystal Red”.

By
the way: this species of dwarf shrimp, the Crystal Red, which is the
first dwarf shrimp that appeared in the market at all, finally has been
described scientifically under the name of Caridina logemanni Klotz
& van Rintelen, 2014, named in honor for the brothers Logemann, well
known dwarf shrimp breeders.

And
in the very same work, the also very well known Tiger Shrimp has been
named as Caridina mariae Klotz & van Rintelen, 2014, dedicated to
the wife of Werner Klotz, Maria.

For
our customers: Paracaridina zijinica has code 485388 on our stocklist.
Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Literature:
Klotz, W. & T. van Rintelen (2014):
To “bee” or not to be – on some ornamental shrimp from Guangdong
Province, Southern China and Hong Kong SAR, with descriptions of three
new species. Zootaxa 3889 (2): 151-184

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Dwarf
shrimps are charming and completely harmless, but also very small. So
keepers of somewhat larger fish often search for a species of shrimp
which is absolutely harmless and day active, but also a bit larger – too
large to be eaten as an intermediate snack between dinner and supper.
For these cases mother nature has produced Atyoida pilipes. This shrimp
attains a maximum length of about 5 cm and feeds exclusively on very
small particles of food which are filtered with the fan-like shaped
claws out of the water.

The
animals are completely harmless. In an aquarium they also feed readily
on dry food for fishes, so feeding them is no problem at all. The best
choice are food tablets that decay slowly in the water. Here all A.
pilipes that live in the tank will meet quite fast.

This
shrimp likes to live in larger aggregations, so one should never keep
them alone. In any other respect the animal is absolutely undemanding.
The only exception is when it comes to breeding A. pilipes: raising the
very tiny larvae is quite difficult, because they develop only in marine
environments.

For our customers: the shrimps have code 481270 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We
obtain a number of very beautiful species of the genus Cherax from
New-Guinea. One of them is the “Blue Moon”, which is not yet determined
on a scientific basis. The legs are bright blue and the carapax is of a
deep midnight blue. The outer ridge of the claw is bright yellow-orange –
this is the moon. In males, there is a kind of bubble in the moon which
is lacking in females. The females can be recognized also by the
smaller claws and the broader abdomen. Another, species-specific feature
is the broad, bright yellow-orange stripe on the fan of the tail.

The
Blue Moon attains a maximum length of about 10 cm and is suited very
well for the keeping and breeding in aquaria. One should keep in mind
that these animals feed mainly on plant materials. So, dead leaves
collected in autumn should form the main part of the diet of the
animals. For many of them the leaves of cherry trees are a real delicacy
and the menue should also always contain oak leaves as a prevention of
fungus diseases. Each individual crayfish needs a shelter on its own.
Despite the fact that Cherax species are comparably peaceful against
conspecifics, cannibalism may happen (especially after the moulting) if
not enough hiding places are extant.

The
water chemistry is of little meaning for these crayfish. The pH can be
between 6 and 8 (even a little more or a little less), water temperature
between 18 and 28°C. Cherax species are mainly active during dawn
light, so an expensive and costly strong illumination is not necessary.

For our customers: the animals have code 481462 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The
development of new colour sports in dwarf shrimps still goes on and on.
The latest brandnew sport reached us now from Taiwan under the name of
Fantasy Jelly. This pretty animal is of a deep, intense royal blue; the
colour is so intensive that the shrimps sometimes even look black.
Possibly this new sport is a further stage of the “Sushi Blue” which we
could introduce to you about one year ago (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archive/lobster-shrimps-crabs-mussels-snails-en/Neocaridina_heteropoda_Sushi_Blue_en/)

For our customers: the animals have code 485204 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.  

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The
Tiger Dwarf Shrimp belongs to the species that is known already for
quite a long time in the hobby. However, there is still a Babylonian
mess regarding the correct scientific name of the animals. But most
authors currently think that the species Caridina cantonensis is at
least the closest described relative of the Tiger Dwarf Shrimp. So it is
best to name them Caridina cf. cantonensis.

This
is exactly the same scientific name applied on the Crystal Red and the
Bee Dwarf Shrimp. And in fact all these dwarf shrimps can be crossed and
the offspring is fertile over generations. This is important to know
for all who are interested in breeding shrimps. One must keep the
different varieties separately, otherwise a mix will appear.

The
Red Tiger Dwarf Shrimp is a very pretty sport of the common Tiger Dwarf
Shrimp. It differs from its well-known ancestors in no other respect
than the coloration.

