guess what. one of my female crystal red had load of eggs now. when i saw it this morning, i just couldnt express my feeling. hopefully, i can be a father soon. what do i need to pay attention to now? how long the eggs will hatch? for cherry reds, the eggs will be yellow before babies hatch. how about crystal reds?
thanks all,
Tim
im so excited now...
Moderator: Mustafa
Congrats! There is not much you can do. You just have to make sure that there are no predators in the tank that could eat the babies (they are TINY and even tiny, two month old guppies eat them). If your tank has lots of mulm and some algae or plants, then the young will find enough to eat. They will also try to grab whatever you feed the adults.
By the way, Red Cherry eggs are *not* yellow right before they hatch. They get quite dark actually. They are bright yellow when the female just starts carrying them.
The eggs of the Crystal Red should also be getting a darker greenish/greyish color before hatching. Again, I would not worry about that, though. It's all out of your hands now.
Just provide food and cover and they will be fine.
Take care,
Mustafa
By the way, Red Cherry eggs are *not* yellow right before they hatch. They get quite dark actually. They are bright yellow when the female just starts carrying them.
The eggs of the Crystal Red should also be getting a darker greenish/greyish color before hatching. Again, I would not worry about that, though. It's all out of your hands now.
Just provide food and cover and they will be fine. Take care,
Mustafa
Last edited by Mustafa on Wed Jul 07, 2004 10:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Piscesgirl
- Tiny Shrimp
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Sun Jun 13, 2004 5:07 pm
See! And you didn't even need patience at all! Congratulations!
I've noticed that it takes approximately 3 weeks for the babies to 'hatch,' maybe four. They 'hatch' very small (you saw some of my tiniest ones), approx 1 mm. The crystal reds start out with color right away -- they have little stripes, easy to see. It's funny, I've noticed my shrimp will all swim around the tank when the babies are born -- first I thought it might be that they were eating them, but now I don't think so. For lack of a better reason -- I will say they celebrate! So, if you see the shrimp all start up and swimming around the tank in about 3 weeks, you will know you have babies. Be careful of the filter and keep water quality clean. I would smash/powder food for them (I forgot to give you some algae wafers - I use Nutrafin Max Spirulina Tablets -- they are 100% vegetable ingredients). I also use Nutrafin Max Spirulina flakes, but this is not 100% vegetable. I smash the tablets in a paper towel with the end of a knife and pour in the tank.
I've noticed that it takes approximately 3 weeks for the babies to 'hatch,' maybe four. They 'hatch' very small (you saw some of my tiniest ones), approx 1 mm. The crystal reds start out with color right away -- they have little stripes, easy to see. It's funny, I've noticed my shrimp will all swim around the tank when the babies are born -- first I thought it might be that they were eating them, but now I don't think so. For lack of a better reason -- I will say they celebrate! So, if you see the shrimp all start up and swimming around the tank in about 3 weeks, you will know you have babies. Be careful of the filter and keep water quality clean. I would smash/powder food for them (I forgot to give you some algae wafers - I use Nutrafin Max Spirulina Tablets -- they are 100% vegetable ingredients). I also use Nutrafin Max Spirulina flakes, but this is not 100% vegetable. I smash the tablets in a paper towel with the end of a knife and pour in the tank.
hello Piscesgirl,Piscesgirl wrote:See! And you didn't even need patience at all! Congratulations!
I've noticed that it takes approximately 3 weeks for the babies to 'hatch,' maybe four. They 'hatch' very small (you saw some of my tiniest ones), approx 1 mm. The crystal reds start out with color right away -- they have little stripes, easy to see. It's funny, I've noticed my shrimp will all swim around the tank when the babies are born -- first I thought it might be that they were eating them, but now I don't think so. For lack of a better reason -- I will say they celebrate! So, if you see the shrimp all start up and swimming around the tank in about 3 weeks, you will know you have babies. Be careful of the filter and keep water quality clean. I would smash/powder food for them (I forgot to give you some algae wafers - I use Nutrafin Max Spirulina Tablets -- they are 100% vegetable ingredients). I also use Nutrafin Max Spirulina flakes, but this is not 100% vegetable. I smash the tablets in a paper towel with the end of a knife and pour in the tank.
thanks thanks! i was so excited this morning, and couldnt wait to see babies swim around. i will take some pix this weekend. ahahhahah... sooo happy now.
thanks for your help, and i really appreciated.
Tim
Let me know when you want to part with some of those little guys. I'll be glad to "help". Looks like I am *finally* getting my breeding stock of Crystal Reds this week. So I will be offering the offspring for sale soon also. I was getting desperate, because I have been waiting for these animals for more than a month and had lost hope. So, thanks for the offer, but it looks like I won't be needing any more animals.
Mustafa
Mustafa
Yes, definitely spoke WAY too soon. Just got off the phone again with the guy and he told me that he has none left and won't be ordering any new ones. Ok...there is one more supplier that I am waiting on...if that does not pan out I have to start getting really creative about getting these guys soon. 
Mustafa
Mustafa
Hi Ethan,
The problem is not finding the shrimp (I find them just fine), but getting people to keep them alive long enough so they can actually send them to me. Apparently, a lot of wholesalers and importers have trouble keeping the shrimp alive. Of course, they have no idea what to feed them and how to keep them....so the shrimp die quickly. Red Cherries can take some abuse, but Crystal Reds are very sensitive and die quickly. So again, it's lack of knowledge that prevents these shrimp from spreading.
I'll get my shrimp in the end...I have tons of contacts in Europe, where the shrimp is more common than the Red Cherry or Amano Shrimp here. I just have to teach some Germans how to send shrimp overseas.
I am still hoping on one supplier to come through though...we'll see in a couple of weeks if that works out.
Take care,
Mustafa
The problem is not finding the shrimp (I find them just fine), but getting people to keep them alive long enough so they can actually send them to me. Apparently, a lot of wholesalers and importers have trouble keeping the shrimp alive. Of course, they have no idea what to feed them and how to keep them....so the shrimp die quickly. Red Cherries can take some abuse, but Crystal Reds are very sensitive and die quickly. So again, it's lack of knowledge that prevents these shrimp from spreading.
I'll get my shrimp in the end...I have tons of contacts in Europe, where the shrimp is more common than the Red Cherry or Amano Shrimp here. I just have to teach some Germans how to send shrimp overseas.
I am still hoping on one supplier to come through though...we'll see in a couple of weeks if that works out.
Take care,
Mustafa
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Piscesgirl
- Tiny Shrimp
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Sun Jun 13, 2004 5:07 pm
Pigheaddd -- that upsets me very much! Is your water conditions good? What are you feeding them? Is there calcium and iodide? Do not fert that tank!
Are you doing water changes? Use a gravel vac with a nylon stocking over the vac -- or a cup, but make sure there are no shrimp in the cup when you dump the water out. I do not suggest keeping them on algae only, nor limiting water changes to accomodate algae. Algae will grow with frequent water changes as long as there is light.
Are you doing water changes? Use a gravel vac with a nylon stocking over the vac -- or a cup, but make sure there are no shrimp in the cup when you dump the water out. I do not suggest keeping them on algae only, nor limiting water changes to accomodate algae. Algae will grow with frequent water changes as long as there is light.