Is This A Ghost Shrimp With Eggs?

[Gazoo]

I bought 6 shrimp yesterday and when I got home I noticed that two of them have eggs. They are in a cycled 7 (US) gallon tank. I plan on keeping this a shrimp only tank.

Do I have any chance growing the little shrimp? How many more can I add? Should I be concerned with a mini-cycle since they aren't a heavy bioload?

Thanks in advance.

 

[tropicman]

Yep she is definately pregnant, But i don't think you will have much luck breeding them because the eggs will be eaten almost seconds after birth

 

[Invader Xan]

If you want to give the little shrimplets a fighting chance, get a big hunk of some java moss or something similar, to give them some cover. If there's enough for them to hide in, then a couple may well make it to adulthood. It looks like a regular ghost shrimp to me (the red bracelets on the claws are quite distinctive), so they should get by with fresh water. They have a larval stage that lasts a few days, before they develop into miniature ghost shrimp. During that time, you might want to wrap a thin piece of cloth over your filter intake to stop it sucking up any shrimplets.

Good luck!

 

[Gazoo]

If you want to give the little shrimplets a fighting chance, get a big hunk of some java moss or something similar, to give them some cover. If there's enough for them to hide in, then a couple may well make it to adulthood. It looks like a regular ghost shrimp to me (the red bracelets on the claws are quite distinctive), so they should get by with fresh water. They have a larval stage that lasts a few days, before they develop into miniature ghost shrimp. During that time, you might want to wrap a think piece of cloth over your filter intake to stop it sucking up any shrimplets.

Good luck!

Thank you for the suggestion to add a hiding spot and something over the filter intake. Do you think a (filter) sponge would do a good job if I made a slit and put it over the filter intake?

Any other comments on how many more shrimp can be added?

 

[vancouver]

Filter sponge works well as a cover. I've had lots of pregnant ghost shrimp lately, but no babies.

 

[Invader Xan]

Filter sponge would be ideal!
Sorry for the typo -- it was supposed to say a thin piece of cloth. I've used bandage fabric held in place with duct tape before with some amount of success -- it was a quick solution to stop daphnia getting sucked in, as I've never had any baby shrimp, but the end result was much the same.

Also forgot to mention -- won't worry about bioload. Shrimp hardly add to your load anyway. A single brood of baby shrimp shouldn't have much of an impact...

 

[Gazoo]

Also forgot to mention -- won't worry about bioload. Shrimp hardly add to your load anyway. A single brood of baby shrimp shouldn't have much of an impact...

Since I only have shrimp in my tank and I feed what seems to be a small amount per day, how do you keep a properly cycled tank? For some reason I'm having a hard time understanding how a tank doesn't go into a mini-cycle since it would seem there isn't enough waste being produced to continue the cycle. Does a lightly stocked tank have less bacteria and all is good?

edit: spelling

 

[three-fingers]

Does a lightly stocked tank have less bacteria and all is good?

Yep . Which means if you add more inhabitants, you need to do so slowly so the bacteria can multiply fast enough to cover the ammonia and nitrites.

 

[Galedav]

this is just a guess yep your a daddy!?!