For our customers: the animals have code 485384 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The Panther crabs (Parathelphusa pantherina) are for sure the most attractive of all freshwater crabs. They originate from Matano lake in Sulawesi, where they can be also found under roots etc. on the shore. The animals are, like almost all crabs, omnivorous. However, most food items taken are from animal origin. The maximum width of the carapace is about 5-6 cm.

For our customers: the animals have code 485973 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The Red Mangrove Crab or Red Thai Crab is by far the most popular crab for aqua-terraria. They should be kept always in groups, for these crabs are social animals. A slight addition of salt (5-10 g/l) is very beneficial for the crabs, so the tank should be filled from start up with such a water. Red Mangrove Crabs are omnivorous and can be easily fed with all types of fishfood and many kinds of plant material (leaves, vegetables, fruits).

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Crabs are the personalities among the crustaceans. The crabs of the genus Trichodactylus are exclusive freshwater crabs. These crabs are like most other crabs omnivorous and don´t stop for plants or tankmates. The crabs are not mean, they simply try everything wether it tastes or not. So one should keep the funny guys best in a species-specific tank on their own.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We received a nice shipment of the Pitchblack racing snail Neritina pulligera. Like its close relative, the Zebra snail Neritina turrita, this snail is a excellent algae eater. The species does not breed in the aquarium. Our experience with that snail is that they don´t leave the water, in contrast to other species of the genus.

For our customers: the animals have code 485563 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

code: 483051

code: 481488

code: 481482

code: 481452

code: 481442

Lake Tanganyika in Africa is a kind of very large aquarium. Hundreds of endemic species – endemic means that they occur only there and nowhere else in the world – live in Lake Tanganyka.

This week we have some specialities from the lake for you. First: Platythelphusa armata. This is one of nine species of freshwater crabs from Lake Tanganyika. Males and females look very different. Like all larger species of freshwater crab they should be kept solitary and in single species tanks. Only for breeding attempt the sexes should be kept together. Crabs like these are omnivorous and feed readily on any type of fish food.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Code 485201

Neocaridina heteropoda is for sure the most popular of all dwarf shrimps; probably one must learn a new name for it, as it seems as if the name heteropoda is a junior synonym to the name davidi. But despite the name, may it be heteropoda or davidi: the dwarf shrimp scene is unthinkable without that tiny creature.

There do exist already many different sports of N. heteropoda. The wild animal is unspecatular regarding colour, but aquaristis have developed red, yellow, checkered or chocolate brown ones already. Currently we obtained a new crystal-blue one that is called “sushi blue” by the breeder.

For our customers: the shrimp has code 485203 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Neocaridina: means “new Caridina”; Caridina is another genus of shrimp. heteropoda: means “with different feet”. davidi: dedication name.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

For the first time we could import this species of shrimp from Paraguay. Most probably it represents a population of Macrobrachium brasiliense. That species was imported by us ocassionally already from Peru (see http://www.aquarium-glaser.de/en/archiv.php?news_id=299). Compared with the Peruvian specimens those from Paraguay have more slender arms, otherwise they look identical. The maximum length of our animals is around 5 cm.

This species can be easily bred in freshwater. Possibly it becomes more spread in aquaria now than before, because animals from the Paraguay system are not so demanding regarding the water chemistry like those from the Amazonia/Orinoco-System and be kept very well at a pH higher than 7.

For our customers: the animals have code 484383 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Macrobrachium: ancient Greek, means “with big arm”. brasiliense: means “coming from Brazil”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We received this charming dwarf shrimp from Nigeria. Maximum length is around 4 cm. The species can be bred quite well under aquarium conditions, for the babies are very large already when born. The floating behaviour is fascinating and unique. However, the shrimps show it only in very quiet water.

For our customers: the animals have code 483613 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

The dwarf shrimp Neocaridina heteropoda is one of the most easy to keep dwarf shrimps. It is absolutely undemanding regarding water chemistry and tolerates water temperatures between 10 and 30°C. Moreover it is very easy to breed. The species attains a maximum length of about 3 cm and is a perfect aquarium animal.

Neocaridina heteropoda appears in a great variety of colours in the wild already. So the breeders tried already very soon to breed pure colour sports. This is how the attractive Neocaridina heteropoda Yellow was developed. Currently we can offer them in perfect condition from breeders in Hongkong.

