# Will shrimp breed with fish present in the tank?



## tith (Oct 28, 2007)

Do you need a shrimp only tank to get your shrimp to breed?

I've had about a dozen Cherry Shrimp for about two months now. I've got about half males and half females. All of my shrimp are a little more than 3/4" long. I assume they are sexually mature already because the females all have had yellow saddles for quite some time. The males are very obvious to me. I definitely don't have a tank without any males. My problem is that they do not appear to be breeding in my 29 gallon tank. 

Here are my water parameters:

29 gallon
KH = 9
GH = 9
pH = 7.0
NH4 = 0
NO2 = 0
NO3 = 10 ppm
CO2 = 25 ppm

I have some guppies in the tank with them. The shrimp do not appear to be bothered by the fish, but I'm wondering if they stress them. The shrimp seem to spend about 50% of their time during the day hiding in the thickest plants in my aquarium and 50% of the time "exposed" on the substrate. When they're feeding and moving around the guppies can come right up to them and the shrimps do not even react to them. They all seem to come out at night and feed on the substrate.

The fish are definitely not eating the babies because my shrimp are never berried. I check everyday and I only have six to look for so it's easy to see. Anyone know what's wrong?


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## XRTech (Jul 15, 2007)

Are you dosing anything with copper in it? Does your water have copper in it? I'm not too familiar with shrimp breeding, but most literature states the Cu is not good for inverts. I do know that people have shrimp breeding with fish in the tank.


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## southerndesert (Oct 14, 2007)

My RCS breed in my 29 gallon community tank...most young are eaten, yes by Fancy Guppies. When you get a few shrimp only tanks (shrimp fever I have 4) and see just how tiny the young really are you will see they make a tasty little guppy snack.

A few always seem to make it, but nothing like in the predator free tanks.

Bill


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## Adragontattoo (Jun 3, 2007)

IF a fish can fit it in their mouth, they will usually try to eat it. This doesnt always succeed (I have had rainbows die with a piece of gravel stuck in their mouth) but guppies/endlers etc WILL eat baby shrimp if they can catch them.


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## bdement (Jun 4, 2007)

Have you ever seen eggs dropped in the tank or the females berried?

I agree with southerndesert that the young shrimp would make a fine buffet for the guppies.


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## Purrbox (Jun 1, 2006)

Perhaps they aren't getting enough to eat? Do you feed your shrimp food specifically for them or are you just letting them survive on the leftovers and algae?


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## GlitcH (Aug 21, 2006)

How often do you do partial water changes tith?


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## tith (Oct 28, 2007)

I guess I need to learn to be a little more patient. I just saw two berried females today. I guess it takes the males a little longer than the females to mature. Here I thought they were all shooting blanks or something.


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## dekstr (Oct 30, 2007)

Also, what kind of filter do you have?

Filters with strong suction can suck all those little brine shrimps that might have actually hatched before you noticed. Then they get blended into shrimp paste under the impeller. I've heard that you can put a sponge in the filter inlet to prevent the baby shrimp from getting sucked to their death.

As other replies suggest, your fish might be eating the shrimp as well, copper might be detrimental to the shrimp, and insufficient food or shelter may all be factors.

And according to http://www.planetinverts.com/myths.html, myth titled "I don't think that the eggs are fertilized!".

"MYTH. If your female is carrying eggs then they are fertilized. The eggs become fertilized as they move down into the "carriage". The male deposits the sperm into the female before the eggs are in the carriage. As the eggs are moved from the ovaries and into the "carriage" they become fertilized by the deposited sperm. If you think that your female shrimp has carried her eggs for too long it is because the babies are not fully developed and are still growing. Be patient, it can take some time before the eggs hatch."

Good luck with your cherry shrimp breeding! I'm also trying to breed cherry shrimp...well not really. More like them propagating on their own.


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## jag428 (Mar 8, 2007)

Be patient but if you really want to raise babies you got to get a shrimp only tank.
The only fish that I know of that wont eat the babies is ottos.


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## emorsso (Aug 17, 2006)

Jag428 is right. But sometimes Otto will snatch food from shrimps, but at least they won't harm shrimps.


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## LazyHorse (Jun 9, 2007)

I started with 10 juvenile RCS shrimp in my 10 gallon community tank with White Clouds and Danios. After 6 months I'm starting to see shrimps everywhere. Give them time.

My two cents.


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