Shrimp ID

[Stussi613]

I know this is going to be hard without a picture...BUT...I bought a few shrimp last year from BA in Kanata that were sold as Amano shrimp. When I set up the 120g last November I threw 2 of them in and then never saw them again. I assumed that they had died, or more likely had been picked apart by my discus. My tank was SEVERLEY in need of some cleaning so I did a major pruning of plants and a 50% water change today and was enjoying the tank again for the first time in months when I saw a shrimp swim along the back wall onto some vals. He then headed over to my big sword and I got a better look at him and he is actually a she with a sort of yellowish saddle. About an inch long and grey in colour. I noticed some movement to the side and saw another one and thought "cool, they both lived". To my shock I counted about 4 more close by, all the same size. A total of six and I know, for a fact, that I only put 2 of them in the tank.

I did some reading and I think it's highly unlikely that they are amano shrimp since my water is anything but brackish and they are apparently super hard to breed.

Anybody have any ideas on what species might have been mistakenly labeled as amano shrimp? 

[Laura]

I would guess either ghost or a species of 'long armed' shrimp. They breed in freshwater, are about the same size as amanos and some of the long arms are transparent.

If you've got long arms (true to their name, they have long front legs), they can predate on small fish, so keep an eye on them.

[Fishnut]

Have a look at them really closely if you can.  They could be a species that is related to the Cherry shrimp.  There are lots of colour morphs out there that might have been mistaken for an amano shrimp.

[Stussi613]

Have a look at them really closely if you can.  They could be a species that is related to the Cherry shrimp.  There are lots of colour morphs out there that might have been mistaken for an amano shrimp.

Yeah, I'm going to try to catch one today.

[Fishnut]

Good luck!  They're crafty little escape artists. Mine jump out of the water if I corner them near the surface and all of them start marching out of the net when the net is above water

Post a pic of you can

[donkey_mittens]

I may be wrong but if that shrimp is anything like cherry shrimp then the saddle could be that the shrimp is preggo watch out for that, i know with the cherry shrimp a week or two after i notice the saddle that there is eggs.

[morrom]

My guess is a Ghost shrimp or Glass shrimp, there are a lot of different colors of cherry shrimp out there Yellow, green, white, and fire red among others. But they never get as big as Amanos, Typical they are around the same size as Cherries.
http://ovas.ca/forum/index.php?topic=51257.0 .  This is a pic of a female Amano shrimp as a ref.
You are correct Amano shrimp need brackish water to breed and it can be done in captivity but is super hard, there are a few blog about it out there but not something I want to attempt any time soon.

Trevor