# Pregnant Ghost Shrimp



## Rohkey (Apr 25, 2011)

I have a few pregnant Ghost Shrimp in my 30G and want to try to successfully raise the fry. I was thinking about relocating the pregnant shrimp to my 10G quarantine. Should I do this and if so how long will it take for the fry to hatch? I noticed the eggs about 2-3 days ago. Also how should I feed the fry? The 10G isn't necessarily cycled but I could put a media from my 30G filter or water from a vase of flowers in there. Would that help?

All help appreciated!


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

You will definately want to isolate them.

Here's what is going to happen (Cliff note version)

- Eggs will hatch in a larval state
- Within 24-48hrs, the larvae will morph into the adult form
- At this stage they will be eating regular foods.
- Wait about two weeks before introducing into a permanent home. This gives them ample time to grow a little more.

Now there's a catch ... there's always a catch right. There are several different species of ghost shrimp. All eggs will hatch as larvae, but (here it comes)....some larvae will require brackish water to develop. Their stay will be brief but required non the less.

In your tank, do not run a filter. Not even a sponge filter. Just have an air bubbler in the tank to keep the current moving. Since it is a 10g, you can run a small heater to keep the temp up in the upper 70s. Light on the whole time during the larval stage.

That's it in a nutshell. Good luck with it and keep us posted on your progress.


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## Rohkey (Apr 25, 2011)

Interesting. Is there any way of knowing if I have the species that requires brackish water? Would a picture help or do I just have to wait to see if they all die off and then I can assume they need brackish water? Also how much salt would I have to add?

I do have a sponge filter in the 10G and have no light fixture. I'll have to work on finding a light and will get rid of the filter.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Unless they are specifically labeled in the LFS as to which species they are, it can be a bit difficult to ID.

As for the salt, you want to have an SG around 1.014 but no higher.

Once they morph, you can gradually add them back to freshwater.


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## Rohkey (Apr 25, 2011)

Thanks a lot. One last question, if I do add salt to the 10G, would the fry have difficulties surviving if they weren't the species that requires brackish water?


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Unfortunately, yes. The strictly freshwater variety cannot handle salt.


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## Rohkey (Apr 25, 2011)

Looks like I'll avoid salt the first time around. If they don't survive I'll probably try again in freshwater, then the 3rd time switch to the brackish environment. Thanks again.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Awesome deal. Good luck to ya.


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## Rohkey (Apr 25, 2011)

4 were pregnant. I just moved 3 of them to the 10G and when I went back for the fourth I noticed she was already releasing them. When I wake up tomorrow I'll update. The 10G didn't have a light so I put my lamp right next to/above it. Will this suffice? And what should I add to the water to make sure the fry are well fed?


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Could you call the place you got the Ghost Shrimp and ask what species they are? (Must update with pics if they survive!!)  good luck!

Oh, as for feeding the fry... do you have any phytoplankton? (I've got a bottle that I dose my tank with every few days for my filtering shrimp.) I'm guessing that could work?


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

You can add a small amount of greenwater for the freshwater. They won't stay in the larvae stage long enough to really matter though. Once they morph into the adult form, you can feed regular flake foods.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I've really only ever heard of brackish water ghost shrimp babies... are the freshwater ones common?


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## Rohkey (Apr 25, 2011)

I bought them from Petsmart so I doubt they will know. I've learned to take what they say with a grain of salt. I have some vase water with flowers that apparently can work and also put a couple plants in from my 30G..I'll see what else I can do tomorrow but I've been busy of late and my computer is in the shop so navigating on my phone is tedious.

False alarm on the shrimp dropping the eggs. They have all been messing around with the eggs inside of them but I think they are just rotating them? Or maybe eating them lol. There is an egg on one of the plants in the 10G but I think that was an accidental dropping.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I know that RCS use their swimmerettes to 'swoosh' water over the eggs to keep them clean and aerated.... maybe when the ghost shrimp do this it actually moves the eggs around, since they are so much bigger than the RCS. (Yeah, I think 1 egg would be accidental. Pretty sure you'd find a clump if she'd abandoned them.)

Good luck and keep us posted!


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Few people are successful at raising ghost shrimp. It's the larval stage that's hard to get past. What seems to work best is outdoor 'tubbing' where they are more or less left to get on with it. It's hard to feed them and keep the water clean enough as a filter will likely just suck them up. Maybe a heavily planed 'Beaslbob build' could work. If you want to raise shrimp consider getting red cherry shrimp as they have fully formed babies from birth.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

RCS are great breeders, but there wouldn't be much luck since he's got barbs and a gourami in the tank. I've got over 20 RCS (male and female) and they refuse to breed. All water params' are perfect for breeding, they are well fed, lots of plants and hiding places, but I've got ADF's and Cards so they won't breed. RCS really need a shrimp only tank in order to breed. Once moved to the 20g they probably still won't breed as I plan on getting a pair of Honey Gourami and 1 or 2 pairs of Feather Fin Rainbows. Nice shrimp to look at though! They live about 1-2 years, so you'd just have to replace them like ghost or ammano shrimp.


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