Blaue Monsterfächergarnele, Atya gabonensis

The blue monster fan shrimp (Atya gabonensis), also called the Gabon giant fan shrimp, belongs to the giant fan shrimp genus and reaches a length of up to 14 cm. The extremely enlarged third walking legs of the males and the wrinkled surface of the carapax gave it its German name "monster shrimp", yet in aquarium care it poses no danger at all to other inhabitants.

Colouring ranges from whitish through pale blue and reddish brown to a strong blue and adapts to the colour of the substrate with each moult; on dark substrate the animals become most intensely blue. With its strong third walking legs the shrimp can grip the bottom even in strong current. Like all fan shrimp it filters plankton from the water using the long bristles on its front leg pairs.