cleaner shrimp pregnant?

sykes_33 · 10-26-2007, 10:33 AM

One day I woke up and found my cleaner shrimp committing suicide in my sea anemone.. Not sure what happened but never the less I went and bought another one only this one is pregnant with green eggs under her belly. I would like nature take its course but not sure how to do this.. Right now I have her chilling in my refigium where nobody can eat her eggs or stress her. Does anybody have information on this? Will she give birth and if so, how long? Any info on this would be great.

amcarrig · 10-26-2007, 01:07 PM

The eggs may or may not be fertile but even if they are, you'd need a special/complicated setup in order to raise the fry. It's best to just let her release her eggs and/or fry and let them feed your fish and corals.

sykes_33 · 10-26-2007, 02:44 PM

abortion clinic is open.. booo hoo

lunatik_69 · 10-26-2007, 03:30 PM

My cleaner shrimp also gets eggs, but without a male around, they just become sushi for the rest. I also had one peppermint shrimp lay some eggs and I have a bunch of little baby shrimps everywhere. Esp. in the corner over flow compartment. They will find a way to survive. When I first noticed the baby shrimps, they where under rocks, in the rocks, just anywhere they can hide. So dont even stress about it, some will survive. Luna

amcarrig · 10-26-2007, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sykes_33

abortion clinic is open.. booo hoo

Don't feel so bad. Like Luna mentioned, some might survive but most, if not all, will be eaten.

JustPhish · 10-26-2007, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunatik_69

My cleaner shrimp also gets eggs, but without a male around, they just become sushi for the rest. I also had one peppermint shrimp lay some eggs and I have a bunch of little baby shrimps everywhere. Esp. in the corner over flow compartment. They will find a way to survive. When I first noticed the baby shrimps, they where under rocks, in the rocks, just anywhere they can hide. So dont even stress about it, some will survive. Luna

Any two cleaner shrimp will form a breeding pair as they are both male and female at the same time.

However, the shrimp are more than likely not going to amount to anything more than food as very few people have bred cleaners in captivity successfully past a few days. Even if they find a place to hide, they're probably not going to find the right foods in the amounts they need without serious intervention from the tank owner.

lunatik_69 · 10-26-2007, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustPhish

Any two cleaner shrimp will form a breeding pair as they are both male and female at the same time.

However, the shrimp are more than likely not going to amount to anything more than food as very few people have bred cleaners in captivity successfully past a few days. Even if they find a place to hide, they're probably not going to find the right foods in the amounts they need without serious intervention from the tank owner.

You might be right, but the babies started off as half the size of a grain of sand and now thier about the size of a paper clip( dia. of the wire) not to mention their in the corner flow chamber where there are no predators

amcarrig · 10-27-2007, 07:28 AM

Are you sure you're not seeing mysid shrimp? I have a ton of these in my refugium.

JustPhish · 10-27-2007, 07:38 AM

Yeah I was thinking the same thing.

lunatik_69 · 10-27-2007, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amcarrig

Are you sure you're not seeing mysid shrimp? I have a ton of these in my refugium.

Im not an expert, but they look like peppermint shrimp. They have that redish color to them and have a white dot right behind the eyes. If that sounds like a mysid to you then you are right. I wish I could take a pic for you guys but I know that it wouldnt come out good. Luna