For our customers: the animals have code 485202 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Neocaridina: means “new caridina”. Caridina is another genus of shrimp. heteropoda: means “with different types of feet”.

Suggestion of a common name: Yellow dwarf shrimp

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The charming hermit crab Clibanarius africanus has become a very popular aquarium inhabitant. It is an euryhalin species, which means that it can survive in both pure fresh and pure marine water. However, it seems that it can live in pure freshwater only for a few months, so it is much better to keep it in brackish water.

Clibanarius are detritus feeders. Detritus is composed from several dead stuff of plants and animals. In the aquarium, Clibanarius feed readily on any typical fish food. Usually C. africanus are imported with the brown snail shells of the snail species Tympanotonus fuscatus, but occasionally they bear the white houses of the snail Pachymelania aurita.

For more information on the hermit crab, please click http://www.aqualog.de/Aqualog/news/web69/69-17-19e.pdf

For our customers: the crabs have code 483123 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Clibanarius: term for a heavily armoured cavalryman. africanus: means “comes from Africa”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

This crab is something like the big sister of the “classical” Red Mangrove Crab, Pseudosesarma moeschi. Regarding keeping that crab no major differences exist to that of the smaller relative with the exception that P. huzardi becomes as twice as large – about 8 cm carapax width. So the species needs bigger and more spacious tanks.

This Perisesarma species is completely euryhalin, which means that pure seawater can be used as well as pure freshwater; however it has proofed to be best to use brackish water (5 to 10 grams seasalt per litre), because nitrate and nitrite are by far less toxic in salty water than in pure freshwater.

One should feed these crabs which have the same job in the mangrove as the earthworms have in the garden, e.g. converting the dead leaves from the trees into humus, with dead leaves, fruits and vegetables. Besides this, one can feed any type of frozen fish food (not too much) and flakes. One should be very careful with protein rich granulates. The crabs like it, but they don´t stomach it very well.

For our customers: the animals have code 483083 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

From the coasts of West and Central Africa originates Cardisoma armatum. The bright orange colored legs form a strong contrast to the blue body and let this crab become an attractive ornament. With a carapax diameter of approximately 10 cm it does not belong to the smallest crabs, therefore a spacy tank has to be offered for it. This species predominantly lives on land and needs only a small water-part in the aqua-terrarium. But one should keep in mind that these landcrabs breath through gills and the water – preferably slightly brackish water containing about 5-10 grams salt per litre water – in the gill-chamber must be renewed quite often. This is the reason why the water in the water-part of the aqua-terrarium must be always of top quality. These omnivorous crabs do not have high requirements on their food, they feed on a great variety of food, but fruits and vegetables form a large part of their diet.

For our customers: the animals have code 482003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Photo F. Schäfer, Text K. Diehl

We received from India (West Bengal) this attractive species of Macrobrachium, which we could not apply to any described species so far.

For our customers: the animals have code 484733 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

This Cherax represents in all probability a still undescribed species. We received a small number of the attractive animal from Papua New Guinea. The crayfish are very pretty due to the rusty red spots on the back. The animal can be kept along with fish, but feeds often on plants.

For our customers: the crayfish have code 481482 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We received a shipment of this extremely charming sport of the Crystal Red or Red Bee Shrimp from Indonesia.

For our customers: the animals have code 485358 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Currently we can offer Apple Snails in many interesting colours. These beautiful snails are easy to keep and can get a size of about 5 cm in diameter. In the aquarium, they should be fed regularly like fish, for Apple Snails are heavy feeders and cannot survive with the remains of the fish only. There is no danger of a infestation in Apple Snails, for the eggs are deposited outside the water and can be removed easily as long as no offspring is wanted. The egg cluster remains one a bit in an oversized raspberry due to its colour and shape. Apple Snails are not hermaphrodites, like many other snails. The sexes cannot be distinguished externally, so one has to buy a number of animals to make it likely that both sexes are represented.

We received a limited number of German bred specimens of the fiddler crab Uca rapax. Our breeder keeps and breeds this species for more than 12 generations now! The animals are very stable and both sexes are extant.

For our customers: the animals have code 489552 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The black tiger shrimp is a cultivated variety of the tiger shrimp that originates from southern China. The tiger shrimp itself is a very variable species and possibly belongs to the species described as Caridina cantonensis. The bright shining eyes and the fantail in the same colour are very characteristic for the animal.

