Why do my shrimp look so different??

[Kneedles]

I had gotten an ecosphere for a gift and then realized how awful that they really are. Long story short I broke it open and now have my shrimp in a new larger aquarium. I've noticed lately that two of my shrimp look very different from each other. One has a huge white thing in it- and the other has a black thing in it. Anyone know what they mean?? I added pictures

THANKS!!

[skittymars]

The shrimp with the white stuff in their head are the males. The shrimp with the black stuff in their head are the females. Those black things are the eggs.

[Varanus]

The shrimp with the white stuff in their head are the males. The shrimp with the black stuff in their head are the females. Those black things are the eggs.

I'm pretty sure Mustafa has addressed the white stuff in the head thing before. He's not sure why some have it but it doesn't seem to be linked to the shrimp's sex.

After all if it were then my tank would be almost entirely female as very few have anything like that white blotch behind the head.

[skittymars]

I certainly don't know more than Mustafa since I just started keeping the shrimps 10 months now. From my observations I see all of the shrimps with white sponge color behind their head go crazy and swimming around really quickly at the same time searching for something. They don't do this often and it seems like once in awhile which corresponds to me seeing berried females later on. I assume these are the males trying to find a female shrimp that is ready to be mated with. When this happens it is only the shrimps with the white sponge color and they go around harassing the shrimp(s) with the black stuff behind their head. This was one reason why I thought the shrimps with the white sponge are the males. I also notice the shrimps with the black "eggs" behind their head are a decent size larger than the shrimps with the white sponge which would make sense since they have to carry the eggs

But you do bring up an interesting question about the population ratio of shrimps with the white sponge vs the ones with black stuff on their head. There are definitely more with black than there are with whites that I can visually see at any given time.

[Kneedles]

Thanks everyone!
I thought the black things looked like eggs..however that shrimp has had the black spots for months now. How long does it take for them?

[Mustafa]

There's really no set time. They'll get berried when they feel ready. And no, the white stuff isn't a gender difference. I still don't know what it really is. But it's harmless it seems.