# ghost shrimp breeding



## Millipede (Feb 11, 2009)

i just set up a 10 gallon planted tank and the only thing ive added so far is ghost shrimp. long story short, the tank is a disaster. (im kinda new at this) the shrimp have been breeding tho and noticed the big ones arent carrying their eggs anymore. i want to re-do the tank but dont want to lose the babies in the process. so how fast do they grow and whats the best temp for them?


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## Dryn (Sep 6, 2007)

I do occasionally get baby ghost shrimp in my tank. I couldn't tell you how long they take to mature, but it was at least two or three weeks before I noticed new babies after the eggs were droped. I keep my tank at 74*F. There are many different kinds of ghost shrimp though. It looks like I have at least three different varieties out of six ghost shrimp. One has bright red and blue dots all over its arms and I think it is kinda cool. I have other shrimp in the tank too though. It is probably a half-breed with a cherry shrimp or something.


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## saram521 (May 3, 2008)

You may have a certain kind of ghost shrimp whose babies need brackish water to develop.


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

saram521 said:


> You may have a certain kind of ghost shrimp whose babies need brackish water to develop.


ghost shrimp do NOT need brackish water to develop, only amanos do.


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

i *think* ghost shrimp like cool water


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## saram521 (May 3, 2008)

Actually, *some* ghost shrimp DO need brackish water to develop. There are many different kinds of shrimp with this common name, and though the adults can live in freshwater, *some* species of ghost shrimp babies need brackish water as they are born in a planktonic stage and are not mini versions of the adults.


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## purgatori27 (Nov 10, 2007)

Dryn said:


> One has bright red and blue dots all over its arms and I think it is kinda cool. I have other shrimp in the tank too though. It is probably a half-breed with a cherry shrimp or something.


Just to be clear here, a Ghost Shrimp can never cross breed with a Neocaridina or Caridina species such as Cherry Shrimp, Yellow Shrimp, Tigers, Greens or otherwise. Neos can interbreed with other Neos (for instance Snowballs or Yellows CAN interbreed with Cherries...and Tigers CAN interbreed with other Caridina species), but Ghost Shrimp (doesn't matter WHAT type we are talking about) cannot interbreed with these species. They can harass them and will be happy to eat them should they perrish, but cannot breed with them.

I'm really not trying to be too technical here, but this is a common misconception, and I don't want any shrimp newbie reading this and getting the wrong idea.


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

saram521 said:


> Actually, *some* ghost shrimp DO need brackish water to develop. There are many different kinds of shrimp with this common name, and though the adults can live in freshwater, *some* species of ghost shrimp babies need brackish water as they are born in a planktonic stage and are not mini versions of the adults.


you're right. i didnt know that there were 5 different species of shrimp that all looked alike and were called ghost shrimp. i apologize for my misleading comment.


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