Breeding Ghost Shrimp? Help!

beginnertoshrimp · 10-10-2012, 01:23 AM

Hello everyone!

I went to my LFS to find something cute to add to my 20 gallon, and purchased 3 Ghost Shrimp. They are about .5 inches long, and one of them has what seems to be green eggs. Anyhow, the tank has sponge filters, and is around 75 degrees, so the tank is fine. Here is the problem, I would love to breed them and start a colony. My biggest concern is that there is a small catfish in the tank. He is a channel catfish and about 2 inches long. You may be thinking: "How do you plan on keeping them alive, let alone breeding them!". Well, I have had them in the tank with him for about three days. He notices them, but only eats the brine shrimp that I place in the tank, and doesn't even bother them. I read online that if there is a predator in the tank, that the chances of any larvae surviving is minimal. So I have two solutions, and wanted your opinions

1. Leave them in the tank and let nature run its course. Maybe he won't eat them all, and maybe they will live and continue breeding.

2. Separate the pregnant female into a 2 gallon fishbowl with water and plants from the fish tank, and when the eggs hatch, remove her, then remove the young when they are born into shrimp from the larvae stage. The problem with this is that I cannot heat a fish bowl, and the water always seems colder than it should be...

Thanks for any advice, I don't have a lot to work with, and I would love to see this work. Thanks!

AVN · 10-10-2012, 01:25 AM

Number 2 is your best option.

Whatcha need to know? I breed hundreds of Ghost Shrimp monthly for feeders. They're stupidly easy to breed.

beginnertoshrimp · 10-10-2012, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVN

Number 2 is your best option.

Whatcha need to know? I breed hundreds of Ghost Shrimp monthly for feeders. They're stupidly easy to breed.

I have never tried to breed anything before, so this is all new to me. Is the temperature of the fishbowl going to affect how well they hatch out? If it is important, than maybe number one would be the better option. How long until they young can be placed back into the tank with the others? Thanks!

AVN · 10-10-2012, 02:02 AM

You can get away with minimal heating. While it's better to keep them in their ideal temperature range, they will survive minor fluctuations in either direction. Hatching and growth will be slowed a bit when in colder water.

You can introduce them back into the tank after they've grown to a size in which they won't be consumed by the other inhabitants, usually it's the parents and bigger fish that end up eating the babies.

AVN · 10-10-2012, 02:04 AM

When I first started my Ghost Shrimp colony I had three berried females inside of a 3 gallon tank. No heater, no lights. All I had was a sponge filter that was powered by an air pump. As soon as I saw the females shed their eggs I removed them and let the fry grow in their own tank. I didn't lose many at all, because I kept them well fed and was vigilant in doing 10% water changes every three days

koiboi · 10-10-2012, 02:37 AM

The channel catfish is not going to stay 2" for very long. This is a fish that can grow into the feet range. Sooooooo....yeah.

ValMM · 10-10-2012, 04:18 AM

I use a tupper-ware container with a lid resting on top to keep the female from jumping out. I figure that way, when it gets cold I can float it inside the tank to keep it warm. Attach it to the side with tape to keep it upright.

I have successfully kept them alive as babies, but I moved them too early and they stressed out big time and died.

10-10-2012, 01:23 AM	#1
beginnertoshrimp Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: New York Posts: 40	Breeding Ghost Shrimp? Help! Hello everyone! I went to my LFS to find something cute to add to my 20 gallon, and purchased 3 Ghost Shrimp. They are about .5 inches long, and one of them has what seems to be green eggs. Anyhow, the tank has sponge filters, and is around 75 degrees, so the tank is fine. Here is the problem, I would love to breed them and start a colony. My biggest concern is that there is a small catfish in the tank. He is a channel catfish and about 2 inches long. You may be thinking: "How do you plan on keeping them alive, let alone breeding them!". Well, I have had them in the tank with him for about three days. He notices them, but only eats the brine shrimp that I place in the tank, and doesn't even bother them. I read online that if there is a predator in the tank, that the chances of any larvae surviving is minimal. So I have two solutions, and wanted your opinions 1. Leave them in the tank and let nature run its course. Maybe he won't eat them all, and maybe they will live and continue breeding. 2. Separate the pregnant female into a 2 gallon fishbowl with water and plants from the fish tank, and when the eggs hatch, remove her, then remove the young when they are born into shrimp from the larvae stage. The problem with this is that I cannot heat a fish bowl, and the water always seems colder than it should be... Thanks for any advice, I don't have a lot to work with, and I would love to see this work. Thanks!

10-10-2012, 04:18 AM	#7
ValMM Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Oswego, New York Posts: 823	I use a tupper-ware container with a lid resting on top to keep the female from jumping out. I figure that way, when it gets cold I can float it inside the tank to keep it warm. Attach it to the side with tape to keep it upright. I have successfully kept them alive as babies, but I moved them too early and they stressed out big time and died. __________________ My roommate says I'll die by giant turtle.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

10-10-2012, 01:25 AM	#2
AVN Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (15/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,065	Number 2 is your best option. Whatcha need to know? I breed hundreds of Ghost Shrimp monthly for feeders. They're stupidly easy to breed.

10-10-2012, 02:02 AM	#4
AVN Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (15/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,065	You can get away with minimal heating. While it's better to keep them in their ideal temperature range, they will survive minor fluctuations in either direction. Hatching and growth will be slowed a bit when in colder water. You can introduce them back into the tank after they've grown to a size in which they won't be consumed by the other inhabitants, usually it's the parents and bigger fish that end up eating the babies.

10-10-2012, 02:04 AM	#5
AVN Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (15/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,065	When I first started my Ghost Shrimp colony I had three berried females inside of a 3 gallon tank. No heater, no lights. All I had was a sponge filter that was powered by an air pump. As soon as I saw the females shed their eggs I removed them and let the fry grow in their own tank. I didn't lose many at all, because I kept them well fed and was vigilant in doing 10% water changes every three days

10-10-2012, 02:37 AM	#6
koiboi Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Mesa, Arizona, USA, Earth Posts: 53	The channel catfish is not going to stay 2" for very long. This is a fish that can grow into the feet range. Sooooooo....yeah.