My success story
Moderator: Mustafa
Re: My success story
That is a whole life cycle in one tank....So very cool!!!
Re: My success story
I count 60 to 70 larvae in the pic. There are others that are too shy to show themselves--maybe 80 total?
The larvae from the first 2 females are benthic.
I counted 8 females still carrying eggs, although I think 2 or 3 of them are currently dropping larvae, contributing to the above count.
The larvae from the first 2 females are benthic.
I counted 8 females still carrying eggs, although I think 2 or 3 of them are currently dropping larvae, contributing to the above count.
Re: My success story
Here is the second batch--about 50. The first larvae of the season are now mostly benthic. You can see a few of them clinging to the tank sides. Some of the larvae in the middle are actually holding to the tank glass as well. There are 4 or so females still carrying.
One interesting observation: When the tank was new with fewer shrimp the young would mostly hide. I would not see them for a few months after becoming benthic, until they were 3 or 4 mm long. Now, it seems, with more shrimp in the tank the young are not as shy. They remain out and about swimming with the adults.
One interesting observation: When the tank was new with fewer shrimp the young would mostly hide. I would not see them for a few months after becoming benthic, until they were 3 or 4 mm long. Now, it seems, with more shrimp in the tank the young are not as shy. They remain out and about swimming with the adults.
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JennyPenny
- Shrimp
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2015 7:49 pm
Re: My success story
Very very cool!!
Re: My success story
Time for an update, I think. All but 4 larvae are now benthic. I figure this Spring left me with 150 or so new shrimp. The youngest are out and about, not hiding. I still think this is because there are just so darn many of them, whereas with fewer numbers before, they'd hide.
The second round of mating has commenced with 4 newly berried females this last week, all of which bore young last Spring, as far as I can tell. There was a pause of a few weeks between the last larvae being released and the newly berried females appearing.
The second round of mating has commenced with 4 newly berried females this last week, all of which bore young last Spring, as far as I can tell. There was a pause of a few weeks between the last larvae being released and the newly berried females appearing.
Re: My success story
tooth wrote:Time for an update, I think. All but 4 larvae are now benthic. I figure this Spring left me with 150 or so new shrimp. The youngest are out and about, not hiding. I still think this is because there are just so darn many of them, whereas with fewer numbers before, they'd hide.
The second round of mating has commenced with 4 newly berried females this last week, all of which bore young last Spring, as far as I can tell. There was a pause of a few weeks between the last larvae being released and the newly berried females appearing.
What is the temperature and salinity of your tank tooth?
Re: My success story
The tank temperature is the same as the room--no auxiliary heat. The room temp varies from about 65 to 75 F over the year. The tank receives no sunlight at all. I assume the temp rises during the day due to the 10,000 K lamp in the hood. In fact, in the winter some shrimp will collect on the top couple of inches of glass by the end of the day. During warmer months they don't do it as much.
When I set up the tank I followed Mustafa's advice: I mixed one half of the recommended salt for a standard saltwater tank set up. I've just topped off for evaporation since then.
The banded female from last year's fame (she berried 3 times) is now berried for the second time this year. Although a female released her larvae today, 2 more berried females showed up this morning, giving me 5 currently berried.
When I set up the tank I followed Mustafa's advice: I mixed one half of the recommended salt for a standard saltwater tank set up. I've just topped off for evaporation since then.
The banded female from last year's fame (she berried 3 times) is now berried for the second time this year. Although a female released her larvae today, 2 more berried females showed up this morning, giving me 5 currently berried.
Re: My success story
End of Summer update.
The macro algae was looking sad, so I removed it. I think it could not compete with the normal algae. I've also had less hair algae to contend with. However, there are now a couple of spots where the substrate is showing through, not covered any longer with the normal algae. It is just a matter of time until I'll need to start adding supplemental food to the tank. But, three and a half years so far with no food added. I'll feed when the algae is gone (two or three more years?).
Since last Spring there have been from 2 to 10 berried females at any one time. For the last few weeks, though, I've had only 1 to 4. I currently have 2 with about 40 larvae from the last 3 females. They appear to be slowing down in the reproduction department. With the hundreds of shrimp now in the tank, I hope to have berried females all winter--something I've not had in the past.
Sometimes the shrimp seem to find a particularly tasty patch of algae, and 12 to 20 will congregate in the area and stay there for a couple of days busily feeding just in the one area. I can't see any difference in color or texture from the rest of the algae, but the shrimp will push each other out of the way to stay in the sweet spot.
Hope everyone is having a nice Autumn.
