Ghost shrimps are found at the bottom of the aquarium hierarchy. It is easy to think that they don’t have any personality or special needs. This is what I believed.
When I started raising shrimps, I had five failed batches of eggs. Ghost shrimps can be tough, but they need special care when breeding.
This blog will tell you everything there is to know about pregnant ghost shrimps.
This guide will help you understand the basics of ghost shrimp pregnancy. It covers everything from early signs to raising fry.
Buckle up! It will be a long journey.
Top 5 Signs Of A Pregnant Ghost Shrimp
- Near the belly, there are green dots under the tail.
- Attention male shrimps
- Weight loss
- Under the tail, white/green dots
- Fanned legs
Here’s a disclaimer.
In reality, the term “pregnant” is only for livebearers such as us. For egg-layers such as ghost shrimps, the correct term is ‘gravid.
Watch a video of a gravid shrimp ghost shrimp!
Let’s now see in detail how to tell if ghost shrimp are pregnant!
Green Dots Under The Tail
Green dots under the tail are the first sign that a ghost shrimp is pregnant. Ghost shrimps have many swimmerets that are located under their rear parts. These swimmerets contain the eggs.
Technically, she doesn’t have the eggs in her stomach.
Ghost shrimps are transparent so it is easy to see the green hues. They will appear tiny green dots at first.
Attention from Male Shrimps
As males attempt to fertilize the eggs, males will naturally pay attention to pregnant female ghost shrimps.
If you see male shrimps hovering over a female, it is an indicator that she is pregnant (gravid).
Weight Gain
Ghost shrimps usually grow a little larger than their male counterparts. They will grow larger when they become pregnant.
If you look closely, you might see some swelling in the abdomen and under the tail. She’d likely be carrying between 20 and 30 eggs at once.
White/Green Dots under the Tail
The eggs will turn white once they are fertilized. They will also expand.
Also, the eggs will move lower in the saddle.
Fanned Legs
I found out that ghost shrimps pregnant are known to flaunt their legs on several forums. To be truthful, this was something I did not know until I found out about it.
The reasons for this are not yet clear. They may have done this to oxygenate the eggs by fanning their legs.
Pregnant Ghost Shrimp Stages
Ghost shrimps reach sexual maturity around the age of 4-6 months. It all starts when the females begin to produce eggs. They will usually produce between 20 and 30 eggs every three weeks.
In the beginning, in the first week, there are only tiny green specks. She probably wouldn’t gain weight at this stage.
The eggs will be a little bigger by the second week and have moved further down the saddle.
The eggs will be ready to fertilize by the third week. After that, they’ll turn yellow.
You may see tiny black spots in eggs at the end of pregnancy. These are the eyes and stomachs of fry.
The eggs will hatch in 12-14 days after fertilization.
Now that you have the knowledge about pregnant ghost shrimp, let us see how to breed them properly.
How To Breed Ghost Shrimp?
Purchase Tanks
One shrimp should be given at least one gallon of water per day. If you have 10 shrimps you will need a minimum of a 10-gallon tank.
Two tanks are needed because the fry must be kept apart from the adults. They’ll become tasty snacks for their senior citizens if they aren’t kept separate.
The fry tank does not have to be twice as large as the main tank. The survival rate in larger areas is higher.
This is a 10-gallon COLIBROX tank that I use to fry my fish.
Install filters and air pumps
Shrimps need clean water to molt. It is essential to ensure that both tanks are clean at all times.
Any filter that works best in your main tank can be used. A canister filter is what I use because the tank houses guppies as well as tetras.
Filters work by sucking water in to clean them. This is going to cause problems in the fry pan as they can easily be sucked into.
For the fry, you must use a sponge filter.
Hikari USA has a sponge filter that offers great value and is very affordable.
Air pumps are also required in both tanks to ensure that water contains enough oxygen. Ghost shrimps, like most tank creatures, require air pumps to breathe.
Add Layers of Substrate
Both tanks will need substrate layers. You should use fine gravel or sand because these bottom-dwellers can’t shift large grained linings for scavenging.
It’s also difficult to see ghost shrimps on a dark substrate. I prefer darker sand.
Live plants such as Java moss or anacharis can be added to your garden. They will serve three important functions:
- Oxygenate the tank
- Be a food source for shrimps
- Use them as hiding places during molting
Correct Water Parameters
| pH Level | 6-8 |
| Hardness | Hard |
| Water flow rate | Slow |
| Water Temperature | 65-85degF (18-29degC) |
| Nitrate Level | 20ppm |
Most tap water is chlorine treated. If you plan to use tap water, ensure that it runs for a few seconds before pouring. Water conditioners are safer.
You can also make it a habit to do partial water changes (10-25%) every other month to maintain a healthy level of nitrite and ammonia.
Breeding time
Ghost shrimps spawn between April and October in nature.
The ideal temperature for breeding in northern regions is 64-73F (18-23degC). In the south it’s somewhere between 78-82F (26-28degC).
The ideal temperature for the tank is around 75 degrees Celsius.
For shrimps to mate, there is no specific ritual or requirement. You can simply add male and female shrimps to the primary tank and you will end up with several gravid shrimps.
