Cleaner shrimp breed in aquarium?

[lmetcalf]

Hello all,
I've got two cleaner shrimp, one of which looks like it's carrying a mass of greenish eggs on it's legs. Is this actually what i'm seeing or is it something else? Do these guys breed in aquariums? Is there anything that I should be doing?

 

[thincat]

If conditions are good I am sure they can. Is that all that you have in your 30...a brittlestar and the shrimp?

 

[lmetcalf]

brittle star, shrimp, some hermits, an emerald crab and i just brought home a diamond goby and a baby blue tang (dont worry i'm not keeping it in a 30gal for long!)

 

[thincat]

Well with the last two additions your baby shrimp don't stand a chance. I recomend QT for the fish if you can. Tangs are ich magnets and stress out easily.

 

[lmetcalf]

what can i do to make the tang's life a little less stressful? It's already in the tank. All my water params are within an acceptable range and constant. There isn't really anyone else in the tank that will harass it, and there's lots of hiding spots. Is there anything else i can do? Someone mentioned feeding garlic. How do i go about that? Are there prepared garlic foods or like, actually real garlic??

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Regarding the shrimp eggs... my cleaner normally has eggs immediately after every molt. Think it's pretty normal.

 

[lmetcalf]

ahhh good to know. Do you ever have any babies?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

If I do, I never notice them and they never make it past "fish food" stage!

 

[The Gillman]

Hot commodity

It sure would be cool to raise them.Around where i live they average 25$ for smallish specimens

 

[lmetcalf]

Yea, same with me. (Ontario, Canada)
I paid $30 a piece for mine

 

[mrg02d]

This sounds neato! How common is this? I just got a skunk cleaner a week ago or so. Will it likely have eggs by itself? If so, I may have a go at getting some of them to live. What should they be fed?
Matt

 

[Jaybird]

put them in the refuge. You might get some that survive in there.....but the main tank will just make everyone else happier....and fatter

 

[thincat]

This sounds neato! How common is this? I just got a skunk cleaner a week ago or so. Will it likely have eggs by itself? If so, I may have a go at getting some of them to live. What should they be fed?
Matt

Takes two to tango. As in nature you need a male and a female...

 

[mrg02d]

I was under the impression that they could do this by themselves. (Herms)
Matt

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Yup. That's my impression too.

 

[Mighty]

I just bought a prego cleaner a few weeks ago. I waited too long to move it into a QT, but I did find a really good link for breeding info. Check it out.

FAMA August 1994. Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp

 

[thincat]

My bad, shows what I know about shrimp!!!!!>...........

 

[austinsdad]

You'll likely never be able to feed the shrimp food small enuf to eat. I've never heard of anyone rearing SW shrimp in a home tank.

Can you say "buffet"???? The fish and I believe even mom and pop will eat well. Just hopefully you're lucky enuf to see the the cloudburst and the feeding frenzy. Awesome to watch IMO.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Someone in my area breeds peppermints, so it's not impossible - but I believe it takes a good setup and a fair amount of work. I fully subscribe to the idea that "if it was easy, everyone would be doing it", and prices for the little buggers would be really cheap.

 

[Bige]

Mine just started having eggs. About once a month. I have never seen any babies but I look every day anyway.