Berried Dark Maroon Shrimp

[southerndesert]

Hi All,

Well these guys will indeed breed in a tank even after a long trip. I was sitting at the tank when this shrimp molted. After the molt I was working at the PC looked back a while later and she was berried. Yes it is possible it is a different one, I don't know and did not see it happen but read on....



And for the record the fresh molt...



Now although this in itself is a breakthrough for me the interesting part is that at first the eggs appeared orange! You can see this in the photo and one is dark... About an hour later somewhat worried about the orange eggs since all the ones shipped to me already berried carried dark eggs and there were 4 of them, I looked around for the newly berried female with the orange eggs to no avail???

All four previously berried females were there along with one more all with dark eggs. So I now am left wondering if the eggs change color or if another has berried as well and I just can't locate the shrimp pictured. There are two more molts in the tank this morning so perhaps this is the case and I will continue to look.

This is interesting indeed and I was wondering if anyone else out there has seen this in these shrimp when they berry? Or if that was just a "bad batch" of eggs and dropped later. I really hope these guys keep this up and it wasn't just a lucky draw.

Cheers, Bill

[Mustafa]

Hey Bill,

In my experience orangish eggs are usually unfertilized and are dropped. In my experience this species carries very dard eggs (as you have already observed). Good luck with them, though. They are a very nice shrimp species. Whoever gets or has these shrimp from Sulawesi should try everything to establish viable colonies.

[southerndesert]

Thank you Mustafa for the info on the eggs. So then another has berried in captivity as well since there are now 5 instead of 4 with dark eggs. I am working hard to establish a breeding colony and after the shrimp that are currently berried have their young I hope to see more.

As you well know the death rate after import was a horrible thing to see happen and I felt very bad for the shrimp, showing me the importance of establishing these shrimp in the hobby. Still an occasional death, but things seem to be stabilizing in my tanks now. I have not lost any more DM, but the Cardinals are still having some issues, but they too are now active and most seem very healthy. Other than temperature (82F) and higher PH I am keeping these shrimp as one would any other Dwarf Shrimp. I am very lucky here in AZ as my water is PH 8.2, GH 3, and KH 4 to 5 right from the tap.

Time will tell...Bill

[Terran]

Yes I definitely want to be kept informed about these and the other Sulawesi shrimp!

Good luck southerndesert and I hope you are posting pictures of young soon...

[Mustafa]

I really hope that the young make it once they hatch. I don't really see any reason why not if the tank is stable. I don't believe that they are any harder to breed than any other shrimp.

[Newjohn]

Hi Bill

Please keep the updates coming.

I am down to 1 lonely Dark Maroon.
1 out of 11
The deaths all happened within the First week.

John

[southerndesert]

Hi John,

Sorry to hear that about your losses...Were they healthy when they arrived or already stressed? Mine have hopefully fully adjusted to their new homes now and very much hoping not to see any more deaths.

Fingers crossed, Bill

[Mustafa]

As many other shrimp, the shrimp from Sulawesi are usually in terrible condition when they arrive in the US. Some shipments fare better, some fare worse. The more reason to have captive populations after at least some of us have some luck and get healthy animals.

[Newjohn]

Were they healthy when they arrived or already stressed?

It was hard to tell, Other shrimp may be milky white when stressed and these Shrimp are Dark Red.

Like Mustafa said,
Most Imported Srimp are in poor health when they arrive,
All I was hoping for was 1 healthy pair and a chance to breed them.

I hope to have better luck with the "Cardinal" Shrimp.
I am still waiting for them to come in.

John

[southerndesert]

Noticed this guy a few days ago and finally got a photo...Wonder if eyes regenerate like other body parts? Anyone know?



Cheers, Bill

[Neonshrimp]

I have read post by member that report eyes of shrimp and crays that regenerate after a molt. I think this is true when the eye is lost through injury but if the missing eye is a genetic defect then there will always be one eye. Please let us know what happens

[apistomaster]

I wouldn't expect this is a genetic effect if I understand correctly that the colorful Sulawesi shrimp are natural populations unaltered through selective breeding. Complex organs sensory organs are much more difficult to regenerate than appendages. Sure is a beautiful animal.
I really hope they become well established in the hobby.

[southerndesert]

Now this is interesting... My Dark Maroon shrimp that were berried on arrival have now started having young. Neat thing is the young are spotted! They look a bit different than the young Cardinal being somewhat longer in body as well as larger at birth.



Cheers, Bill

[Mustafa]

Interesting! Let's see at what point these spots disappear. Thanks for the update!

[southerndesert]

I have experienced a slow die off in this tank and it baffles me to no end and my other tank with Cardinals is fine and the shrimp are healthy although none have berried as yet. The Dark Maroon Shrimp are proving very difficult with the adults and few of the young have survived, but some are growing well and appear healthy.

In the Cardinal tank the young survival rate is high and they are growing fairly fast, the other "contaminant" species discussed are also doing well and the purple ones are in their own tank (5 of them). The clear ones appear as Mustafa said two different species and I will try for photos to attach to that thread....

Cheers, Bill