Ghost Shrimp Help

[LyndaB]

Just wanted to mention that my ghosts, Casper and Wendy, ate my black moscow guppy fry. I wouldn't say they have extraordinary front claws or anything compared to other shrimp but man, oh man, are they fast!

 

[ocminpin]

Out of the 3 two are bigger and one smaller.. Looking at them this morning they all have eaten...
I'm not sure if the larger 2 are older or female...
Time will tell!

 

[Starka]

Just found one of my females have eggs I will try to get good pics for you. By the time I found my phone she moved to the back of the tank
I have two 1 1/2 inch ones and two 1/2 inch ones.

 

[ocminpin]

Since this is my first time with shrimp and I'd rather not have a novice "freak out" like I did when my fish were "all dying" one night... Aka... SLEEPING on the gravel.. ... I'm wondering what it looks like when the shrimp molt or worse.. What will I find if one dies? Will he be just laying there or will the fish eat him? OR will be get totally sucked into the filter and I'll find it attached to the filter pad..
Curious!

All are alive & well and eating...

 

[LyndaB]

Usually, when a shrimp dies, it turns pink.

 

[ajaguilar]

I haven't seen a died shrimp in my tank, they just kinda disapear but then it's heavily planted. The molts look like a empty shell and they are usually eaten pretty fast.

 

[ocminpin]

I haven't seen a died shrimp in my tank, they just kinda disapear but then it's heavily planted. The molts look like a empty shell and they are usually eaten pretty fast.

My tank is empty... 2 small fake plants, rock decoration, and marbles/rocks...
It will go to gravel soon...
So far shrimp are all eating and appear happy..

I don't know what would eat their molts... My male platy is shy and does his own thing... My female is to herself and then I have the babies.. Hmm those guys are little piggies.

 

[ajaguilar]

The shrimps eat the molts, its a good calcium source to make their exoskeleton.

 

[Starka]

The shrimps eat the molts, its a good calcium source to make their exoskeleton.

Oh that's cool! How often do they molt?

 

[ajaguilar]

Not sure how often they molt. My guess is they molt less as they get older. When babies, 2 or 3 days, when juvis, 1 or 2 weeks, when adults 4 or 5 weeks.

 

[ocminpin]

One of the shrimp has a dark green line from mouth to tip of tail...? I thought eggs were in a cluster... What's this?

 

[Starka]

One of the shrimp has a dark green line from mouth to tip of tail...? I thought eggs were in a cluster... What's this?

I can sometimes see a line down their middle. Maybe they are molting?
You will notice if they have eggs, a dark cluster of eggs by their tail held in by their legs, about they size of their eyes.

 

[ocminpin]

I can sometimes see a line down their middle. Maybe they are molting?
You will notice if they have eggs, a dark cluster of eggs by their tail held in by their legs, about they size of their eyes.

These aren't a cluster this is a dark line on the one... We'll see!
They're all healthy and eating tho, so that's good

 

[ocminpin]

I am so not happy with this lone shrimp I left in my fry tank!!!
I'm down to 8 platies from 14 in 5 days! And my lone little Molly that was born on Valentines Day "Valentine" is gone!!! :-( I'm sooooooo sad! Will never put shrimp of any kind in my fry tank.

I will say though that the shrimp in my juvie tank are great... I had 17 and am down to 16... There was a weak one laying on the gravel and it's gone... Natural selection...
Man, I'm bummed!! :-( live and learn, but geez...

 

[ocminpin]

After moving the one fry eating shrimp back with the other two in my 20g I noticed one of them had molted and a shrimp was eating the molt.. Rolling it around in it's little claws..

 

[LyndaB]

This is typical shrimp behavior and quite necessary for them.

Oh, and that dark line, if you're seeing it on the top of their back is their intestinal tract.

 

[ocminpin]

This is typical shrimp behavior and quite necessary for them.

Oh, and that dark line, if you're seeing it on the top of their back is their intestinal tract.

I knew that, but this was on bottom! Hmmm....

 

[ocminpin]

One HAPPY shrimp!! She darted over and snatched up three Bloodworms and took them under cover of the rock...
First time feeding bloodworms to that tank.

View attachment 82954

 

[ocminpin]

I'm noticing two of the shrimp hanging out a lot together... Does it mean they will mate soon? Not sure how it works.. But no egg cluster under any of them...

 

[Austin.b]

I'm noticing two of the shrimp hanging out a lot together... Does it mean they will mate soon? Not sure how it works.. But no egg cluster under any of them...

Is one significantly larger? Is the larger one saddled?