My success story

[tooth]

Looks like 5 larvae this time.

[tooth]

A berried female showed up last evening, and a second one this morning. I've not had 2 berried shrimp simultaneously before. They each appear to be carrying about 7-8 eggs. One of them has berried at least once before. She has a white band between thorax and abdomen, so she is easy to identify. The other, I think, carried last winter, but it's hard to tell.
The tank has been up for a year and a half, with no food added at all--amazing.
Brad Hills
Alpine, Utah

[tooth]

Hello Everyone,
I haven't posted for a while. The eggs on the berried shrimp from last summer hatched in October. Then they took a break from breeding for the winter.
There is a berried shrimp today. Looks like 8 or 9 eggs. If they all survive, they should make about 40 shrimp from the original 10.
The tank has been running for almost 2 years. I changed out the light in the hood last year, and it's time to do it again.
The algae is still growing strong so I still have not added any food to the system (!), just topping off with distilled water.
Hope everyone is enjoying the hobby!
Brad

[KenCotigirl]

Good news tooth. I sound like a broken record but how about a picture or two.

Ken

[tooth]

I just need to get off my lazy butt and get my wife to do it.

[KenCotigirl]

Very funny tooth. May I use that line?

Ken

[Mustafa]

Thanks for the update again! Wow...this is absolutely amazing! 2 years without food additions (obviously food is growing in the system) and the shrimp are still happy and even breeding! This information is very, very valuable. Thanks! And, yes, pictures would be great.

[tooth]

20150404_171059_LLS_resized.jpg (913.33 KiB) Viewed 6881 times

We don't have a nice camera. Yes, Ken, you may use the line. Watch out for consequences. As I said, lots of algae. The back glass was covered at one time, as were the sides. The front required scraping once.
Brad

[Mustafa]

Ahh...I see now why you didn't have to feed for 2 years. That's a *lot* of organic matter in that tank from the original nutrients that must have been in your substrate. Is the whole bottom covered with dead algae? Wow. Thanks for the picture!

[tooth]

Yes, but it may not be all dead. There are some areas with good green color. The shrimp seem to graze the whole bottom.

[Mustafa]

Ahh...I see. The algae that are still alive are probably scraping by by consuming nutrients released by their decaying algae "brethren" and shrimp poop.

[tooth]

A second berried female showed up this morning. She appears to be carrying about 5-6 eggs. We've kept the house a little cooler this year. I wonder if the cooler temperatures (65-70) will increase incubation time.

[tooth]

Pic of the newly berried female.

[Mustafa]

Nice! And plenty of food still lying around everywhere...

[tooth]

I noticed a third berried shrimp this morning. The eggs on the female I noticed in March should hatch any day, but it's fun to have three carrying at the same time.