# Glowing ghost shrimp?



## Hiza (Jul 11, 2006)

I bought a bunch of ghost shrimp and out of the 8 I bought one of them glows in the dark. It looks like a ghost shrimp, but has a frosty white shell and of course glows in the dark. It has a faint blueish green glow to it, and was wondering what kind of shrimp is it and if I can get more. Thanks


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

do you have a picture?


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## Hiza (Jul 11, 2006)

I'm sorry I don't I would take a pic of it but I can't see to find where the shrimp went, I just noticed this two nights ago and I also have some crabs in the tank as well. I think the little guy gto eaten cause i have not seen him in the past two days. That is what promted me to look to see what kind of shrimp that was. If there is any information about it please let me know.


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

It is hard to say what type is without a picture. There are lots of different types of shrimp. I do not know of any tha glow.

Cheers,
Pedro


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## Neon Shrimp (Apr 26, 2006)

WOW, a glowing shrimp! you should go back to where you got the original shrimp and get some more and ask about them. Let us know what you find out!

Thanks.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Here is two links that might help you Id the shrimp... http://www.shrimpcrabsandcrayfish.co.uk/Shrimp.htm?Caridina.htm~mainFrame

http://www.crusta10.de/index.php?page=1&sideid=news_de

I've never seen a glowing shrimp either. It may have been something it ate or just the coloration on the body that made it appear to glow.


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## Hiza (Jul 11, 2006)

I will take everybody's advice, I cannot seem to find my shrimp which is sad cause knowing that ghost shrimp glowing is not a common thing I wich I had a picture. I will go back and ask the shop keep where he gets his shrimp but they are sold as feeder food so I do not think he will know what type it is. The shrimp did glow since I was looking at him in pitch darkness, I was going to bed when it caught my eye. Is there any marine biologist that know what might cause a ghost shrimp to glow or if there is a species of bioluminicent shrimp. This has sparked my intrest for more info, thank you for everbody's help and I will share anything I learn with everybody. Also if I get another glowing shrimp I will take a picture of it this time.


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

It could have been fed some weird glow in the dark chemical in it's food?

I saw an article about glow in the dark fish a year or so ago in a fishkeeping mag....i'll have a hunt round and see if I can find it.


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## werner (Jul 6, 2006)

How about this theory: dead marine fish and shrimp are often seen glowing at night due to colonies of bioluminescent bacteria. The "frosty white shell" you describe may be the shrimp turning opaque when its dying/dead. Since some ghost shrimp originate from costal brackish waters, it's possible that they could harbor this type of bacteria as well. A possibility?


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

I found this online which was pretty much the same article I read in the magazine.

http://www.time.com/time/2003/inventions/invfish.html


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## Hiza (Jul 11, 2006)

Thank you for all of your info, the research I have been doing most likely points to the bioluminecent bacteria theory and that could explain why I hae not seen this shrimp in the past couple of days. I will still try to find more information, but again thanks for everybody's input and help.


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## Hiza (Jul 11, 2006)

Just a quick question, if a crab were to eat the dead body of the shrimp that had this bioluminecent bacteria will it also be infected as well? If anybody can answer this then it would ease my mind, thanks.


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## aquaboyaquatics (Feb 22, 2006)

werner said:


> How about this theory: dead marine fish and shrimp are often seen glowing at night due to colonies of bioluminescent bacteria. The "frosty white shell" you describe may be the shrimp turning opaque when its dying/dead. Since some ghost shrimp originate from costal brackish waters, it's possible that they could harbor this type of bacteria as well. A possibility?


This sounds like the most viable cause.

Mike


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I don't think this bacteria is pathogenic. I think it eats dead animals.


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## aquaboyaquatics (Feb 22, 2006)

Could it come in on the DOA's with the original shippment? Then with the water from that tank?


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## Gregor Samsa Mendel (May 29, 2006)

According to this source:
http://www.fisheries.go.th/aahri/Health_new/AAHRI/AAHRI/Topics/Newsletter/art6.htm
There is a bacterial condition prevalent in shrimp hatcheries known as "luminescence disease." It is caused by the bacterium Vibrio harveyi. "The unique clinical sign of this disease is the luminescence of infected larvae which can be observed at night. ...mortalities may reach 100%." It seems that only the early larval stages are susceptible, but it would probably be a good idea to remove any glowing shrimp from a tank ASAP.


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