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Taiwanese long claw prawn

Macrobrachium placidulum

Also known as Placid river prawn

FreshwaterShrimp

Taiwanese long claw prawn (Macrobrachium placidulum)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
7.0–8.0
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Palaemonidae
Origin
Streams of Taiwan, Japan, and the Ryukyus

Overview

The Taiwanese long claw prawn is a small oddball predator that lives on the bottom of the tank. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.

Did you know

The Taiwanese long claw prawn was named placidulum, a diminutive meaning rather calm. That is a mild joke in a genus of notoriously bad-tempered prawns. It will still hunt down any shrimp or small fish it can reach.

Caring for the Taiwanese long claw prawn

The Taiwanese long claw prawn is manageable in a tank as small as 11 gal (40 L). A stream-style setup of smooth stones, gravel and wood suits it, with steady flow and good oxygen. Give each animal its own hiding place.

It tolerates cooler water than most prawns in the trade. Keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C), warm to mildly cool, with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH of 7.0 to 8.0. Use hard water rather than soft.

It works the bottom, poking into gaps and under wood. Feed sinking pellets, frozen foods and small pieces of seafood.

It is opportunistic and will catch dwarf shrimp, small snails and slow bottom fish, so do not trust it with tiny tank mates. Pair it only with quick, robust species, or keep it in a species tank. A single pair can share a tank if there is enough cover, though two males will fight. Males grow noticeably longer claws than females and use them to hold territory.

It is amphidromous, like other Macrobrachium. Breeding is hard, because the larvae require brackish water.

Good to know

Macrobrachium placidulum is a modest palaemonid. It is one of the few long-armed prawns that suits a normal aquarium rather than a tankbuster.

In the wild

The Taiwanese long claw prawn comes from clear, stony streams on Taiwan, southern Japan and the Ryukyu Islands. The subtropical water there runs cooler than the tropics for part of the year. Adults live among rocks and gravel in flowing water on their way to and from the sea.

Common questions

What size tank does a Taiwanese long claw prawn need?

A Taiwanese long claw prawn needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Taiwanese long claw prawn need?

A Taiwanese long claw prawn is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.0.

What does a Taiwanese long claw prawn eat?

A Taiwanese long claw prawn eats sinking pellets, frozen foods and small pieces of seafood. It will also catch dwarf shrimp, small snails and slow bottom fish.

How big does a Taiwanese long claw prawn get?

An adult Taiwanese long claw prawn reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

How can you tell a male Taiwanese long claw prawn from a female?

Males grow noticeably longer claws than females, and they use them to hold territory.

How does a Taiwanese long claw prawn breed?

The Taiwanese long claw prawn is amphidromous, like other Macrobrachium. Its larvae require brackish water, so breeding it in a tank is hard.

Related species