# Pregnant Ghost Shrimp



## kristian18f

Sorry to post this on two different forms but the other one doesn't get many visitors. 

Yesterday I found a pregnant ghost shrimp. I have a quarentene tank that I am not using and plan to put her in there. I bought a bushy real plant for the babbies to hide in but I have a few questions (any or all will help):

1. About how long does it take for these shrimp to give birth? I read 28 days, but that seems like a long time for such a little being.

2. I have plenty of fake plants that I can put in with the real plant I bought. I have heard to fill the tank 2/3 full of the current tank water. I have a 2.5 gallon that I am putting her in. I was wondering if I should include fake plants too. (The real one should do quite a good job of filling up the tank).

3. Is there any way I can tell how far along she is? If there really is a 28 day span I would be afraid to move her too soon.

4. Is algae enough for the young? On one website it said to go look for a chart that showed the different stages of development and what the baby shrimp eat, I couldn't find one.

5. Should I use the airstone that goes with the tank? I have heard no gravel and the tube is connected to a base where gravel is supose to go (It has little holes), if I should use the airstone should I use the base and tube?


Any other tips would be a HUGE help... The only pregnant thing I've ever come in contact with was a friend.... I really don't know what I'm doing.





Stats of the 10 gallon that she is currently in:
PH: 7.4
NitrIte:0ppm
NitrAte:30ppm
Ammonia: Less tahn .25

I haven't done a water change yet today.


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## garfieldnfish

I am far from being an expert on ghost shrimp. Actually mine never lived long. But I believe that has to do with having R/O water which is way too soft for them. But I tried with ghost shrimp several times prior to giving up on them and had a couple of batches of babies hatch. I can't tell you how long it takes because when I bought the mothers they were already carrying the eggs. It took about 2 weeks from then until I saw the mini shrimp clinging to the side of the tank. They are tiny and live on algae. So a seasoned tank growing some algae would be helpful. A live plant is better then fake but if the fake sports algae it will do. You can also feed them first bites fry food and liquifry but both of that spoils the water quickly if they don't eat it all. They are tiny and don't need a lot. Better would be some frozen algae (formula II).


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## kristian18f

Thanks that helps. I guess I'll get the tank going and then add the mom. Any more help would be apreciated.


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## cheseboy

1. You'll see little eyes in the eggs when she is near the time when she release's her eggs

2.If you are thinking the plants are going to protect the shrimp you are wrong. It's more like a plate full of suclent baby shrimp that the mother would love to feed off. In other words remove the adult no matter what.

3. Why would you be afraid to move her too soon? The sooner the better. Always asume they will come early.

4. Roifters are the best food for baby ghost shrimp. If you have no roifters you can use fish fry food along with finely crushed tropical fish food. (morter & pestle)

5.Ghost shrimp need oxygen to survive just like fish. So you need some kind of surface agitation. Weather it be a powerhead or an airstone.

Hope this is helpful.


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## kristian18f

Thank you, I knew that I needee to remove the mother, but it said that plants help the babies. I'll have to check into roifters as I'm not sure what they are.

I'm a bit afraid to move the mother because I don't want her to go into shock or die or anything, using tank water from her tank but it still makes me nervous.

I've read that they cannot take much surface agitation, airstones are ok then?


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## cheseboy

Would the tank you would be moving her into be cycled already? Are you mainly afraid of the nettion or somthing else. As long as the tank parameters are similar to the ones she's in now shw will be fine. I don't know where you heard too much surface agitation is bad but as long as it's not vary strong, as in the water movement is lifting the shrimp up you should be fine.


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## kristian18f

I will be using the tank water from the current tank, by the sounds of it the tank will not have time to cycle before she lays.... I can add biozyme if that would help. The one I am moving her to is not filtered but most other things will remain the same... Minus some fish.


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## kristian18f

Alright I moved mommie into a 2 gallon hex with plants that I had to pick the snails off of (I hope I got them all, this wont be a threat will it?) some food and one fake plant. I have an airstone in there with a tube that is slightly slanted so the water is not getting the full blast.... I put some flake food in there and put it by a window so it can grow algae.... Should I worry about water changes and cleaning? There is no gravel to syphon so I can't do that (although there is a small layer of plant parts that have fallen off at the botttom). Any ideas?


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## kristian18f

Oh yeah, she's a bit freaked out, is it possible that she might drop some of her eggs? It looks likeshe has less but that could just be the way she's moving around.


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## kristian18f

Ugh, she's laying on her side... which I've read is what they do... It's possible that she's on a plant but really hard to tell... I'm keeping a close watch on her incase she lets the eggs go...

I don't see eyes, there is a little black spot on each one... Maybe that is the eyes?


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## cheseboy

Yep, thoes are the eyes the eggs will be released soon.


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## kristian18f

I think they were released, I looked at her again and there was only one egg left, so since Ionly have one tank I moved her back to the regular tank. I've been feeding finely ground fish flakes but I d on't see anything at all in the tank.


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## cheseboy

You may not be able to see them at first since they are *really really* small. Also this is a good site all about breeding and shrimp care. Here


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## fishboy

sorry Ive just skimmed this post, i didn't see any of you mention that ghost shrimp young require brackish water. They need alittle salt to survive until adulthood. Sorry if you guys already said this, just making sure


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## kristian18f

I've heard they do and I've heard they don't need brackish water. 

Thanks, will read up on that link If It's not one I've read already.


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