Brad
The macro algae was looking sad, so I removed it. I think it could not compete with the normal algae. I've also had less hair algae to contend with. However, there are now a couple of spots where the substrate is showing through, not covered any longer with the normal algae. It is just a matter of time until I'll need to start adding supplemental food to the tank. But, three and a half years so far with no food added. I'll feed when the algae is gone (two or three more years?).
Since last Spring there have been from 2 to 10 berried females at any one time. For the last few weeks, though, I've had only 1 to 4. I currently have 2 with about 40 larvae from the last 3 females. They appear to be slowing down in the reproduction department. With the hundreds of shrimp now in the tank, I hope to have berried females all winter--something I've not had in the past.
Sometimes the shrimp seem to find a particularly tasty patch of algae, and 12 to 20 will congregate in the area and stay there for a couple of days busily feeding just in the one area. I can't see any difference in color or texture from the rest of the algae, but the shrimp will push each other out of the way to stay in the sweet spot.
Hope everyone is having a nice Autumn.
Brad
Re: My success story
Hey Brad, thanks for the update! Wow...3.5 years with no additional food!!! Read this everyone! 
Did the temperatures go up in your room recently? If the temps go significantly above 80 degrees the shrimp tend to reproduce less and even stop.
Did the temperatures go up in your room recently? If the temps go significantly above 80 degrees the shrimp tend to reproduce less and even stop.Re: My success story
Hi Mustafa,
We keep the AC in the house at about 73 to 75 degrees. In winter we heat the house between 70 and 72 degrees. The room the shrimp are in runs a little cooler than the rest of the house by 1 to 2 degrees. It seems that with the cooler temperatures we're starting to have here, the shrimp are entering their reproductive slow-down phase they have gone through each winter. My hope is that with the greater population there will be some individuals that will be inclined to reproduce even with the lower water temperatures.
I have not measured the tank temperature in the winter months, or any other time. This year I will. I've just assumed it would be right around the room temperature, or a little higher due to the 10,000 K lamp.
We keep the AC in the house at about 73 to 75 degrees. In winter we heat the house between 70 and 72 degrees. The room the shrimp are in runs a little cooler than the rest of the house by 1 to 2 degrees. It seems that with the cooler temperatures we're starting to have here, the shrimp are entering their reproductive slow-down phase they have gone through each winter. My hope is that with the greater population there will be some individuals that will be inclined to reproduce even with the lower water temperatures.
I have not measured the tank temperature in the winter months, or any other time. This year I will. I've just assumed it would be right around the room temperature, or a little higher due to the 10,000 K lamp.
Re: My success story
I see...yeah, probably the tank temp is close to your room tank if your room temp doesn't fluctuate much. (Plus the heat from the lamp.)
Re: My success story
The first of the two currently berried females released her larvae this last week--23 or 24 of them. The last berried female has a much smaller clutch--maybe a dozen or so.
No other females are currently carrying, as far as I can see. There may be some hiding.
With the onset of cooler temperatures, my shrimp may be done reproducing for the time being. With hundreds of females, I'm hopeful to get some reproduction this winter. I've never had any larvae during the cooler months. We'll see.
Happy Halloween to all.
Brad
No other females are currently carrying, as far as I can see. There may be some hiding.
With the onset of cooler temperatures, my shrimp may be done reproducing for the time being. With hundreds of females, I'm hopeful to get some reproduction this winter. I've never had any larvae during the cooler months. We'll see.
Happy Halloween to all.
Brad
Re: My success story
Another berried female showed up yesterday. I don't recall having a newly berried shrimp in November. Maybe this winter will be different after all.
Re: My success story
As promised, I've been monitoring tank temperatures.
The room with the tank is cooler than the rest of the house, by a couple of degrees. We have the heat set to 70 degrees for the house as a whole.
In the morning, before the tank light comes on, the water temperature is between 67 and 68 degrees.
In the evening, just before the light goes out for the day, the temperature is between 68 and 69 degrees.
I've only been monitoring since the days have become cooler. The whole house is warmer in summer, as you'd expect, and as I suspect, is helping reproduction during the spring and summer months.
Brad
The room with the tank is cooler than the rest of the house, by a couple of degrees. We have the heat set to 70 degrees for the house as a whole.
In the morning, before the tank light comes on, the water temperature is between 67 and 68 degrees.
In the evening, just before the light goes out for the day, the temperature is between 68 and 69 degrees.
I've only been monitoring since the days have become cooler. The whole house is warmer in summer, as you'd expect, and as I suspect, is helping reproduction during the spring and summer months.
Brad
Re: My success story
Keep observing...i've had reproduction even in the low to mid 60s.