Shrimp Dropping Eggs

[Darkhail]

Hello, I have been having a problem with my Malawa, and Amano shrimp dropping their eggs. After 1 year i still do not have any shrimp that stay berried for more than a day. Inevitably some of the eggs do hatch, so my population is technically increasing, just at an extremely slow rate. And I do know that the Amano eggs are not viable in freshwater, I am simply stating them to show that it is not purely a Malawa shrimp problem. Before I moved my shrimp from a community 29g tank to a shrimp only 10g I did not seem to have this problem (same temp, ph,etc)

Temp:76
Ph:8.2
Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:5

I do not have an accurate way to measure my hardness nor alkalinity although I do know that my cities tap water is quite hard. I use novaqua plus as a water conditioner and rarely dose a bit of flourish liquid plant fertilizer as it is a lightly planted tank. Any thoughts?

 

[fort384]

I have often found that breeding shrimp in smaller tanks is more of a challenge.

As you stated, Amano eggs will rarely hatch in FW. They require brackish conditions for optimal hatching.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

You're lucky to have some Malawa Shrimp!

From what I can discern, try gradually decreasing the hardness of the water in the tank. I've read (because I have not kept the Malawa) that they fair a bit better in softer water.

What type of filter do you have for this tank?

 

[Darkhail]

I am using a Aqueon 10 power filter. Any tips I how to lower tanks hardness, or is the only option mixing RO water with my tap water? I am also running an airstone, and do biweekly 50% water changes.

And I love my Malawa shrimp, they are a lot more active than the RCS I have kept in the past.

 

[fort384]

Short of using distilled or RO water, you can use something like this to soften your water:
Water Softener Pillow

 

[bud29]

You're lucky to have some Malawa Shrimp!

From what I can discern, try gradually decreasing the hardness of the water in the tank. I've read (because I have not kept the Malawa) that they fair a bit better in softer water.

What type of filter do you have for this tank?

They prefer softer water, but they can tolerate hard water quite well. I have a nice colony of malawas in my 10 gallon shrimp tank, and I have hard water.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

They prefer softer water, but they can tolerate hard water quite well. I have a nice colony of malawas in my 10 gallon shrimp tank, and I have hard water.

Yeah, I figured as much but I thought I may take a stab at it.

My only other thought as to why your population isn't increasing a lot is perhaps the larval stage of the Shrimps are getting sucked into your filter. In your 29g, it may have provided enough distance from the filter to work.

Again, that's pretty much a stab in the dark unfortunately.

 

[bud29]

My only other thought as to why your population isn't increasing a lot is perhaps the larval stage of the Shrimps are getting sucked into your filter.

Malawa Shrimp do not have a larval stage.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Malawa Shrimp do not have a larval stage.

Actually. They are one of few in the hobby that do.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Actually. They are one of few in the hobby that do.

Actually. Finding conflicting info.

 

[bud29]

Actually. They are one of few in the hobby that do.

Most places I have read (and these places were from malawa breeders) say that they don't. I will contact the guy who I bought mine from to see what he has to say.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Most places I have read (and these places were from malawa breeders) say that they don't. I will contact the guy who I bought mine from to see what he has to say.

Good deal

 

[bud29]

Quoted from the message:

LOL no larval stage, Alex. You are correct. Usually larval refers to brackish shrimp.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Quoted from the message:

Good deal. Always good to learn! My confusion came from this website:

http://www.eliteinverts.com/malawa-shrimp/