# Cherry Shrimp: Is this normal?



## jclagg (Sep 28, 2008)

I've never seen shrimp move eggs to their swimmerets, but I have a "pregnant" shrimp with a prominent yellow saddle. For the past day or two, she's been hunched over and the yellow saddle looks like it's swelling and pulling the shrimp in half at the head and tail. Looks awful, but fascinating, I was just wondering if this is normal. Also, what happens if the eggs aren't fertilized, are they just discarded?


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## Sunstar (Sep 17, 2008)

eggs are discarded. get a pic of this shrimp if you can. I can't visualise what you are saying. Possible she might be having moulting issues. sometimes they moult and die. I add calcium/magnesium (dolomite) tabs for people when that happens.


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## jclagg (Sep 28, 2008)

I can't get a picture, the best camera I have is on my phone and it's not going to do the job. Here's maybe a better description...

posture: head and tip of tail down, middle of body hunched up
big gap between head/body part and abdomen/tail part...between the body and the first tail segment.
you can see the bright yellow of the saddle very clearly through the gap, looks like it's bulging up and creating the gap, pushing the two segments apart. 
Not a lot of movement, kind of slumped over, still eating occasionally. 

If that doesn't paint any better of a picture, no worries. The molting difficulty theory makes sense based on the look of things. I'll keep watching and watch for dead shrimp and add the dolomite if necessary. Thanks!


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## Sunstar (Sep 17, 2008)

I use fragments.

I have seen on some of my females particularly the really dark red ones, they have a almost transprent area across their saddle. there you can see green or yellow eggs. I know mine often hunch over and pull on their tails. 

otherwise most of mine hang off the riccia. 

sounds painful though.


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