Lets talk about Ghost shrimp for a sec...

[hsherman1986]

I have a female carrying eggs right now. She has been carrying them for a few weeks now that I recall. Over the past few days, they have changed from a spherical shape to an oval shape, and have changed from a darker green to a much lighter green with two black specs (almost like eyes).

Will she be laying them soon? What can I do to ensure survival of the eggs (I am almost positive if i leave her where she is, the eggs will get eaten)? Should I seperate her out into her own tank until She is no longer carrying the eggs?

I have never tried to breed these shrimp before, but I think it would be fun to try! Any advice, please feel free to share!

 

[Speakerman]

I buy about 50 shrimp every wednesday to feed to my larger fish. I've noticed that almost half the shrimp are indeed pregnant.

I'd also like to know what needs to be done to breed shrimp. I might just create a sole shrimp tank to breed my own food...heh...

 

[hsherman1986]

well, i have had success! I seperated the soon to be momma into a 10 gal by herself, and let her do her thing. (moved her last night) Woke up this morning to over 10 little shrimp stuck to the walls. It looks like she is still holding four babies. Now, what do I feed these little guys until they become free swimming?

I am so excited about this, I have raised molly's sucessfully (still have three babies that have survived), and have sucessfully bred platies and bettas, hopefully these little guys will survive!

 

[Speakerman]

Way to go man. Congrats. I'd just feed them ground up flakes.

 

[hsherman1986]

i did some research, and found that they will accept liquid fry food, and baby brine shrimp until they are large enough to eat like adults. So I went out to petsmart and got a brine shrimp hatchery (i have been wanting to do that any way for the rest of my fish) and some wardly's liquid food. I also got a new betta, but that is because I have a problem

 

[Guest]

The baby shrimp will not eat the liqued fry food at frist. They will fed mainly on algee in the tank. If the tank has just been set up. I'd remove some plants from the main tank to just float on the surface to give them some algee to eat on. Java moss is a great one to place in there.
After the babys are two weeks old then fed baby brine shrimp or liquid fry food, I fed mine egg yolk. It will take them around 3 weeks before they take on the body shape of the adult. Til then they just look like a tail. Here's apicture of some of mine at 1 1/2 weeks old.

 

[joannde]

I also got a new betta, but that is because I have a problem

I have the same problem ! LOL

The fry sound fun - keep us posted on the progress and their growth. I'd love to hear more about it

 

[hsherman1986]

thanks for the advice weasel. The tank actually does have some algea built up on the walls now, so should I stop feeding them the liquid food until they are about two weeks old?

the pics you posted are exactly what mine look like. They are not attaced to the wall anymore, they are now just floating around the tank, tail up.

 

[Guest]

Yes I'd stop feeding the fry food and let them eat the algee for a couple of 2 or 3 weeks. It's easyer on there stomch witch isn't really developed at this time.

 

[Jarred Darque]

ok, it is doubtful that hte shrimp I have now will survive...they are in my big tank for food for the next few days.

but in the future, I may like to try this. I have a 5 gallon which is where I will be placing my GBR eggs till the fry are free swimmin, hopefully have a new batch in every week or two.

could I trust putting a very pregnant female in tehre or would I lose all ym fry?

I have never had shrimp in with fry before in any tank, so dont know the repurcussions, will ghost shrimp eat my fry? if not, I have places to keep them until eggs are ready to hatch, or, do GBRs eat ghost shrimp? Taht is another possibility.

tank list
75, main display tank, has alot of shrimp eaters in it.
10 planted, 3 GBRs soon, trying to breed
10 bare bottom (has plant mats to keep fry safe until removal), nothing but guppies, removing fry to next tank on list
10 gallon bare bottom for fry growout for guppies and GBRs from next tank
5 gallon GBR egg hatchery

 

[Guest]

Yes the ghost shrimp will eat the fry!!!!! I made that mistake once. The female ate a whole fry of kribs free swimming in amatter of minites. SO Please don't try that. The shrimp can be housed in a 1g pickual jar with a air stone. Til she drops her larva. If your wanting to raise the shrimp larve. But if your wanting to raises the GBR fry then don't put a shrimp in there at all.

 

[Jarred Darque]

ok, what about the shrimp larvae after they have hatched? can t hey go into my fry tank?

I can rig up the 1 gallon with airstone pretty easy, I have a few smaller air pumps layin around.

 

[Guest]

yes the shrimp lava can go in with the fry. But not the adult shrimp she will eat the fry. ading a air stone to your fry tank is a great ideal. Or you can do like you said and put the shrimp larva in the 1g with a air stone. either way works.