We have these beautiful dwarfs – maximum length is around 2 cm – for the first time in stock now. They are very easy to keep, but who is interested in breeding them should keep them over a period of some weeks (best in winter) at a temperature around 15°C. Like all dwarf shrimps the black tiger should be kept in groups (10 specimens or more).

For our customers: the shrimps have code 485442 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Caridina: from ancient Greek, means “little crab”. cantonensis: means “deriving from Canton (nowadays Guangdong)”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The Cherry red shrimp belongs to the most popular dwarf shrimps in the hobby. Keeping and breeding is very easy and can be done even by beginners. The tiny animals produce such a lot of offspring that the species is sometimes even used as a feeder animal. Neocaridina heteropoda originates from East Asia (China, Japan, Taiwan). The specimens that were imported for the first time for the aquarium hobby originated probably from Taiwan.

Taiwan is also the place where the latest sport of N. heteropoda comes from. The pretty red-and-white shrimps are sold under the names of “kili-shrimp” or “kohaku.shrimp”. We have the variety now in stock for the first time. The kili shrimp is obviously pure breeding although every individual looks a bit different in respect of the white and red parts. This makes a tank with those dwarf shrimps very attractive to look at.

For our customers: the animals have code 484208 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Neocaridina: means “new caridina”. Caridina is another genus of shrimp. heteropoda: means “with different types of feet”.

Suggestion of a common name: Koi dwarf shrimp

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

For the first time we can offer this interesting species of terrestrial hermit crab in a xxl- format! Besides this the animals also bear extremely beautiful shells of marine snails.

Keeping these terrestrial hermit crabs does not differ from other species. This means one has to keep them in groups; the terrarium has to contain enough soil (15-20 cm deep) that the animal can burry itself completely during moulting; at least two bowls filled with daily changed water, one with fresh and one with seawater, are needed as drinking water and for keeping the breathing organs functionable (although the hermit crabs live exclusively on land and can even die by drowning, they breath through specialized gills that have to be kept moist to stay functional). Hermit crabs are omnivorous so feeding them is no problem at all.

Detailed informations on terrestrial hermit crabs can be found in TerralogNews No 95 (English version available online problably January 2011 via www.aqualog.de).

For our customers. The animals have code 483147 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Coenobita: derived from the Latin word for “monastery” or “religious community”. cavipes: Latin, means “with hollow foot”.

Suggestion of a common name: Big land hermit crab

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

This nice, live bearing snail could be imported again from Inle lake in Burma. It is a close relative to the European species of Viviparus (river snails). Like these they feed on soft particles like mouldered food tablets, detritus etc. They do not fit for fights against algae. On the other hand they also leave plants completely unharmed.

As they come from subtropical regions they are suited to a broad array of temperatures and can be kept between 15 and 28°C. It is a very slow and calm species of snail. Like many other river snails they are sensitive against bad water conditions. Thus their aquarium should be kept with the very same attention as in keeping fish.

In these snails, males and females exist. The sexes can be easily distinguished by the broad and circled right antennae of the male. Coloration and shape of the shell are not usable for distinguishing the sexes, as both characters are very variable. Although in general only the very nice black-and-white specimens are traded, they can be also uniformly brown.

The young ones are about 2-4 mm in height when born. It seems that the females can produce offspring of different sizes. Adult snails may reach about 35 mm. The species likes to burry itself from time to time and thus at least a part of the aquarium bottom should be of fine and soft sand.

For our customers: the animals have code 488253 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Taia: not explained in the original description. As the word has very different meanings in Latin, ancient Greek, and Sanskrit, it makes no sense to speculate here. It may also be an indigenous name for snails at Inle lake. naticoides: means “similar to naticus”. viviparus: Latin, means “livebearing”.

Suggestion of a common name: Nubby piano snail

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Most freshwater shrimps that are established in the hobby originate from Asia and Afrika. Not even one species from South America has become a permanent aquarium inhabitant. There are several reasons for that, but the most important one is the fact that in most species from South America the larvae develop in marine environments. This makes it pretty difficult to raise them under aquarium conditions.

Now we were able to import Macrobrachium brasiliense from Peru, one of the very few species of Macrobrachium from South America with large eggs that can be bred quite easily in home aquaria. Males of that shrimp become around 8.5 cm, females around 5 cm long (body length only). The species has a wide distribution in South America. It prefers soft and slightly acidic water, but thrives also well in medium hard water.

