Baby ghost Feeding Questions

shrimpbaby · Post by **shrimpbaby** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:58 am

Well, I've got my second batch of baby ghosts today. I had one survivor from my first batch and I'm hoping to have more survive this time. I've got GP's 50-100micron, artemia food(algae and yeast), and freeze-dried rotifers. How often should I feed them and how much? Also, how often should I be doing waterchanges and how much at a time? The babies are in a 5 1/2g tank with a sponge filter, riccia and java moss.

Newjohn · Post by **Newjohn** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:56 pm

shrimpbaby

Congradutation.

As for feeding. It will be a trial and error. It will depend on how many larva you have. I would try more small amounts instead of 1 big one.

I myself, like daily water changes.
This will also depend on how many larva/Shrimp , and how much you feed them.
A 5 1/2 gal. tank is very small.
Your water could go bad in a very short time.

I had a baby Ghost/Glass Shrimp grow up in one of my tanks, and I did nothing special for it.

John
I did my normal feeding, for algae eating Shrimp. Very little.
And the little guy, still grew very fast.

shrimpbaby · Post by **shrimpbaby** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 9:43 pm

I'm not sure how many babies I have because they hide in my java moss. I've seen two floating around so far but I'm assuming there is more. Out of my first batch there were quite a few to begin with but only one made it to the one week mark. I have two more females that should be having babies within the next week. My three females seem to be carrying eggs constantly. I think that they have a lot of fun in my tank.

I really hope that I will be able to successfully rear a few with so many females carrying at one time.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:47 am

Don't be so sure only one made it. They hide so well you can miss quite a few. Once they are bigger they come out of hiding. The 100-200 micron pearls are the right size for them. You need to put in enough that they can bump into them. They don't seek food, but the grab it when it hits them. Don't go nuts with the food, just a pinch should do it.

shrimpbaby · Post by **shrimpbaby** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:38 am

I have the GP's 50-100microns so I hope that works. I'm going to do waterchanges everyday so hopefully if I over feed a little bit, the water won't foul too bad.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:21 am

You may lose babies in the water changes, so use a fine filter over you siphon. Be sure the water is well conditioned.

If you have a good supply of snails to eat the left overs and have a properly cycled tank the daily water changes can be reduced to once a week. A tiny pinch twice a day is plenty and that is no more load than normal for a ghost tank.

shrimpbaby · Post by **shrimpbaby** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:45 am

Thanks, Badflash. Actually, when I do water changes on this tank I usually just disconnect my airline from my pump and suction the water out that way. The sponge on the bottom of the airline keeps the babies from being sucked in (I think). It's only a 5 1/2g with no substrate and it's only filled up half-way, that way, the babies don't have to go far for food. The drawback of course it that I'm going to have to do pretty frequent waterchanges. Sometimes I just add fresh water instead of removing any water, until the tank is full, and then I do a waterchange. I've counted five tail-hangers for sure.

shrimpbaby · Post by **shrimpbaby** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:17 am

Will baby ghost shrimp eat microworms? I have some going for some betta fry, but my Bettas didn't spawn like I'd hoped. I'm assuming that my tail-hangers can't eat those yet, but I'm not sure. Does anyone know? So far I still have at least six babies that I have seen at a time, but there could be more hiding in my moss and riccia.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 9:23 am

Unless it stays suspended in the water they can't get it. That is why I went with rotifers and moina.

shrimpbaby · Post by **shrimpbaby** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:28 pm

My babies are four days old today. I sat in front of the tank when I fed them Golden Pearls today, and I was actually able to see two of them eating the food. That was pretty cool. I could also barely see a faint orange line down their backs afterward too, so I know they are getting fed. I'm so excited.

Two more females look like they are going to have their babies within the next day or two as well, so I'm hoping to have quite a few survive since their will be so many.

shrimpbaby · Post by **shrimpbaby** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:32 pm

I forgot to post my question that I have. When my sponge filter is running it literally tosses my babies all over the place if they are not hiding in my plants. When I feed them, should I turn the filter off or just let it run?

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 3:22 am

Let it run, but turn down the air flow. You can also move it to one side. You want some circulation to keep the pearls moving.

shrimpbaby · Post by **shrimpbaby** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 10:56 am

My babies are 5 days old today and I observed six of them sitting on the bottom of the tank feeding so I guess that means that they are now out of their larval stage. They are so tiny that it is extremely difficult so see them on the bottom of the tank. One baby was still floating around in the water column and not sitting on the bottom. It is absolutely fascinating to watch their development. I'd post pics but they won't turn out. Not with my camera, anyway. So far I've seen seven out at a time.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 11:56 am

Congrats!
That confirms that pearls are the way to go. Why don't you write up your experience as a how-to article and give to Mustafa to post?

shrimpbaby · Post by **shrimpbaby** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 12:12 pm

Sure if Mustafa's interested then I'd be more than willing. I'm still pretty much a newbie but I think that I'm starting to get it figured out, especially with the help of you fine Petshrimp people. This is hands-down the most informative shrimp site I've found.