Uhm.. Help? What Do You Call A Pregnant Amano?

[AmStatic]

Bought 2 random Amano shrimp (I think they're Amano?) from my local aquarium store (locally owned, nice guy, if you're in South Florida, happy to share his location.. need this guy to stay in business!).

The shrimp have both molted several times, one has gotten much larger than the other (do these things change their sex as needed?), and despite my warnings to always wear protection, I think one of them (the larger) has a bundle of a few dozen joys on their way?

I've read these things require brackish water? What happens if I don't remove it from the tank? Just free fish food for the rest of the tank mates?

 

[david1978]

In nature the shrimp live in freshwater. When they release the little ones they are carried down stream to brackish or salt were they grow and migrate back upstream. In our tanks the little ones die with in a few days and are eaten.

 

[AmStatic]

In nature the shrimp live in freshwater. When they release the little ones they are carried down stream to brackish or salt were they grow and migrate back upstream. In our tanks the little ones die with in a few days and are eaten.

Good to know.. no chance of survival? Will it foul the tank? How many we talking about?

 

[david1978]

No chance of survival. I think I have seen the larvea live 2-3 days. It shouldn't foul the water especially if you have fish with them. Amount that I'm not sure of. Very few people have been successful breeding them so exactly how many is unknown.

 

[AmStatic]

No chance of survival. I think I have seen the larvea live 2-3 days. It shouldn't foul the water especially if you have fish with them. Amount that I'm not sure of. Very few people have been successful breeding them so exactly how many is unknown.

Wow really? It's rare for these to breed in captivity? Or rare for the larvae to survive?

Jeez I wish I knew what to do to keep them alive.. I'd keep a few more in the habitat..

 

[ryanr]

Hi, just wanted to add to the question in your title.

The terms you are looking for are:
Saddled = carrying unfertilised eggs
Berried = eggs have been fertilised

 

[AmStatic]

Hi, just wanted to add to the question in your title.

The terms you are looking for are:
Saddled = carrying unfertilised eggs
Berried = eggs have been fertilised

Oh how can I tell if she's saddled or berried?

Man I love this forum... SCIENCE!

 

[goldface]

Wow really? It's rare for these to breed in captivity? Or rare for the larvae to survive?

Jeez I wish I knew what to do to keep them alive.. I'd keep a few more in the habitat..

I'd say it's rare to breed them in captivity because not many have tried, since it takes a lot more effort as the larvae do require saltwater to grow and survive. It's a lot easier and probably more cost effective to net a bunch of adult shrimp from the wild and sell commercially.

Mine have survived about 5 days before dying, since in nature larvae are actually released into freshwater and so do take several days or more to travel to brackish or saltwater to then grow and metaphophize into shrimplets.

 

[ryanr]

Oh how can I tell if she's saddled or berried?

Man I love this forum... SCIENCE!

Saddled - you can see little dots behind the head, which look like a saddle on a horse, hence the term
Berried - the eggs have moved to the under-carriage, and look like little berries, hence the term

 

[Jellibeen]

You will probably find this thread interesting:
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/amano-shrimp-larvae-growth-progress.375165/