BulldogWrestler

I bought 2 ghost shrimp to be in my tank and thought one died. Turned out it just molted and reappeared.

Well, today I look into the tank and there is the two hanging out by the plant they seem to like and then, all of a sudden, another one zooms across the top of the tank.

?!?!?!

I know for a fact I only bought two. At that time there was three. I chalked it up to maybe a really small shrimp got caught up in the bag and I didn't notice it.

Well, this morning before I went to work - there were TWO small shrimp (about the same size, but noticeably smaller than the two I got) in the tank. I couldn't find the other two, but even still. Kind of odd.

Everything I've read says that they can't lay eggs in freshwater, and they've been in my tank for....3 days or so. Not to mention my tank isn't cycling due to a Safestart problem, so I don't see how they would breed.

Any ideas?

AmongthePuffers

Well, ghost shrimp hold eggs in a bulk on their legs, if their female. They could have hatched even though its a FW tank. And it could have been like you said, where the shrimp just hitched along in the bag. That very possible since they're transparent and hard to see. I don't believe they have the ability to clone though.

But remember this, there is no such thing as a stupid fish question!

BulldogWrestler

Haha. Obviously they don't clone themselves - I'm just confused as to how I have 2 more shrimp in my tank. Especially since, by all acounts, they can't breed or give birth in freshwater.