First time with Amano Larva

Newjohn · Post by **Newjohn** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:47 pm

I thought it was time for me to give a try at raising the Larva of the Amano Shrimp.
After reading up on all of the information posted here and the links to the different methods. I was ready to start the process.

First I had to find myself some Amano's that would carry Eggs. The 5 I already have must all be Males. I have had them for over 1 year and never seen a saddle.
So off to a friends Store, He always has the best Amano's. And he did not let me down. Nice large Amanos and 1 Female was already Berried. I picked up 4 Females and 3 Males.

Then off to the next LPS to pick up some locally grown Phytoplanton "Green Water "

Phytoplanton is a single cell micro algae and this refridgerated bottle contains 3 different types Nannochloropsis, Isochrysis, and Tetraseimis.
And I brought 2 5gal water bottles to get Salt water out of there Reef Display Tank. It is great to know the managers. It saves alot of time.

At home I put the Salt water in a 10gal Tank with a preset heater at 80 degrees. and water for the water to heat up and added the bottle of Phytoplankton. I was told to float the bottle just like you would do a Bag full of Shrimp. And turned on the 100 watt floresent light bulb that I will be keeping on for 16 hours.

I also had the Amano's acclimating to there new tank. The tank has a temp of 72 and PH of 7.2 .

After 4 days the Berried Females released the Larva. I could only find 4 even in total darkness using a flashlight.

I got them out and put them in a plastic container floating in another tank. I was not ready for them and did not have any brackish water ready. So I just did a 50/50 mix in the container. and that was 13 days ago and I still have 3 that are alive. I add a little Green Water every day 50/50 mix with tank water.

The funny thing is, that I pull out 2 Larva every other day. And they are also placed in floating containers.

All of my Females are still berried, so I think these Larva are still from the First berried female.

That brings me up to date. And I will post more when I have more information.

And no, I do not have pictures.

I have a hard enough time looking at them, and then try to use a camera.

John

Suzie Q · Post by **Suzie Q** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:49 pm

Good Luck!

starrystarstarr · Post by **starrystarstarr** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:02 pm

Can't wait to read the update.

Newjohn · Post by **Newjohn** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 5:55 am

Just a update

The Larva only lasted 22 days in the salt water. They had tripled in size.

And then they were no more.

I will be trying again.

John

shrimpbaby · Post by **shrimpbaby** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 6:32 am

Sorry, Newjohn. Hopefully next time.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:01 am

That is where I got too. Next time try marine green water. Those that have succeeded recently have used that method.

Newjohn · Post by **Newjohn** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:27 am

badflash
Thank You
For the information, I will try that method once I get my tanks rearranged.

John

YuccaPatrol · Post by **YuccaPatrol** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:48 am

I'll be watching this thread. I almost always seem to have berried amanos, but haven't had the time to put in the effort. . .

TKD · Post by **TKD** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:49 am

YuccaPatrol wrote:I'll be watching this thread. I almost always seem to have berried amanos, but haven't had the time to put in the effort. . .

Ya, I'm the same too... kida hard to do anything in a one bedroom appartment though.

Good luck with the next batch Newjohn.

TKD

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:08 pm

I have researched the normal life cycle of the Amano shrimp and am aware of their larvae need for at least a period of time in an euryhayline enviroment to survive and under go metamorphosis but I also have seen at least 3 new Amano shrimp juveniles appear from a long standing completely freshwater set up containing only adult shrimp to begin with and they were Amanos and not a "contaminant species."
They must have some genetically programmed potential for a very small percentage of young to survive without having to spend any time in a brackish water systems. I do not mean to imply thaat one could do sustainted culture of them in freshwater but share these experiences as examples of that some few young are able to complete their development sans sea salt content.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:27 pm

apistomaster wrote:but I also have seen at least 3 new Amano shrimp juveniles appear from a long standing completely freshwater set up containing only adult shrimp to begin with and they were Amanos and not a "contaminant species."

Without evidence you'll have a hard time convincing anyone here. Most often this sort of thing turns out to be post larvals that came into the tank unnoticed with other shrimp.

We all wish that this was the case, but no one have ever taken up the challenge and documented this.

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:50 pm

I completely understand your skepticism.
The instance where one young shrimp appeared in a tank containing a single pair of Amanos and other fish present in this community tank some 10 months after their introductions left me with little else to conclude.
It would have had to survive the wrong environment predation, and yet, one day instead of a couple of two inch Amanos a third one about one half inch long appeared. None of the fish present were large. No new plants were introduced, and the only other shrimp I breed are Red Cherry and Ghost Glass shrimp. I can't explain it. I only share what I have observed.

The other two instances I cited were more ambiguous and could have perfectly good alternative causes. Yet there is this just this one lone individual that cropped up for which I can not explain away as simply a hitch hiker. I raise fish for retail shops and the flow of things tends to be outgoing far more than incoming. Those two Amanos had just been around a long time and no others brought in. I tend to mainly keep what I breed rather than simply collect. My "community tanks are few(2) and are stocked with breeding stock not currently involved in a breeding project.

I am not trying to debate or prove anything. I am experienced enough with Amanos shrimp to be as amazed as anyone else who ever had or might have this happen to them in their own aquarium(s).

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:30 pm

Not debating. I had a similar experience, but it could have been explained through a hitchiker baby. My experience with zoes is they all die in a week without salt water.

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:46 pm

My luck was worse than that the one time I tried to deliberately culture them.
I placed the ripe females in slightly brackishwater established tanks
I hung the females in a open meshed net to allow the zoae to drop through into what I had hoped would be their temporary environment.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Tue May 08, 2007 6:02 pm

I've gotten them up to the mysid twice, one molt to go and they die.

Now that I am ready for them, I can't get any zoes. Loads of eggs, but no hatch. After a month the females just eat the berry and start again.