The very attractive species – coloration changes a lot depending on mood and equipment and can be anything from whitish to deep reddish brown – is at least the first choice for biotope aquaria with fishes from South America.

For our customers: the animals have code 484383 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Macrobrachium: ancient Greek, means “with big arm”. brasiliense: means “coming from Brazil”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The charming hermit crab Clibanarius africanus has become a very popular aquarium inhabitant. It is an euryhalin species, which means that it can survive in both pure fresh and pure marine water. However, it seems that it can live in pure freshwater only for a few months, so it is much better to keep it in brackish water. Clibanarius are detritus feeders. Detritus is composed from several dead stuff of plants and animals. In the aquarium, Clibanarius feed readily on any typical fish food.

Usually C. africanus are imported with the brown snail shells of the snail species Tympanotonus fuscatus. This time almost all specimens have very pretty white snail shells from the snail species Pachymelania aurita.

For our customers: the crabs have code 483123 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Clibanarius: term for a heavily armoured cavalryman. africanus: means “comes from Africa”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

This attractive, about 6 cm long snail currently reached us from Thailand. It is a relative of the well known Malayian trumpet snail. In the wild this animal occurs in the lowest reaches of rivers on muddy bottoms and is thus very tolerant against salt. So it is possible to keep it in freshwater tanks as well as in brackish water aquaria. In contrast to the Malayan trumpet snail, which is a livebearing species, Faunus ater is an egglayer. The larvae can develop in marine environment only, so it is impossible that an unwanted proliferation occurs ian the tank. Males and females cannot be distinguished by external features. In nature, these snails feed probably on silt and mud. They do not work as algae-eaters, but need detritus and similar material for food.

Lexikon: Faunus: a Roman god, patron of farming and livestock; corresponding to the Greek Pan. It is not known, why this generic name was chosen. ater: Latin, means “black”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

There are always new cultivated varieties of freshwater dwarf shrimp appearing in the market. It is already difficult to determine the exact scientific identity of wild shrimps, it is almost impossible in cultivated ones.

The animals imported under the name Neocaridina heteropoda BLOOD RED from Taiwan are a real alternative to the difficult to keep Sulawesi Cardinal Dwarf Shrimp. The currently arrived shrimps are of an intensive coloration.

For our customers: the shrimps have code 485222 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We already introduced this beautiful animal to you: http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/neocaridina-red-bee-snow-white-shrimp_en_1081.html. Now we have it again in stock, once more the beauties come from Taiwan.

For our customers: the shrimps have code 485340 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We received the interesting shrimp species Macrobrachium eriocheirum from Thailand. It gets a body length of about 5 cm and thus it represents one of the smaller species of the genus. Males can be recognized by their unequal scissor arms, which are very hairy.

M. eriocheirum belongs to the species with a higher developed breeding behaviour. This means that their whole live circle appears in pure fresh water. In contrast to other Macrobrachium the larvae do not have to grow in the sea. So it is relatively easy to breed under aquarium conditions.

Regarding water chemistry the species is completely undemanding. The shrimps are omnivorous, but prefer meat when possible. They can be quite quarrelsome against fish so one has to think twice before placing them in a community tank.

Like chameleons the shrimps alter their colours depending on the environment, so coloration can vary a lot.

For our customers: the animals have code 484393 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply to the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Lake Poso on Sulawesi (formerly: Celebes) is not only home of beautiful dwarf shrimps, but also of large relatives of the well-known Malayan livebearing snail (Melanoides tuberculata). The brash colour of the body is really astonishing.

Species of Tylomelania do not feed on algae, but on detritus. Thus some muddy corners in the tank are an absolute must have, otherwise the snails are starving. There are males and females in Tylomelania, but the sexes cannot be distinguished by external features. All species of Tylomelania are livebearers.

Tylomelania should be kept at high temperatures (26-28°C) and a pH between 7.5 and 8.5.

For our customers: the animals have code 488945 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Tylomelania: from ancient Greek ” Melania wird calluses”. Melania is another genus of snail. Melanoides: from ancient Greek “similar to Melania”. Melania is another genus of snail. tuberculata: Latin “with small humps”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Once more we have received snails of the genus Septaria (Freshwater Limpet). These odd freshwater snails live in the same way as the Common Limpet (Patella vulgata) from the Atlantic coast. Like these marine snails, Septaria also have a marine larval phase. So there is no danger of unwanted mass-reproduction in the home aquarium.

