# Cherry Shrimp Breading



## desolatedelusion (Jul 14, 2008)

About 6 months ago i bought some shrimp off ebay. They are in a planted tank with a bunch of guppies. Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia are all as low as possible and i've never seen a trace of any of them except for a little nitrate. The only time i clean it out is to get the hair algae out of it but it gets pretty bad before i actually get off my lazy *** and do it. What would make a cherry shrimp not bread? I started out with 50ish shrimp. I might have a hand full left. The hardness is 75 (soft), the ph is between 7.2 and 7.8 and the total alkalinity is about 120. any input would be appreciated.


----------



## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

Cherry Shrimp (all shrimp) are very sensitive to nitrates, a 30% WC is required weekly. With any fish in a tank the fry are very nice meal for the guppies. You say you have the tank planted but do you have any denslly planted area where the shrimp can hide. Also you need to give them a healthy diet. Vegetable Wafers and HBC Crab & Lobster Bites would be excellent choice. When give a good diet iodine shouldn't need to be added. Cherry generally breed naturally I think you need to move them to their own tank if you want fry. A 10 gal with Java moss and DW would work perfectly but you need to as you say it get off you butt and do WC's weekly




1. Tank size should be at least 10 gallons to support up to 100-150 shrimp (based on weekly 30% water changes).
2. Temp should be between 75-78F.
3. Moderate water hardness seems to work the best for robust breeding and coloration.
4. Highly recommended the addition of live plants to maintain good water quality.
5. Sponge filters are the best since they do not pose a danger to baby shrimp.
6. PH of 7.6 has worked well.
7. Keep up with water changes! Cherry shrimp are highly prone to nitrate poisoning and they need good water to maintain good health and molting. Do a weekly 30% water changes. Use plain tap water (moderate hardness, PH 7.6) and I treat it with declorinator.
8. Use full spectrum lighting...10 hours a day on a timer.
9. DO NOT dose liquid iodine as the shrimp will get all they need from a proper diet.
10. Feed them Vegetable Wafers and Crab & Lobster Bites exclusively. Any invertebrate food will suffice as long as it does not contain any large amounts of copper (READ those labels!). I will occasionally drop in a piece of boiled vegetable (squash or spinach). 
11. I also recommend you maintain genetic diversity after a few generations of breeding. You can easily do this by introducing new cherry shrimp from other sources. This helps reduce the occurance of inbred deformities or weak shrimp. Traded shrimp with other hobbist a few times.


----------



## brandeeno (Nov 16, 2008)

I have a little bayfront tank (about 13 gallons w/out decorations). It was filled and heavily planted with a 2-4 inch gravel bed and has plenty of hiding places. I bought cherry shrimp off Aquabid and put them in (just after x-mas)... recently I've noticed some fry although I am sure that amongst the foliage there are many more. I rarely do water changes and just top off to keep the filter siphoning the water up. It is pertinent that the shrimps be well fed (dont just toss in a bunch of pellets or flakes) with a varying nutrient rich diet. Fresh and blanched veggies as well as seaweed paper (unsalted and unflavored). PLants and Drift wood are musts. the two neon tetras and several khuli loaches dont bother the shrimp although I'm sure that they have laid their claim to some of the fry. 

Just make sure there are LOTS of hiding places and LOTS of natural foods to keep teir appetites quenched. Also to see if the females are ready, you'll see yellow to green eggs under or within her swimmeretts. when she is in "berry" then you can expect a population increase soon. Although your population may seem small reme,ber you only really see 40% of your shrimp at once.

-Brandon


----------

