Elegans X Picta

[michael_cb_125]

Hello everyone.
As you may know I recently purchased a few Harlequin shrimp from the Divers Den. One of them being a Picta, and a Pair of Elegans.
Well, I recently noticed that the Large "female" picta and Female Elegans had paired up.
I was puzzeled as there was a male in the tank. I figured that one of the females would have paired up with the little male.

Well I thought that the Picta was a female. Well "she" is a boy. The have been moved to Megans tank, and the Elegans is carrying eggs. She was not like this two days ago, and it has been well over a week since they were moved over to this tank. I just got a very good view of the Picta's underside, and it is indeed a male. The Elegans is full of Eggs.
So I have a cross of a Hawaiian Picta and a Elegans.

Is this something that happens regularly, or is it rare?

~Michael

 

[michael_cb_125]

Also, The pair has been going through starfish much quicker than usual. They have gone through two stars in the last 4 days. Usually they make a star last about a week.
I dont know if it correlates or not.
~Michael

 

[philter4]

Some authors believe that they are the same species, just different colors because they have been seperated for such a long time. Even if not, several species of marine fish hybridize so why couldn't a pr of closely related inverts? It would be interesting to see if the eggs are fertile, if not it would point toward different species, if yes doesn't exclude different species, but is a positive for being just color varieties.

 

[michael_cb_125]

I guess I will have to see what happens.
~Michael