[elf123]

Ok, I'm new to the hobby and freshwater aquariums in general. This is my second nano but first shrimp only tank.

I recently, about 1.5 weeks ago, had a die off by changing too much RO water over the course of a few days per a LFS recommendation. I was a bit disappointed. One of the adult RCS was a berried female and I couldn't just let all the eggs go. I researched artificial hatching and figured I wanted to at least give the eggs a chance.

I used some aquarium tweezers to get her out of the tank. I put her in a small dish and gently got her eggs off of her with a flat aquarium planting tool. I didn't have the right mesh so I cut up an aquarium net and placed the eggs away from any of the seems. I used a tiny office clip and clipped the mesh net next to my filter so the waterfall could keep gentle water movement over them.

I look at them periodically and last night it seemed they had eyes, but so hard to tell.

I just looked at them and thought one had a tail out of an egg. I used zoom on my iPhone to see that. But then I thought maybe it was fungus? I have no clue. So I gently removed the mesh net and put it in a small dish with the tank water. What did I find??? A shrimplet and definitely eyes on the other eggs!!! I'm laughing a bit at my excitement.

I put the mesh back in the tank clipped to the side next to the waterfall so the remaining can hatch. Then I noticed another teeny tiny one on my micro sword plant at front of the tank. I have about 10 other shrimplets that are almost 2 weeks old.

Artificial hatching does work! I'm so excited! Now I have two adults, about 10 two week old shrimpies, and who knows how many newborns!

Wow!

I attached a picture of my tank. You can see the mesh clipped at the back right corner. I fixed the tilt on the AC30 on the right of the tank. I'm upgrading filters and letting it cycle fully before removing the stock one in the back.

 

[thedood]

Big time gratz and kudos for not giving up on the eggs. Please keep us updated on your progress. Subscribed.

 

[gmdiaz]

Congratulations!! That is so cool!

 

[The Big Buddha]

Good job!
By the way back right corner.

 

[elf123]

I am counting four newborns in the net (two are obvious in the one closeup and the others I couldn't get focused in on) and one two week old. Not sure how many are out and about in the tank now. I think I have about 4-6 eggs left to hatch. This is quite exciting.

Bump: Good catch. Thanks!

 

[haterr]

nice save! congratulations

 

[touch of sky]

Congratulations! I am very glad that it worked out and you were successful.

 

[essabee]

Care and attention - that's what is needed in this hobby - keep it up.

Congratulations.

 

[Fishly]

This is so awesome! Congrats!

 

[elf123]

Two eggs left to hatch. I can't believe it. I went from two adults to ~20 in no time. Um, what will I do if I get hundreds? I realize I am getting way ahead of myself, but the thought just hit me. I don't know anyone locally to even give them away. Maybe our LFS?

 

[The Big Buddha]

Two eggs left to hatch. I can't believe it. I went from two adults to ~20 in no time. Um, what will I do if I get hundreds? I realize I am getting way ahead of myself, but the thought just hit me. I don't know anyone locally to even give them away. Maybe our LFS?

RAOK them once the warmer weather is here.

.

 

[elf123]

What does RAOK mean?

You guys have all been fun to share this little AH journey with!

I also just noticed that one of my two adults is most definitely a female as she is berried today. Good gracious! It's a RCS baby haven here! After researching, I would say the adults are Sakura grade with the female being what looks to be a high grade Sakura.

 

[abaker1961]

Aww, congratulations on the shrimplets.

 

[miataisalwaystheanswer]

Two eggs left to hatch. I can't believe it. I went from two adults to ~20 in no time. Um, what will I do if I get hundreds? I realize I am getting way ahead of myself, but the thought just hit me. I don't know anyone locally to even give them away. Maybe our LFS?

You can always try craiglist. I didn't expect to sell much but i ended up selling over 200 and adding $100 in my wallet.

 

[Doogy262]

Break out the cigars great job

 

[Panw]

Two eggs left to hatch. I can't believe it. I went from two adults to ~20 in no time. Um, what will I do if I get hundreds? I realize I am getting way ahead of myself, but the thought just hit me. I don't know anyone locally to even give them away. Maybe our LFS?

I'll take them
My first RCS just hatched - the babies look fine, but so far I lost 6 out of 12 adults shrimps in that tank - the tank parameters are stable - so I am not sure what's going on.
Hopefully the babies will survive.

 

[WaterLife]

Just saw your question wasn't answered. RAOK stands for Random Act Of Kindness. Just a little term people often use referring to a free give away (any act of kindness really). So what was meant by "RAOK them" was suggesting for you to list them on here giving some away to people that may want them.

But yeah, that was just a suggestion, you could sell them, or give them away or trade them in for store credit at your LFS (Local Fish Store).

You can look if females have what is called a "saddle" (saddled) and that is a sign she will be berried soon.

Shrimplets color up as they age. To retain the more intense red coloration over generations, it is suggested to cull/separate the less intensely colored shrimp and allow the redder shrimp to breed to keep the strain redder and not diluting down the red coloration. Just some basic info in case you weren't aware.

Congrats again!

 

[Master503]

Hello,

Firstly, congrats on your new born babies WAHOO!

Second, when you are using the aquarium net, isn't the hole bigger than the eggs? Would those eggs drop out into the water?? or how did you hold them in the net??

 

[elf123]

Hello,

Firstly, congrats on your new born babies WAHOO!

Second, when you are using the aquarium net, isn't the hole bigger than the eggs? Would those eggs drop out into the water?? or how did you hold them in the net??

What I did was actually cut the whole net out of the handle so all I had was the net. I put the egg bundle in the bottom of the net but not at a seam. I kind of bunched up the extra netting and clipped that part to the side of the tank which created a smaller net basket. If eggs became detached from the bundle, and a couple did, they kind of dangled below the netting free flowing in the tank. Now that they are almost a week old, I can see them around the tank more. I'd guess about 12 of them. I do know for sure one egg fell to substrate and I have no idea what ended up happening to that one, but I think if nothing eats it and it's near moving water, it could still hatch...I think.

Bump:

I'll take them
My first RCS just hatched - the babies look fine, but so far I lost 6 out of 12 adults shrimps in that tank - the tank parameters are stable - so I am not sure what's going on.
Hopefully the babies will survive.

My tank is almost three months old. I lost several adults early on. I think my tank just didn't have enough biofilm or maturity it needed though parameters looked great. Seems the younger shrimp in my tank lived and the adults didn't fair as well. I think the younger ones can adapt a little better? That's just my working theory. I really have no clue because this is all new to me.

My LFS said shrimplets will usually fair the best because they were berried in the tank water and already used to the parameters before hatched. So their survival in a shrimp only tank where the filter intake is protected is best of them all.

I'm learning so we shall see.

 

[Nordic]

Hey, if you want to take pictures, you may be able to trick your camera.
hold your hand at about the estimated distance from the target. Let the camera lock focus by depressing the shutter halfway.
Hold the button like that, point the camera at the target and move back or forward until it is sharp in viewfinder. Now depress button fully.