Cleaner Shrimps eating their own eggs!!

bunzaroo · 01/02/2010, 04:32 PM

I have been in the hobby for about 2 years now. I have a pair of cleaner shrimp that were purchased together about 6 months ago. They are always pregnant. Today I saw one of them picking at the eggs and eating them!!! Is this normal. I know they are not underfed. Has anyone ever seen this behaviour?

MandM · 01/02/2010, 04:53 PM

Gross. I have peppermint shrimp that poke and tend to their eggs during incubation. I guess yours just don't want them to go to waste. You have two females? You may want to add a male and see if they breed.

Elysia · 01/02/2010, 06:08 PM

MandM -- these shrimp are simultaneous hermaphodites.

NirvanaFan · 01/02/2010, 06:50 PM

They may be picking off eggs that are not fertilized/died.

01/02/2010, 04:32 PM	#1
bunzaroo Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Miami,FL Posts: 617	Cleaner Shrimps eating their own eggs!! I have been in the hobby for about 2 years now. I have a pair of cleaner shrimp that were purchased together about 6 months ago. They are always pregnant. Today I saw one of them picking at the eggs and eating them!!! Is this normal. I know they are not underfed. Has anyone ever seen this behaviour?

01/02/2010, 04:53 PM	#2
MandM sick yet brilliant Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,497	Gross. I have peppermint shrimp that poke and tend to their eggs during incubation. I guess yours just don't want them to go to waste. You have two females? You may want to add a male and see if they breed. __________________ Sheila I was emo when emo wasn't cool If your not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate. Current Tank Info: 120g, 8g

01/02/2010, 06:08 PM	#3
Elysia Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,718	MandM -- these shrimp are simultaneous hermaphodites.

01/02/2010, 06:50 PM	#4
NirvanaFan Reef Ninja Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 4,280	They may be picking off eggs that are not fertilized/died.