We're Expecting (Baby Ghost Shrimp!)

[iapetus]

I came home from a long weekend last night and found out that one of my ghost shrimp is carrying a clutch of eggs! *twirlysmi *BOUNCINGS *celebrate

So, now I have to decide how to care for them. Some of them might get by OK in the 10G; there's plenty of hornwort in which the babies can hide and there should be some goodies in there for them to eat. But, I don't think I want to chance that. (Well, assuming I have a better choice and I might not.)

I could put them in my 2.5G. I've got a couple of emerald catfish who are juveniles in there. I could turn off the filter, I guess, and put the mother in there to drop her eggs. I can't imagine the catfish would bother them at all. Hopefully, I'd be able to get Mom out of there soon after she releases the babies.

And, I'm not sure at all how to deal with food. Crushed flakes? Hikari First Bites? My LFS (not the Petco) might have some infusoria or something; I'll be able to check this weekend.

This is my first spawning since I got my first tank 3 months ago. So, I'm pretty excited. It might be best to let them fend for themselves in the 10G tank, as I won't have that much room until my 29G finishes cycling. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Kissyboots]

Hmmm. I had a pregnant ghost shrimp recently too. She died though. From the time I saw she had eggs (the yellow/green balls under her) it took about 28 days for them to hatch. I found one lonely guy floating vertically around in the 5g. My betta must have eaten the rest. It seems they can't really swim. I put him in a bowl and fed him "first bites" cuz that's what the cory fry in there ate too. Obviously I did something wrong because he only lasted like two/three days. It must have been the water change...I think jen0910 would know more. She seems to be a "shrimp person"...I think.

 

[iapetus]

Obviously I did something wrong because he only lasted like two/three days.

Well, that may be (it might not!). But, your experiences have proven useful, too, Kissyboots! I re-read your thread about your baby shrimp this morning. Did the little guy eat any of the First Bites? (I couldn't tell from your thread.) Also, I didn't know that it took the shrimp ~one month for their eggs to hatch. That would mean that I have a lot more time than I thought. Was the bowl in which you had them heated? (As I recall, it wasn't.)

 

[Kissyboots]

He was so tiny that I couldn't tell if he ate them or not...

The bowl I used had the cories in it at the time (pictured in the cory thread) so it didn't have a heater. None of my tanks do. They need a cooler if anything (phoenix is sooooooo hot.) Are the eggs forming above her stomach or whatever? Or are they actually blows under her body? When the blobs are there, it took a little less than a month.

 

[iapetus]

The bowl I used had the cories in it at the time (pictured in the cory thread) so it didn't have a heater. None of my tanks do. They need a cooler if anything (phoenix is sooooooo hot.)

True. But, if I recall from your picture correctly, your tanks are in your home. Heaters are good for buffering the tank's temperature.

Are the eggs forming above her stomach or whatever? Or are they actually blows under her body? When the blobs are there, it took a little less than a month.

The eggs are green and sit right below her tail. Are the eggs noticeable before that? If so, I didn't see them until yesterday. Their location is the only reason I was able to positively identify them.