# Shrimp Eggs Help



## Safado (Aug 4, 2005)

I saw this shrimp "tuck" the egg back in shortly after this picture, but I think it later dropped the majority of the eggs. I now only see one shrimp with eggs, and it only has about three. There were at least two shrimp with a full set of eggs two days ago. No change in the tank set up other than the addition of a handfull of Java Moss. I have had the shrimp for about three weeks now.

Also, I just received 10 big almond leaves. Do any of you use them? I saw a post by Piscesgirl, where she mentioned using almond "Teabags." How should I add these to my tank (10g), or should I?

Thanks in advance for your help!!!


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Hello Safrado. You can add one leaf if you wish -- are you sure they are clean and had not been exposed to chemicals/pesticides? If so, go ahead and use one. What is your water chemistry? You will want to make sure there is enough calcium/buffer for the shrimp so the babies can develop their exoskeletons. How many shrimp do you have? The leaf will release some tannins and darken the water just a bit.


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## Safado (Aug 4, 2005)

Piscesgirl said:


> ...are you sure they are clean and had not been exposed to chemicals/pesticides? If so, go ahead and use one. What is your water chemistry? You will want to make sure there is enough calcium/buffer for the shrimp so the babies can develop their exoskeletons. How many shrimp do you have? The leaf will release some tannins and darken the water just a bit.


They were sold on aquabid, by a betta breeder, with the intention of being used for bettas, so I can only assume they are safe.

My Kh is just over 150 ppm. No CO2, so Ph hovers around 7.8. I have a piece of cuttlebone in the filter. right now I have 13-15 shrimp. I recieved 15 three weeks ago, but I have never seen more than 13 in the tank, which is pretty heavily planted.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Sounds like your water should be fine. Are you feeding them? You may want to try some unflavored Nori (seaweed). I use a mixed seaweed flake food called Sea Veggies by Julian Sprung.


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## Safado (Aug 4, 2005)

Piscesgirl said:


> Sounds like your water should be fine. Are you feeding them? You may want to try some unflavored Nori (seaweed). I use a mixed seaweed flake food called Sea Veggies by Julian Sprung.


I feed them some Hikari pellets, I am hoping to get some Crab Cuisine in the near future isn't available at the LFSs, but I have ordered it. I also made some food yesterday from spinage, shrimp (with tails),wheat germ, baby food oatmeal, garlic, and gelatin. The shrimp really attacked it. I have read elsewhere that that the males weren't mature yet, so the females dropped the eggs. That may be what happened here. Hopefully the next round goes better. I have a planted 55 g just waiting for them.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Sounds good, keep us updated


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## Safado (Aug 4, 2005)

Piscesgirl said:


> Sounds good, keep us updated


I tossed in some of the home made food a few hours ago. about half the shrimp in the tank are now in that area. I was able to see the one that had the eggs, and she has maybe two or three eggs. There are, however at least four others that have medium sized groups of eggs. Hopefully whatever caused the problem was unique to that one shrimp, who also has the least color.


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## omega (Apr 1, 2004)

Maybe there isn't a problem at all. The "dropped eggs" are simply those that have hatched? :-k Look around and you just may be able to find baby shrimps. The babies hatch within several hours of one another from what I've seen in my 2.5G tank.


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## Safado (Aug 4, 2005)

Piscesgirl said:


> Sounds good, keep us updated


Over the last few days or so all four of the berried females have released their eggs. Since it has been about 20 days from when I noticed the first one with eggs, I am assuming they have hatched. I haven't seen any babies, but have read they are quite small for the first weeks. That on top of the tank having a lot of plants, and I haven't had time to really dig through them. My motto for the time being is let them do their thing. I throw in some food every day, and try to ignore them other than that. I would hate to kill them with kindness.


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