Caring For Pregnant Ghost Shrimps
When you begin to notice pregnant ghost shrimps, immediately transfer them into the breeding tank. Be gentle so that the eggs and mother shrimp are not hurt.
Use a net to quickly move the females to the prepared and conditioned fry tanks. When transferring females, it is best to keep them in close proximity to the tanks. They are known to drop eggs when they’re stressed.
The incubation time for fertilized eggs can take anywhere from 21-24 days. It is important to provide nutritious food for gravid shrimps during this time.
You should ensure that they are getting to eat both insects and vegetation.
You should also ensure that you don’t overfeed your fish. They are naturally scavengers and will eat algae and any other dead material in the tank. Give food only twice daily.
The larvae will be free to swim once the eggs have hatched. If you notice that there are not enough eggs in the mothers, transfer them to the main tank.
Ghost shrimps have been known to eat their own offspring.
Do not wait until you see the larvae. They are barely visible to the naked eye within the first few weeks.
Caring for Baby Ghost Shrimps
Baby ghost shrimps are very susceptible to high mortality rates. You should be extra cautious when handling baby ghost shrimps.
Baby ghost shrimps are tiny, and even have smaller mouths than you might think. You need to be careful about what they ingest.
They can survive on infusoria for the first two weeks. It is the smallest debris that plants and algae produce.
You will need to add other nutrients to their diet so that they can grow and molt well.
Here are some foods you can serve ghost shrimp fry.
- Rotifers
- Baby brine shrimp
- Spirulina algae (powdered)
- Pulverized Flakes
It is worth paying attention to the feeding partner of your fry. You should immediately offer a different option if they refuse to eat what you have prepared. They can quickly become starved.
Once they have eggs, they will be able to eat regular shrimp food as adults. It will be much easier for them to crush the food.
Your ghost shrimp fry can be transferred to a new tank at 5 weeks old!
Can Ghost Shrimps Breed In Community Tanks?
Although ghost shrimps are able to breed in community tanks with a high success rate, they can only be bred there for a limited time. Because the larvae are eaten by fish, they will not grow.
The young shrimp will be eaten by not only fish but also older ghost shrimps.
If you are serious about breeding ghost shrimps, it is best to transfer the shrimps from their current tank.
If you don’t want all that, there’s an easier and more affordable alternative: A breeding container.
This Fluval one I’ve used a few times.
This item is intended to be hung on the tank’s outside, so it doesn’t take up space.
How Long Are Ghost Shrimps Pregnant?
After the eggs have been fertilized, the incubation time can take between 12-14 days. It is not uncommon for it to take up to three weeks.
How Many Fry Do Ghost Shrimps Give Birth To?
Ghost shrimps can lay between 20 and 30 eggs in one egg-laying season. Not all larvae reach adulthood. Ghost shrimp fry have a high mortality rate. To ensure that they live, you need to make sure everything is correct.
How Are Ghost Shrimp Fry Born?
Ghost shrimp larvae are born after a two-week incubation period.
Do Ghost Shrimps Die After Giving Birth?
No, ghost shrimps don’t die after giving birth under normal circumstances.
Research has shown that ghost shrimps can spawn multiple eggs if they have the right water temperatures.
We cannot rule out the possibility of death from complications after or during pregnancy. Ghost shrimps are not as tough as they seem, but their lives can be very short. They can live up to a year.
Do Ghost Shrimps Eat Their Babies?
Yes, ghost shrimps will eat their babies. Although the reason for this behavior is not clear, there are two possible explanations.
- Food shortage
- For better survival of the species, eliminate weaklings
This is why you need to transfer the mother shrimp back to the main tank as soon as she gives birth.
How To Take Care Of Pregnant Ghost Shrimp?
Pregnant ghost shrimps should be kept in separate tanks to ensure they don’t become stressed. If you are serious about raising ghost shrimps, it is essential to have separate fry tanks.
They do not require much care but can be supplemented with nutritious foods.
It is possible for pregnant shrimps to become irritable when they are transferred to a new tank. Be gentle and patient throughout the entire process.
How Long Does It Take For Ghost Shrimp Eggs To Fertilize?
If your shrimps are healthy, and the tank conditions are ideal, fertilization can be completed in a matter of days.
If a female ghost shrimp has eggs, you will see males hovering and swimming around her while they try to fertilize them.
The eggs will be dropped if the eggs aren’t fertilized in time. The eggs will become white after they are fertilized, as you know.
Final Words: Pregnant Ghost Shrimp?
It’s not rocket science to care for pregnant ghost shrimp. There are some things that you must do to make sure your ghost shrimp is healthy.
Ghost shrimps don’t have any livebearers. They lay eggs. One batch can contain between 10-20 eggs.
The incubation period for fertilized eggs lasts 12-14 days. You don’t need to do anything extra to care for your gravid ghostshrimps. Make sure you give them nutritious food.
A separate fry pan is a good option to give your ghost shrimp fry better chances of survival. You must also remove mother shrimps from the fry as soon as they are born. They’ll be eaten if they don’t get removed.
You should read the entire article. I have tried to summarize everything I know about this topic in one article.
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