# Finally! A pregnant cherry shrimp



## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

Finally one of my cherry shrimp is carrying eggs.

My only female tiger shrimp has been reproducing every month and is due to drop another batch of shrimplets but my cherry shrimp just wouldn't take the hint.

I only have one male cherry shrimp so finger's crossed he fertilizes them. [-o<

Here's a pic....


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Whoa! That's a big bellied cherry! Congrats!

If the shrimp holds the eggs for more then 2-3 days, it's likely that the eggs are fertilized, and she will hold them until they hatch! About 3 weeks! 

-John N.


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## PlantsAndMe (Apr 3, 2005)

Yay congrats! Let's hope the little shrimplets grow up bright and colorful


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## theteh (Jan 19, 2006)

wow! Congratulations!

I have the same problem (yours is now over) that my cherries are not laying eggs but my Tigers are laying batch after batch....

If you don't mind sharing your secrets, what did you change or how did you make the cherries lay eggs, if you did something to them? And, what water parameters are you keeping the cherries in?


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

Thanks for the congrats....i'm so hoping my cherry male does the job and she keeps the eggs lol.

Theteh here's what changed in their tank over the last few weeks:

1. I sold a lot of spixi snails that were living in the same tank.....although I was doing weekly water changes that my tiger shrimp seemed happy in (and breeding) but I guess now looking back maybe the cherries didn't.

2. My tanks got warmer. I hate the summers because my tanks get too warm....i've got a fan blowing over my tanks but they are 26C....they are usually 22-23C. I've been told now that cherrys favour warmer temps to breed in.....my tigers didn't seem to mind though.

3. I've been doing twice weekly water changes since my tiger shrimp had her second lot of babies (3 weeks ago). I've only been using a jug instead of a siphon to take out the water because of the shrimplets. They are bigger now so I plan to give the tank a good siphoning before her next lot of babies arrive.

4. Due to some advice i've been feeding the tanks a little bit everyday rather than a little once every three days.

I've only got test strips which are usually somewhat innacurate but i'll test the tank tomorrow and let you know.


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## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

Nice Picture!

I remember that you can tell if the female shrimps have federalized eggs by their color. I think if the eggs' colors are green or brown then there federalized. I'm not sure though. 

I have also noticed that my cherry shrimp population is rising. I constantly see three or four cherry shrimps that look like the one in that picture. I believe that the warm temperature is helping the shrimps breed faster. What temperature do you guys keep your shrimps in? My shrimp's tank is around 80 to 85F.


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

My tank is around 78F.

The shrimp in question appears to have dropped almost half her eggs when I checked this morning. My tiger shrimp is still happily stuffed with eggs....grrrrr how frustrating!

Ah well i've never had a shrimp drop any eggs before so it's another experience in shrimp keeping.

What are the chances she will keep the rest of the eggs? I got these shrimp when they were too small to breed so it's her first experience of being berried.
Almost all the cherry females in that tank have glowing orange saddles.

Shall I try to find another male cherry shrimp? Maybe the male is a bit overwhelmed with all the pressure lol.   Or shall I add a few more females?

TIA


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## YuccaPatrol (Mar 26, 2006)

They will often drop their eggs the first time. Don't worry, you'll have good eggs within a few weeks with your other females.


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## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

Hmmm...I didn't know that.

Once, when my ammonia level was high, my pregnant shrimps dropped their eggs. I think it could be with the water parameters. What’s your water parameter?


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

Nitrate is 10, with zero nitrite and ammonia. PH is around 7.

The cherry shrimp is still carrying half her eggs since the 19th June....will these hatch or not? I've never had a shrimp lose half her eggs but keep half.


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## ianiwane (May 6, 2005)

It should hatch. I've seen that happen before. I think sometimes cherries carry too many eggs and drop a few to save the rest.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I agree they will hatch if its been carry them for this long. In the beginning I had cherries dropping half their "clutch" despite good temp and water parameters. It could be that they are new mothers or what ianiwane said they carried too many.

Now that there's so many cherries pregnant everywhere I hardly notice who's carry what. You'll be at this stage soon enough. 

-John N.


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