Well i think i bought ghost shrimp. They are various sizes. The other day i saw one on the side of the tank, towards the top, hanging on to an otto.
what was he doing and is that normal?
Shrimp Behavior.
Moderator: Mustafa
-
GunmetalBlue
- Shrimpoholic
- Posts: 263
- Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:10 am
- Location: CA
Hi Almondmonkey and welcome to the forum. 
First, if you haven't already, check out the Shrimp Varieties page and click on "Freshwater Glass Shrimp," which is another name for ghost shrimp. Check out the pics and read up on them - do they seem like what you have?
I've personally never had freshwater ghost shrimp, "Palaemonetes paludosus" before, but according to this site, I understand they are peaceful. Was your shrimp merely hanging on temporarily or trying to do some harm to the otto?
If the otto is in good health I would think it would simply swim away and that would be that. If the shrimp is pursuing and trying to do the otto some harm, then it might be that you do not have a true freshwater "ghost shrimp."
A pic could possibly help, if you're able. Maybe Mustafa or somebody can help ID them.
-GB
First, if you haven't already, check out the Shrimp Varieties page and click on "Freshwater Glass Shrimp," which is another name for ghost shrimp. Check out the pics and read up on them - do they seem like what you have?
I've personally never had freshwater ghost shrimp, "Palaemonetes paludosus" before, but according to this site, I understand they are peaceful. Was your shrimp merely hanging on temporarily or trying to do some harm to the otto?
If the otto is in good health I would think it would simply swim away and that would be that. If the shrimp is pursuing and trying to do the otto some harm, then it might be that you do not have a true freshwater "ghost shrimp."
A pic could possibly help, if you're able. Maybe Mustafa or somebody can help ID them.
-GB
-
almondmonkey
- Egg
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:36 am
-
GunmetalBlue
- Shrimpoholic
- Posts: 263
- Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:10 am
- Location: CA
Oh, okay. Just to let you know, these shrimp do not "lay eggs" in the traditional sense, meaning leaving their eggs on a leaf or wherever. They keep them on their swimmerettes, like what you are witnessing (on her underside). The eggs look like they are "moving" because the mom fans her swimmerettes to aerate them.
Depending on the species, shrimp typically hold the eggs on their underside for about 3 - 4 weeks before hatching (unfortunately I'm not sure what the time frame is for ghost shrimp - anyone know? Otherwise, I presume it's about the same length of time). This is providing the eggs are fertilized. If not, she will drop them within a few days or so, and they will not hatch.
Ghost shrimp first hatch as larvae, which turns into miniature shrimp after a few days. According to the species description in the Shrimp Varieties page they need to be fed micro-food during this time, and it sounds like that is the most difficult part, getting them enough of the right kind of food to eat so that they can metamorph into shrimplets.
Glad you are enjoying your shrimp!
BTW, you neglected to tell us whether you still think you have ghost shrimp - info on their care may be different for other species.
-GB
Just to let you know, these shrimp do not "lay eggs" in the traditional sense, meaning leaving their eggs on a leaf or wherever. They keep them on their swimmerettes, like what you are witnessing (on her underside). The eggs look like they are "moving" because the mom fans her swimmerettes to aerate them.Depending on the species, shrimp typically hold the eggs on their underside for about 3 - 4 weeks before hatching (unfortunately I'm not sure what the time frame is for ghost shrimp - anyone know? Otherwise, I presume it's about the same length of time). This is providing the eggs are fertilized. If not, she will drop them within a few days or so, and they will not hatch.
Ghost shrimp first hatch as larvae, which turns into miniature shrimp after a few days. According to the species description in the Shrimp Varieties page they need to be fed micro-food during this time, and it sounds like that is the most difficult part, getting them enough of the right kind of food to eat so that they can metamorph into shrimplets.
Glad you are enjoying your shrimp!
BTW, you neglected to tell us whether you still think you have ghost shrimp - info on their care may be different for other species.
-GB
-
badflash
- Master Shrimp Nut
- Posts: 2542
- Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:06 pm
- Location: Wappingers Falls, NY
- Contact:
ghost shrimp
Palaemonetes pugio eggs can take from 12-60 days to hatch depending on water temperature and other conditions. My understanding is the norm is about 4 weeks. The fry go through their larval stage in as little as 11 days, but more often take a month. They reach reproductive age at around 2 months and can live up to two years.
I found a paper on these guys done by the US Department of the Interior Fish & Wildlife service. It goes into the 5 species of Palaemonetes shrimp found in the US.
I found a paper on these guys done by the US Department of the Interior Fish & Wildlife service. It goes into the 5 species of Palaemonetes shrimp found in the US.
But we're talking about Palaemonetes paludosus here. That is the freshwater ghost/shrimp glass shrimp. With that species it takes about 3-4 weeks for the eggs to hatch and the larvae can turn into postlarvae in as little as 6 days. This is all from personal experience with breeding them. Palaemonetes pugio is not a freshwater species.
By the way, I think I have read that paper a few years ago, too. If I remember correctly Palaemonetes paludosus data should be there in the comparison sheet, too.
By the way, I think I have read that paper a few years ago, too. If I remember correctly Palaemonetes paludosus data should be there in the comparison sheet, too.
-
badflash
- Master Shrimp Nut
- Posts: 2542
- Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:06 pm
- Location: Wappingers Falls, NY
- Contact:
Ghosts
For paludosus we are taalking about a maximum of 85 eggs per clutch, but only 3 molts to maturity vs. 7-11 for Pugio, so only a few days might be right, I see no specific period for paludosus.
Do you have a place I can post this paper? Our Tax Dollars paid for it, so anyone interested should have rights to it.
It says "ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Brackish-water shrimp. Field and laboratory studies indicate that P.
pugio adults tolerate salinities from-0 to 55 ppt but are most common in
salinities of 2 ppt to 36 ppt (Wood 1967; Swingle 1971; Bowler and
Seidenberg 1971; Christmas and Langley 1973; Kirby and Knowlton 1976; Morgan 1980). The 96 h LDso values for adults are 0.5 and 44 ppt (Kirby and Knowlton 1976)."
Mine seem to be pugio from this paper.
Do you have a place I can post this paper? Our Tax Dollars paid for it, so anyone interested should have rights to it.
It says "ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Brackish-water shrimp. Field and laboratory studies indicate that P.
pugio adults tolerate salinities from-0 to 55 ppt but are most common in
salinities of 2 ppt to 36 ppt (Wood 1967; Swingle 1971; Bowler and
Seidenberg 1971; Christmas and Langley 1973; Kirby and Knowlton 1976; Morgan 1980). The 96 h LDso values for adults are 0.5 and 44 ppt (Kirby and Knowlton 1976)."
Mine seem to be pugio from this paper.