i think my cleaner shrimp had babies...

flipteg · 02/01/2006, 01:05 AM

the main MH light is already off for the night and i was on my computer... i see my fishes going nuts acting like they are eating something from the water... i thought they were going crazy... when i looked closer, i see a lot of these brine shrimp looking things swimming around... they are really tiny and transparent... i turned off my power heads so i can see better... the structure looks exactly like a shrimp with a fat upper body, a thin tail, and a fan shape at the tip of the tail... i suspect they may be cleaner shrimps since i have two of those... i also have 3 sexy shrimps... if it wasn't either of the two, then they might just be copepods...

usajet · 02/01/2006, 01:10 AM

have any pics

flipteg · 02/01/2006, 01:16 AM

i can't really take any pictures of them since they are really tiny... but one of my shrimps looks as if when shrimps are cleaning themselves... with the swimmerettes (i think that's what they're called) under the tail all out... i see the shrimps do that before, but not as long as she is now... she's been like that for 25 minutes now... although i haven't seen any baby pop out of her...

Paintbug · 02/01/2006, 10:09 AM

could be babies. could be mysis shrimps as well. i have those in my tank. still dont know exactly how they got there. im thinking i had some eggs from the frozen mysis i feed the tank. only time will tell

Pandora · 02/01/2006, 10:24 AM

My bet is on mysis shrimp as well. They often get misidentified as fry of larger shrimp. It's hard to get those cleaners to breed.

So Cal shaggy · 02/01/2006, 11:36 AM

could be cleaners mine breed on a regular basis but what you descibed sound just like mysis they come in on live rock just like pods

Anemone · 02/01/2006, 11:39 AM

Based upon your description of your fish's behavior, I'm betting cleaner shrimp fry rather than mysid. I've found an, um, "enhanced" feeding response in the past when my cleaners spawned.

Kevin

Pandora · 02/01/2006, 11:51 AM

Well, this should be easy enough to clarify with good 'ole Google Images:

Mysid:

Cleaner shrimp larvae:

RichConley · 02/01/2006, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pandora
My bet is on mysis shrimp as well. They often get misidentified as fry of larger shrimp. It's hard to get those cleaners to breed.

I disagree. I have 3 cleaners in a 58 gallon tank. At any given time, 1 or 2 of them is carrying eggs. Its almost impossible to raise their fry at this point, but getting them to breed is easy.

If the fish are going crazy, like he says, its somehting thats not normally there, so I doubt its mysis. Cleaner larvae is what I would say.

dc · 02/01/2006, 12:09 PM

Mine have only released them at night, so I'm guessing cleaners also. You can see how small they are in this picture. Little dots off to the right.

Various pictures right after. Hard to get a real good pic.

Pandora · 02/01/2006, 12:51 PM

For those who breed cleaners really easily, any tips on getting them to breed?

dc · 02/01/2006, 12:57 PM

I think if you have 2 they will breed. The eggs start out looking green. One of mine is always carrying eggs.

Pandora · 02/01/2006, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dc
I think if you have 2 they will breed. The eggs start out looking green. One of mine is always carrying eggs.

LOL, that's it? I have 3, and things have been going pretty well with them for the past 6 months since the power outage crash... eating well, molting regularly, etc.

Anemone · 02/01/2006, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pandora
For those who breed cleaners really easily, any tips on getting them to breed?

Have Two.

No, I'm serious. If you have two, they will breed. As a matter of fact, you can even have a single release fry (they can store sperm for an undetermined period of time - possibly up to several months). They breed immediately after molting and attach the eggs to their swimmerettes. It takes about three weeks for the eggs to hatch (at night). If you have two shrimp, both will often be carrying eggs simultaneously.

Now, successfully raising the fry is nearly impossible (and is impossible, for all intents and purposes, for home hobbyists). The fry have so many different stages before reaching adulthood, and at each stage they must be provided with the correctly-sized live food.

There was a rumor a few years ago about a commercial outfit in England being successful, but I've never been able to confirm that. Ed at LiquidLife worked for a couple of years and got his fry through many of the stages (I think he managed to get them to the 40 or 50 day mark, IIRC), but they still ended up dying.

FWIW,
Kevin

terryhendrixson · 02/01/2006, 01:05 PM

I have two coral banded in the main tank that breed all the time and three peppermint in the fuge and two get pregnant all the time.Plus two blue damsels in the main tank that breed like rabbits.Maybe some day i wont have to put any food in at all!

dc · 02/01/2006, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pandora
LOL, that's it? I have 3, and things have been going pretty well with them for the past 6 months since the power outage crash... eating well, molting regularly, etc.

They're pretty prolific. Too bad they're not that simple to raise. You should have had several 'batches' of babies by now. I just consider it free food. Mostly for my PJ as he's nocturnal.

Pandora · 02/01/2006, 01:30 PM

You know, I had read up on their breeding years ago, and I think it was the raising part that I had confused with the actual spawning part (the part about them being hard to breed). I wonder why mine haven't? Is it possible that they do at night, and I just never noticed it? I see molts on a regular basis. Fish I have: flame angel, yellow candy hog, damsel, 6-line and a mandarin (fuge for the last 2 pod eaters).

dc · 02/01/2006, 01:36 PM

Well I'm sure they have, I've never seen mine actually mating, but the eggs are always there. So I know they are. Have you looked close to see if they had eggs? I've only witnessed them releasing eggs twice, and only got pictures once. Here's a pic when I first notice the eggs.

Pandora · 02/01/2006, 01:38 PM

I think I need to start taking a closer look. I am one of those people who puts a lot of rock against the back wall of the tank, so there are lots of hiding places. Usually the shrimp hang out there during the day and only come out during feeding times or when something gets disturbed.

dc · 02/01/2006, 01:44 PM

I think once you get a real close look you will see them. You could always try night viewing also. Some people like to use a red lens, but my critters don't seem to care.

