The wait is over! Found a berried shrimp!

[Super Jess]

Aaaaand right on schedule, shrimp momma #2 is shedding hatchings today!

[Super Jess]

Awesome pictures!

Thanks! I finally discovered my camera app has a manual focus feature, so pics should improve accordingly

[Super Jess]

Five of the six larvae from the second shrimp momma are free today, and momma #3 began hatching this morning. When #3 is done, the tank population will have doubled! I started with 18 shrimp and each momma has hatched 6 larvae. I haven't been able to get a good count of eggs on the fourth shrimp, but there looks to be at least 6, maybe 8. She hides in the rocks a lot

How many shrimp can a gallon of water support? I guess I'd better get working on that second tank soon

[Flippers]

Five of the six larvae from the second shrimp momma are free today, and momma #3 began hatching this morning. When #3 is done, the tank population will have doubled! I started with 18 shrimp and each momma has hatched 6 larvae. I haven't been able to get a good count of eggs on the fourth shrimp, but there looks to be at least 6, maybe 8. She hides in the rocks a lot

How many shrimp can a gallon of water support? I guess I'd better get working on that second tank soon

WOW!! Congratulations

My online research showed that about 50 Opae Ula can live comfortably in each gallon of water. My academic papers yielded different results, but they were based on density per square inch and in the wild. (One paper had a count as low as 20 per gallon). Others with more experience may be able to give you a more definite answer.

[Super Jess]

It's three weeks since the first set of eggs hatched, and those first larvae all now resemble teeny tiny shrimp. The yolk sacs have shrunk almost completely away and the tiny shrimplets swim horizontally. They cling to walls and rocks, and settle on the substrate. With the hand magnifier I can see their tiny swimmerets and legs and they move about. They are very hard to spot when they are sitting still on the substrate, which must seem like boulders to them. They are much easier to pick out when they settle on the tank wall or sit on the black lava rock.

Groups 2 and 3 are still bobbing around with their heads down, and #4 momma actually looks to have 9-10 eggs. I guess they should hatch in the next few weeks. Still hard to believe all the new babies, but when it rains it pours

[i<3Opae]

That's really great news! Your tank is absolutely thriving!

[Mustafa]

Congrats! Don't worry about how many shrimp your tank can support. If the shrimp keep breeding the tank will support them. And when they stop breeding, that's when you know they have reached some kind of limit.

[crittersni]

I'm in the same position and am driving some friends crazy with my enthusiasm for these opae. 6/2 I saw the first larvae. The past couple of days I saw a twitcher and several swimming rather than bobbing. Today I spotted 3 sitting on decorations for the first time. Others are hopefully In unseen places. I still have a fully berried shrimp and about 4 with at least a few late bloomers each. I call the babies bobbers, swimmers and (now) feeders!! So ridiculously delighted!!!