Pregnant Shrimp - what do do?

[Scoot]

I picked up a peppermint shrimp today - discovered after picking it out that its pregnant, and has lots of babies hanging off her tummy/rear legs.

Should I put this in my fuge, so the shrimp might stand a chance of growing without being lunch? How many babies to shrimp usually have? I'm not going to have hundreds of them am I? I'd like to get a few extra shrimp out of the deal...

Update - found somewhere I should separate the parent from the babies, once they're no longer attached...

 

[weemanpow3]

They make breader bags so you put the babies in their and put it in your tank. This way no fish or anything can eat them.

 

[austinsdad]

I believe its a lost cause trying to rear any of them. Most end up as food for others in the tank. Hard to feed them little things. They'll gte weaker and start dropping off soon I believe.

 

[Scoot]

I'm convinced. I added it to the main tank after acclimation.

 

[chantale101]

That is soo cute! Lil baby peppies!! Congrats! Hope they work out for ya!

 

[FishFrik]

I read that shrimps' rears are almost impossible to raise in captive aquariums. They will make some nice snack for the fish though

 

[ntswift]

Are they eggs or are the little baby shrimp? I know my cleaner shrimp always gets eggs and then they become fish food or crab food shortly after. If they are baby shrimp though, that is pretty cool! Drop it in and hope for the best!

 

[MT79]

Raising the fry would be very tedious to say the least. There are articles online about rearing SW shrimp fry if your interested, but it is quite demanding. They require a specific type and size of food(plankton), along with many other challenges ie. filtration/water movement that will not suck the fry in, etc. On the bright side many fish and corals will appreciate a shrimp egg/fry feast. The offspring will help nourish the tank.