02/01/2006, 01:05 AM	#1
flipteg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 910	i think my cleaner shrimp had babies... the main MH light is already off for the night and i was on my computer... i see my fishes going nuts acting like they are eating something from the water... i thought they were going crazy... when i looked closer, i see a lot of these brine shrimp looking things swimming around... they are really tiny and transparent... i turned off my power heads so i can see better... the structure looks exactly like a shrimp with a fat upper body, a thin tail, and a fan shape at the tip of the tail... i suspect they may be cleaner shrimps since i have two of those... i also have 3 sexy shrimps... if it wasn't either of the two, then they might just be copepods...

02/01/2006, 10:09 AM	#4
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	could be babies. could be mysis shrimps as well. i have those in my tank. still dont know exactly how they got there. im thinking i had some eggs from the frozen mysis i feed the tank. only time will tell __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

02/01/2006, 10:24 AM	#5
Pandora Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Maryland near DC Posts: 1,706	My bet is on mysis shrimp as well. They often get misidentified as fry of larger shrimp. It's hard to get those cleaners to breed. __________________ Where are we going... And why am I in this handbasket? Current Tank Info: 75gal reef tank, 30 gal octopus tank, Other: 75gal planted Amazon tank

02/01/2006, 11:36 AM	#6
So Cal shaggy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Anaheim, Ca Posts: 395	could be cleaners mine breed on a regular basis but what you descibed sound just like mysis they come in on live rock just like pods __________________ Thanks, Jeff "You go inside the cage, cage goes in the water, you go in the water, shark's in the water ... our shark. Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies . . ." Current Tank Info: 135 gal reef tank, 50 gal DIY sump

02/01/2006, 11:39 AM	#7
Anemone Cloning Around Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Valencia, California Posts: 25,267	Based upon your description of your fish's behavior, I'm betting cleaner shrimp fry rather than mysid. I've found an, um, "enhanced" feeding response in the past when my cleaners spawned. Kevin __________________ Back in the pool, swimming with the sharks... Current Tank Info: Red Sea 425XL w/Kessil AP700, Vertex 180i Skimmer, 2 x Vortech MP40s

02/01/2006, 01:10 AM	#2
usajet Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: michigan Posts: 8	have any pics

02/01/2006, 01:16 AM	#3
flipteg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 910	i can't really take any pictures of them since they are really tiny... but one of my shrimps looks as if when shrimps are cleaning themselves... with the swimmerettes (i think that's what they're called) under the tail all out... i see the shrimps do that before, but not as long as she is now... she's been like that for 25 minutes now... although i haven't seen any baby pop out of her...

02/01/2006, 11:51 AM	#8
Pandora Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Maryland near DC Posts: 1,706	Well, this should be easy enough to clarify with good 'ole Google Images: Mysid: Cleaner shrimp larvae: __________________ Where are we going... And why am I in this handbasket? Current Tank Info: 75gal reef tank, 30 gal octopus tank, Other: 75gal planted Amazon tank

02/01/2006, 12:09 PM	#10
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	Mine have only released them at night, so I'm guessing cleaners also. You can see how small they are in this picture. Little dots off to the right. Various pictures right after. Hard to get a real good pic. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

02/01/2006, 12:51 PM	#11
Pandora Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Maryland near DC Posts: 1,706	For those who breed cleaners really easily, any tips on getting them to breed? __________________ Where are we going... And why am I in this handbasket? Current Tank Info: 75gal reef tank, 30 gal octopus tank, Other: 75gal planted Amazon tank

02/01/2006, 12:57 PM	#12
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	I think if you have 2 they will breed. The eggs start out looking green. One of mine is always carrying eggs. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

02/01/2006, 01:05 PM	#15
terryhendrixson Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: monroe,ohio Posts: 180	I have two coral banded in the main tank that breed all the time and three peppermint in the fuge and two get pregnant all the time.Plus two blue damsels in the main tank that breed like rabbits.Maybe some day i wont have to put any food in at all!

02/01/2006, 01:30 PM	#17
Pandora Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Maryland near DC Posts: 1,706	You know, I had read up on their breeding years ago, and I think it was the raising part that I had confused with the actual spawning part (the part about them being hard to breed). I wonder why mine haven't? Is it possible that they do at night, and I just never noticed it? I see molts on a regular basis. Fish I have: flame angel, yellow candy hog, damsel, 6-line and a mandarin (fuge for the last 2 pod eaters). __________________ Where are we going... And why am I in this handbasket? Current Tank Info: 75gal reef tank, 30 gal octopus tank, Other: 75gal planted Amazon tank

02/01/2006, 01:36 PM	#18
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	Well I'm sure they have, I've never seen mine actually mating, but the eggs are always there. So I know they are. Have you looked close to see if they had eggs? I've only witnessed them releasing eggs twice, and only got pictures once. Here's a pic when I first notice the eggs. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

02/01/2006, 01:38 PM	#19
Pandora Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Maryland near DC Posts: 1,706	I think I need to start taking a closer look. I am one of those people who puts a lot of rock against the back wall of the tank, so there are lots of hiding places. Usually the shrimp hang out there during the day and only come out during feeding times or when something gets disturbed. __________________ Where are we going... And why am I in this handbasket? Current Tank Info: 75gal reef tank, 30 gal octopus tank, Other: 75gal planted Amazon tank

02/01/2006, 01:44 PM	#20
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	I think once you get a real close look you will see them. You could always try night viewing also. Some people like to use a red lens, but my critters don't seem to care. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-