Pregnant Ghost Shrimp

[Tsuki]

I've recently aquired a pregnant Ghost Shrimp(it was a gift from my mother) And I'm all in all curious on how to keep these little guys alive(I've never dealt with a pregnant shrimp before).

I'm aware that they are very small and need to be kept seperated from my other fish, and as I've heard the mother herself after they are born. I'm curious on just what I should feed them, what type of water I should keep them in(like alge content and whatnot), and what other special percautions I will need to take in order to give these little guys a bit of a helping hand in order to keep them alive.

[kc2ped]

Originally Posted by Tsuki

I'm curious on just what I should feed them,

I have a couple of Gravid Red Cherry Shrimp
I checked at the fish store where I got them and was told that pulverized yolk of a hard boiled egg would be a suitable first food
I am still waiting to try this out

[PicassoM]

I just looked at my ghost shrimp yesterday and there seem to be a TON of eggs under it's swimmers. Thing is I only have ONE ghost shrimp. Do I need a male to fertilize them? I've only got a small 6 gallon tank set up for my home office with

1 shrimp
1 gourami
1 armored catfish
1 tetra

I'm worried that it's going to release all these babies which I really don't need in my tiny 6 Gallon tank. Do the eggs need to be fertilized by a male?

[Coleallensmom]

Originally Posted by PicassoM

I just looked at my ghost shrimp yesterday and there seem to be a TON of eggs under it's swimmers. Thing is I only have ONE ghost shrimp. Do I need a male to fertilize them? I've only got a small 6 gallon tank set up for my home office with

1 shrimp
1 gourami
1 armored catfish
1 tetra

I'm worried that it's going to release all these babies which I really don't need in my tiny 6 Gallon tank. Do the eggs need to be fertilized by a male?

There does need to be a male present to fertilize the eggs. AFAIK, the eggs develope in her "saddle" area. Once fertilized she moves them to her tail where she carries them until they hatch or she releases them. However, not all Ghost shrimp can reproduce in freshwater. Some require brackish water for the larvae to develop.

[PicassoM]

Originally Posted by Coleallensmom

There does need to be a male present to fertilize the eggs. AFAIK, the eggs develope in her "saddle" area. Once fertilized she moves them to her tail where she carries them until they hatch or she releases them. However, not all Ghost shrimp can reproduce in freshwater. Some require brackish water for the larvae to develop.

Thanks... I guess she will just carry them, release them and they will become fish food... ?

[shovelheadkevin]

Originally Posted by Coleallensmom

AFAIK, the eggs develope in her "saddle" area. Once fertilized she moves them to her tail where she carries them until they hatch or she releases them.

Is this what you're referring to? The "saddle"?
I've been wondering if these were unfertilized berries. She's had them for about 5 days.
How long until I should see some change?

[rraicu]

Originally Posted by shovelheadkevin

Is this what you're referring to? The "saddle"?
I've been wondering if these were unfertilized berries. She's had them for about 5 days.
How long until I should see some change?

I'm in a similar situation -- wondering if this is fertilized eggs:

[Coleallensmom]

Originally Posted by shovelheadkevin

Is this what you're referring to? The "saddle"?
I've been wondering if these were unfertilized berries. She's had them for about 5 days.
How long until I should see some change?

Yep, that's her saddle. Those are unfertilized eggs she will carry until fertilized by a male.

[Coleallensmom]

Originally Posted by rraicu

I'm in a similar situation -- wondering if this is fertilized eggs:

Very cool photos!

[Tasha]

I agree awesome photos!

[hippy guy]

yeah this are great shots. i absoutly love my ghost shrimp. i got 10 for 2 bucks, and im hoping the caves and such will be enough cover my preggrs one

[fish-crazy]

I also have seen these on my ghost shrimp. Interesting to learn. I love these guys. My favorite to watch.

[kc2ped]

Originally Posted by rraicu

I'm in a similar situation -- wondering if this is fertilized eggs:

Eggs are not moved from the saddle to the tail until they have been fertilized so those should be fertile eggs
Have never heard what happens to the eggs if there is no male present to fertilize them
Are they reabsorbed or discarded
I had two Red Cherry Shrimp that had fertile eggs when I got them and after the eggs hatched they both developed saddles which later disappeared since they were the only shrimp in the tank aside from their babies
While the shrimp were carrying the eggs they never molted but the day when I woke up and they didn't have the eggs any longer there was a discarded exoskeleton
I am assuming that they postpone the molt while they are carrying the eggs
Makes sense since they couldn't shed the exoskeleton without loosing the eggs

[kc2ped]

Originally Posted by kc2ped

I have a couple of Gravid Red Cherry Shrimp
I checked at the fish store where I got them and was told that pulverized yolk of a hard boiled egg would be a suitable first food
I am still waiting to try this out

When my Red Cherry Shrimp hatched I think I put a pinch of egg yolk in there one day
Other than that they have fended for themselves eating algae and whatever else they can find
When I first set their tank up ( a Fluval Chi) I found that a slime developed Oberon the silicone sealant in the corners and they spend a lot of time there
They also cling to the LED lights which are actually in the tank water and crust over with algae a few days after I clean them so they are grazing there as well
It has probably been a month since they hatched and they are getting to be very noticeable now and there are many more of them than I suspected
Whenever I feed the adults shrimp or Vickie pellets or algae wafers the babies all come running
So it looks to me like you don't have to do anything special for them
They are scavengers after all

[Coleallensmom]

Originally Posted by kc2ped

When my Red Cherry Shrimp hatched I think I put a pinch of egg yolk in there one day
Other than that they have fended for themselves eating algae and whatever else they can find
When I first set their tank up ( a Fluval Chi) I found that a slime developed Oberon the silicone sealant in the corners and they spend a lot of time there
They also cling to the LED lights which are actually in the tank water and crust over with algae a few days after I clean them so they are grazing there as well
It has probably been a month since they hatched and they are getting to be very noticeable now and there are many more of them than I suspected
Whenever I feed the adults shrimp or Vickie pellets or algae wafers the babies all come running
So it looks to me like you don't have to do anything special for them
They are scavengers after all

RCS shrimp do not go through a larval stage like Ghost shrimp do; They are miniature versions of the adults. As long as you have some cover for them to hide, they will pretty much take care of themselves.

[kc2ped]

Originally Posted by Coleallensmom

RCS shrimp do not go through a larval stage like Ghost shrimp do; They are miniature versions of the adults. As long as you have some cover for them to hide, they will pretty much take care of themselves.

They do hatch out looking like tiny albino shrimp and are growing fast now. My tank doesn't have much cover, but it doesn't have predators either.