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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: 4weightfanatic on January 23, 2012, 01:27:50 PM

Title: Are these fellas Cherabin (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)
Post by: 4weightfanatic on January 23, 2012, 01:27:50 PM

A couple of young fellas across the road put a shrimp trap I gave them into our local creek and caught these along with some yabbies. I said to their dad I reckon their Cherabin or Cheerios as a travel show cook calls them. Their claws are at least 2.5 - 3 times their body length and about the size of an average prawn. They looked tasty as their luck would have it Dan their dad got them to put them back after a short science lesson trying to identify them in their crusteaceans book. A couple of keen aqua biologists in the making are Sam and Lachlan. Cheers Pat PS these are from a feeder creek of the Mooloolah river,Sunshine Coast.

Title: Re: Are these fellas Cherabin (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)
Post by: Brad H on January 23, 2012, 05:23:09 PM

According to the expansive scientific tome on Macrobrachium specie in Aust. http://decapoda.nhm.org/pdfs/26528/26528.pdf (http://decapoda.nhm.org/pdfs/26528/26528.pdf) if you want to read it  ::)

Macrobrachium australiense is probably the most likely species encountered in the SE corner of Qld. Could also be Macrobrachium novaehollandiae, Macrobrachium equidens, Macrobrachium tolmerum or a couple of others. BUT not Rosenbergi which stop up in the far north.

facinating stuff, but damn it...it's a freshwater prawn, great bait and not bad on the chew either if they are large  :))

Title: Re: Are these fellas Cherabin (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)
Post by: 4weightfanatic on January 23, 2012, 07:14:19 PM

Cheers Brad I had a feeling the rosenbergii were a northern specie that's why I was a bit confused when I had a look on the net. They are an awesome looking crustacean way more interesting than the yabby and would be great to have a few in an aquarium. They definately would be nice to eat too as the tails were at least 50-60 mm long and as thick as my fingers. Cheers Pat.

Title: Re: Are these fellas Cherabin (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)
Post by: Jim_Tait on January 27, 2012, 05:55:18 PM

There's not a freshwater predatory fish alive that won't eat em in under just about any conditions if presented with them - unweighted into undercuts (especially at night) is how you'll catch even the most educated - Jack, barra, cod, Jungle perch, bass yella etc etc....

Title: Re: Are these fellas Cherabin (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)
Post by: Bracey on January 28, 2012, 06:33:52 AM

Near my thumb is the remainder of one of those fella's whilst taking my surface lure as well.

Greedy bugger!

Title: Re: Are these fellas Cherabin (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)
Post by: 4weightfanatic on January 29, 2012, 09:41:00 PM

Entre' and main course - no manners. Nice pic Dave.  Pat.