Help this newbie.. I thnk my ghost shrimp are going to have babies.

[amyb_70]

Hi I am new here and only had my fish tanks for a couple months. I've been trying to breed my guppies, but nothing seems to be happening. Last night I noticed my ghost shrimp has lots of little black dots on her belly, I saw this a couple days ago and thought it was poop but last night there was allot more. Is she going to lay eggs? How or what can I do so they won't get eaten? I don't have a Q tank and afraid the momma will jump out of a breeder net. It's the only safe place for them.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Istrom]

Ghost shrimp hold their eggs until they hatch, then they keep the young in their underbelly for a couple days. They then move onto their mothers legs (It will look like they're just gone, they're really small though). I would suggest a breeding net or breeding box, as well as some good food for them. I recommend putting some old plant matter into a jar of water and leaving it in the sunlight. After a day you can pour some of the water into the tank, and the young shrimp will eat microorganisms that are living in the water.

 

[amyb_70]

Ok so if I do see them put them in a breeding net? The feeding sounds pretty easy. Thank you soo much.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Istrom]

Just put the mother in the net for now. Basically once the babies are 1/4 of an inch long, they'll be safe in the general aquarium. It wont take them that long to get that big either.

 

[amyb_70]

She likes to jump and I have no cover on this tank. I'm afraid she'll jump out. Am I nuts.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Istrom]

Nah, you aren't nuts. I've had snails come out of my tanks before. If you've got money, the best breeder I know of is an out of tank one. It hangs off the side of the tank and uses and air pump to move water in and out back into the regular tank. It comes with a lid and a piece that goes near the bottom with little slits in it for young fish to hide under.

 

[amyb_70]

I'll check that out when I get the bw salt you suggested. I'm out of work for summer go back with the kids when they start school. So it's tight right now but I have to try and keep these little guys.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Istrom]

That would make it tough, just be happy it isn't saltwater. Every time you go into the store they tell you that you need another $50 piece of plastic.

 

[amyb_70]

ugh, for what? are they maybe just trying to make the sales? i have had several different animals but this is my first with fish.. i thought it would be simple easy and i wouldn't get attached.. haha, i am more attached to my fish then i was my cats and dogs..

 

[Istrom]

It can be a hassle. But by saltwater, I mean like ocean salt, not brackish lol. Your setup seems fine to me how it is.

 

[amyb_70]

yes the true salt water tanks are very time consuming and costly arent they? yet they are beautiful.. you get the live rocks and coral. i would love to be able to go full boar into this but i just cant and it would not be fair to my little friends.. i have a 10 gallon and its killing me because i like Koi so i started with them, not thinking ahead about growing and needing space and a pond so they can live like they should. I gave the LFS 1 and am having a hard time parting with the other 2 but i know i have to, sooner than later. i posted on FB to my friends in hopes someone w/ a pond would take them. but not one reply so i hope the store finds good homes

 

[Istrom]

I've got a pond with koi, but I'm nowhere near NY lol

 

[amyb_70]

bummer, they are beauties too

 

[amyb_70]

Update. Think the ghost shrimp released her eggs. Time will tell how it works iut


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Istrom]

Yep. She probably either has the babies where the eggs were, or on her legs. Let's hope for the best!!

 

[Fishfur]

If the ghost shrimp is the American species palaemonetes, it does not hatch babies nor hang onto them later. I don't know any shrimp species that holds babies after they have hatched, certainly not any of the popular aquarium species do that.

American ghosts have larvae, being low order shrimp, and they hatch after the mother releases her eggs. They do look like they are sliding down her swimmerets, because they are, until they fall off the ends.

The eggs float to the surface, hatch into larvae so small it is virtually impossible to see them, and in 4-5 days, the larvae morph into wee white shrimplets, which hang head down at the surface in light, and sink to the bottom in dark, for a few days until they start to swim.

All happens in fresh water, most larvae are eaten by fish or get filtered out, but it is possible to have some survive. I have raised several broods both in a separarate brood tank and in a 29 g community tank. The older the tank, the more likely some may survive, given older tanks more probably have more microscopic food for their early life stages.

 

[amyb_70]

it will be interesting to find out what happens. as i was surprised when i figured out she was carrying eggs. at first i thought it was poop then it was so clear and you can see the eggs moving when she did. really cool.. i got java moss yesterday or day before. she went right to it and has been staying there most of the time. when i see her now i dont see any eggs. so they have released. glad i did my cleaning before hand. and i take your word on the rest. i had no intention of little ghost shrimp babies, so whatever the outcome im good with it. i am just very intrigued by all of this fish stuff.. breeding, spawing, eggs, fry.. all things i was clueless about until the past couple weeks.

 

[Fishfur]

Ghost shrimp don't live all that long, sadly, so they tend to reproduce as often as they can. Females will continue getting pregnant so long as food is good, mates are available and they are able to carry the eggs. Average lifespan between 1-2 years at most. They turn orangish with maturity, get some dark streaks on the shells.

They were my first shrimp, I still find them very entertaining and cute.

 

[amyb_70]

Ha just noticed 2 ghost shrimp
Are carrying eggs. Oh my! :0
I wanted guppies not shrimp. Lol
Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Istrom]

Lol a there are a lot of species that will just constantly breed and multiply like that.