Freshwater Limpets feed on aufwuchs which they preferentially feed from the panes of the tank. It is very important not to clean the side and back panes of the tank and to illuminate the tank strongly, otherwise the snails get in danger of starving. It is possible to feed the limpets with aufwuchs growing on stones, the keeper cultivates in a garden pond, but other food is only rarely taken.

The Freshwater Limpet sucks extremely strong on the underground and it is very difficult to get it off without hurting it seriously. This is a proved trick to get it off: stick a fingernail (for example from the forefinger) under the proximal end of the shell. Now the limpet will try to suck as strong as it can. But after some seconds it will lose a bit again in order to get free from the annoying thing under its shell. This is the moment you can move the limpet with smooth pressure over the pane and pick it up from the pane’s top.

For our customers: the animals have code 482154 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Septaria: a cement-like mass that was used in ancient Rome in the building and construction industry. porcellana: means “like porcelain”.

Suggestion of a common name: Freshwater limpet

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

The Great Ramshorn snail (Planorbarius corneus, formerly known as Planorbis corneus) is kept in aquaria and garden ponds since the beginning of the hobby. They grow to a relatively large size (maximum 4 cm) and do not touch living plants. They feed exclusively on algae and detritus. This snail has a red blood that contains hemoglobin. Thus albinos have a bright red body.

The wild type of the Great Ramshorn is imported each year from eastern Europe for pond keepers. Now and then these shipments contain also albinos.

Now breeders in Singapore were successful in breeding full red and blue sports of this snail. For the first time we are now able to offer these attractive animals.

Keeping and breeding of the Great Ramshorn is extremely easy. As they are hermaphrodites, two animals are in any case a pair. They breath through lungs and so at least a part of the oxygen they need is taken from the air. The maximum age they can reach is about 3 years, but in the wild only very few specimens get that old. The water temperature should be between 12 and 25°, hardness should be at least 10°KH (more is better), the pH can be between 6.5 and 8.5.

For our customers: the wild Great Ramshorn has code 879403, the bright red 486522, the blue one 486512 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

From Taiwan we were able to import beautiful land hermits. They belong to the species Coenobita rugosus, which can be recognized by the ridge-like swellings on the upper edges of the claws. The colour is very variable and can be grey, brown or reddish. Like all Coenobita species the animal likes to live in groups. They are omnivorous and can be fed easily with flake food for fish and several vegetables. It is necessary to feed always dried leaves (oak, beech etc.). In one bowl one has to offer daily changed fresh water, in another one seawater. The terrarium should be filled 10 cm high with a mixture of sand and garden earth. It is necessary that the ground is high enough to allow the animals to burrow themselves completely. Otherwise they are unable to moult.

For more informations please see Aqualog book „All about shrimps, crayfishes, & crabs in the fresh-and brackish-water aquarium and paludarium“

For our customers: the animals have code-number 483212. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

The latest new entry in our stocklist: this is a very beautiful sport of the tiger shrimp. The blue sport is known for quite a long time. Our new stock shows extreme bright colours. Males can grow to a size of 2.5 cm, females become 3.5 cm long.
For our customers: the animals have the code 485442 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Last week we could introduce to you the new Bamboo shrimp, which we imported for the first time ever from Taiwan. Due to the extreme high price of the two alleged pairs we established them not in the fish house, but in our show room.

Yesterday a scientist researching on these shrimps asked us about the actual size of our specimens. To answer this question we photographed the animals sitting on a ruler. Taking the opportunity, one of our so-called males surprised us by bearing deep red eggs under the tail!

The most exciting aspect on this is the relative big size of the eggs. That means usually that the larvae hatch directly in fresh water and have no planctonic phase in the ocean like the other regularly imported members of the genera Atya and Atyopsis. With other words: the species should be easily bredable in captivity! We’ll see……

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We are proud and happy that we were able to import yesterday the first few pairs of a new shrimp from Taiwan. According to the local scientists it belongs to a so far undescribed species. There is no doubt that it belongs to the Atya-relatives. The males of the „Bamboo shrimp“ are almost two times as big as the somewhat unspectacular females. Due to their rareness the animals are very expensive.

Text and photos: Frank Schäfer

New arrival of the week: a neon blue coloured mussel from Asia.
Sorry that we only have a very limited number of this extreme
nice and rare species available. They belong to the family
POLYMESODA… sorry, but so far we do not have more information
about this big (5-7cm) unknown beauty.