Eyewitness account

[Dch48]

I saw something yesterday for the first time. I have had 4 batches of floaters arrive now but never saw this before. I witnessed a momma shrimp releasing the larvae!. My tank is one gallon and has a piece of lava rock that has a tunnel through it. The shrimp often hang out in the tunnel clinging to the roof and sides of it. I saw one that had black dots all over it's body and not just underneath. As I watched, the shrimp gave a slight twitch and the dots all moved. It looked like I had a shrimp that was being eaten alive by some kind of parasites. Then she shook one off like it was really annoying her and it sank to the bottom about a quarter inch below her. After a minute or two, I saw the "parasite" start to rise off the bottom and assume the head down position of a floater. I had no idea the things would crawl all over the mother shrimp just before becoming separated.

Today, I'm seeing 6 or 7 of the little buggers floating around. There is another berried female too

[sliphorn]

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Very cool.
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[Dch48]

The other berried one must have released hers too because now there are about 20 of them bobbing around.