The wait is over! Found a berried shrimp!

[Super Jess]

Almost exactly one month after maybe seeing a saddled shrimp, today I see one with berries! My first berried shrimp! I'm so excited!!!

So I guess tank conditions have finally stabilized, as evidenced first by regrowth of the decimated macroalgae and now berries

These shrimp have logged some miles. Mustafa shipped them from Southern California to me in Vermont, then I drove them across the country back to SoCal 18 months ago. I've had them almost two years, they've been in their current tank for maybe a year, and only in their current location since I moved into my new place in November.

Yippeee!!!

[Erlina _rusli]

Happy for you!

[i<3Opae]

Super Jess that’s awesome! Those eggs look pretty big already, you might see larvae in a week or two. Don’t worry if some don’t make it. I’ve learned to be happy whenever I see berried shrimp (=tank conditions are good) and only start to count when I see larvae. Lol

[Super Jess]

Thank you! I wonder how long she has been carrying them? I had built a sort of cave in the middle, so she may have been hiding out for a while before I noticed. Now I just wait and resist the temptation to "help."

[Nellyville41]

Wooooooo! Congrats!!!

[i<3Opae]

They carry their eggs for around 38 days. Judging from the size, I think she has had them for 3 weeks. They're very hard to spot when they don't want to be found. When I started getting more than 2 berried shrimp at the same time, I often mistaken one for another because they would toggle between "show off" and "no enter" mode.

[crittersni]

Happy for you and appreciative of the pics. Didn't know what a berried shrimp looked like. New to this.

[Super Jess]

Ooohhh I should check the cave more often. Maybe there are more! I see a bunch more shrimp with saddles, too. Everything's coming up Milhouse!

[Super Jess]

Also I wonder how the eggs are attached to her? Is it a sticky gel or something?

[Erlina _rusli]

Super glue from nature lol

[i<3Opae]

Not sure what that is called, but it sure is strong. I’ve seen zoea larvae having to really “struggle” to get out of it right before it hatches.

[Super Jess]

Maybe it provides some abrasion resistance, too. She's dragging them all over the rocks and they seem fine, lol.

[jonesinfershrimp]

So awesome to see you finally got a berried shrimp!

[Super Jess]

Holy smokies, just now I found a SECOND berried shrimp! Spring is bringing a population explosion to my little tank! I thought I only had the one, but as I watched her go around the glass "she" emerged from the left just as i watched her disappear to the right, lol. Turns out I can't tell my shrimp apart

Wonder if they'll sit together long enough for a pic?! I am so freaking excited it's silly

[Fiore de'i Liberi]

I am happy for you! I think breeding has to be the most exciting part of this hobby!