Is My Ghost Shrimp Pregnant?-update!!! Now White Inside. Help!

[MissCap]

Hi! I have this ghost shrimp and I believe she might be pregnant. There are little green balls in her stomach and I have never seen that before in any of my ghosts. I have three and had them for several months (and a lone ghost for a year before that).

If she is pregnant, how do I know when she is near to having them? What is the probability of their survival in a community tank? None of my livebearer babies ever make it and I usually never see them. Thanks. Ghos

 

[Rtessy]

Hi, can you get a clearer picture please? I'd say it's likely she's carrying eggs. Shrimp don't get pregnant, as they carry the eggs externally in their swimmerets, but yours does look like she has some. There is also a dangerous green fungus that is often seen on the swimmerets, but if you're sure they're little balls, it should be eggs.
When they get within 1-4 days of hatching you'll be able to make out two black eyes in each of the eggs.
Takes 2-4 weeks for them to hatch.
As for survival, it's not good. The young need lots of infusoria to survive, so they can survive in a lot of planted tanks, but everything will try to predate them, even the parents

 

[Dave125g]

If she has little balls in her, that's called a berried shrimp. Yes she's pregnant. Congratulations.

 

[Sean Smith]

Picture is blurry for the green part . But looks pregnant . May be fungus though.

 

[Dave125g]

Does it look something like this?

 

[Sean Smith]

The black spots are the eyes and mean they’ll hatch soon . So don’t worry about those . But the spherical shape is important . If it’s fuzzy then your in big trouble coming your way for any shrimp

 

[MissCap]

Does it look something like this?

Yes. It looks exactly like that minus the black eyes. My shrimp wS very active and wouldn’t let me get a good picture. Tiny little green balls.

 

[Dave125g]

Yes. It looks exactly like that minus the black eyes. My shrimp wS very active and wouldn’t let me get a good picture. Tiny little green balls.

Congrats your gonna have shrimplets.

 

[MissCap]

Congrats your gonna have shrimplets.

Thanks. I doubt any will survive though but I can always hope.

 

[Dave125g]

Thanks. I doubt any will survive though but I can always hope.

Why not? As long as there's hides, plants, and a set up where they won't get eaten by tank mates or the filter they should be fine.

 

[MissCap]

Why not? As long as there's hides, plants, and a set up where they won't get eaten by tank mates or the filter they should be fine.

I have four female platys that give birth almost every month. I have only seen two babies one time. All the other times I never see any so I assume they are eaten. I think there are plenty of hiding spots, but none survive.

 

[MissCap]

UPDATE!!!

She gave birth sometime today. However, she is now completely white inside! It looks like a milky substance. What could it be? Thanks.

 

[Dave125g]

UPDATE!!!

She gave birth sometime today. However, she is now completely white inside! It looks like a milky substance. What could it be? Thanks.

Probably about to molt.

 

[Kalyke]

Is she doubling over?

 

[MissCap]

Is she doubling over?

No. She is walking and eating like normal. She filled with all white right after she had her babies.

 

[Rtessy]

Any chance of bacterial infection? Sometimes that causes ghost shrimp to turn white. As can stress and muscular necrosis, but bacterial infections are often diagnosed as muscular necrosis, so it's not as common as most think.

 

[Cicca]

I hate to say this, and mind you it's only MY experiences I can speak to, but when mine turn white like that They are about to die.

I have never been able to keep the babies alive. It's my understanding that the babies need/prefer brackish water. Not sure how true that is, however. But in 20 years of having tanks, never have I had baby ghost shrimp survive.
I've tried it all. Plants stacked ear to ear, special "breeder" tanks etc.
I just go to pet smart or any LFS and buy 2$ worth when it comes time to reup.
However now that I'm running a much much smaller setup, that cost will be more like .50Cents. LOL.