Petshrimp.com Discussion Forum

I think the problem has something to do with water parameters. You guys (Terran and Newjohn) both got your crays from me, so your stock is the same, but still you have completely opposite breeding results.

Are there enough small hiding places for the young Newjohn? Do you ever see any young at all (which then "disappear" afterwards) or do you never see any at all?

What's the ph? Conductivity/hardness? Do you have enough organic material (such as leaf litter) in there for the young to feed on?

Newjohn,

Next time your female is holding set up a bare 10 gallon tank for her. Put lots of leaf litter in it. A sponge filter and some java moss or hornwort. Put her in and Wait till she drops the young and then pull her out and put her back in her original tank. Now you will be able to watch the babies to see what happens. I like to leave an open area in front and drop pellets down. they will usually come to feed after smelling the food. Good luck.

Jason

I found a baby cray in the tank today. At first I was bothered that I had somehow gotten a cherry shrimp baby mixed in there. Very happy to see such a tiny little thing. It is probably the one shown still clinging to mom in the earlier photo. So now this little thing is the first inhabitant of my second cray tank.

Too tiny for a photo and I'll probably not see it for a long time, but still a nice little milestone to know that my tanks seem suitable for breeding. Now I hope that the entire reproduction process can take place in captivity.

Congrats.

Good luck with your crays. Before long you will be overrun.

Jason

Great news!

Very cool, nice job Yucca

-John (AKA: The Puffer Ninja)

More good news today! Last night, I returned from a caving trip to find that I have a female C. diminutus now carrying eggs!

She was on the back side of the tank and I had to crawl through the stand to get a close look, but I counted 10 eggs. It appeared that she had a single egg attacked to each individual pleopod (swimmeret).

Due to their small size, I suspect that 10 eggs may be the maximum that each female can carry. I think it is particularly interesting that they were arranged in such a regular pattern with each egg attached to it's own pleopod.

I'll be trying to catch her and move her to my nursery tank I have set up waiting for her and any other berried females that arise.

So now I have observed both larval development and initial mating success. All we need now is for these eggs to become baby crays and captive breeding of this species will be a reality. From everything I have read, I believe that these 10 eggs could be the very first captive bred C. diminutus ever!

That is so exciting , can't wait to hear more! I hope everythng goes well with the hatching.

That is Great to Hear.
You must of made them feel right at home.
Keep the updates coming.

John

Great news.

Wow, this really is very exciting. Any chance of pictures?

-John

Yes pictures would be great.
thanks

I transferred the female over to the 10 gallon nursery tank, so now it will be a lot easier to get a photo of her. I'll do my best to post one soon.

edit: I forgot to mention that I also observed mating last night.

I am wondering if my addition of the peat granules has improved my water conditions beyond just making it softer and more acidic. These crays do live in blackwater, and perhaps the peat contributes other organic molecules beneficial for the health of these particular crays? I have certainly observed an increase in molting and now two occasions of successful mating since adding the peat granules.

THAT IS TO COOL