# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Cherries Gone WILD!



## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I've heard theories that male cherries will sometimes swim wildly as a result of females releasing pheromones. But this is totally bizzare! Here's the story! 

There are at least 65 cherry shrimp swiming around, and around, and around in a 10 gallon shrimp only tank! Same direction, in a circle, and 95% of the entire population is doing it. The most bizarre thing is the pregnant mothers are swimming in the circle too! It's NUTS! They've been doing this in a clockwise circle for four hours and still going strong. I've never seen this behavior in my 6+ months of aquiring these cherries. I wish I could load a video clip of it. It's absolutely wild! 

-John N.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I'm still learning how to take photos. But here's some pictures. 
 
 

 
 

-John N.


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## Jane of Upton (Jul 28, 2005)

Hey John,

did you change anything? Water Change, fertilizer addition, temperature, change a light fixture (or even a new bulb) drawing back a curtain, etc.? 

Sometimes hyperactivity in the shrimp is in reaction to the introduction of something new - a water change that brings in a new chemical "smell", or something shifting in their surrounding chemistry.

Will they eat if you put some food in? Odd behaviour.

Your planted tank looks nice!
-Jane


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## Jane of Upton (Jul 28, 2005)

I don't mean to worry you, but if both the males and females are doing this, I'd monitor them. I was just re-reading a long thread on El Natural entitled "Shrimp", and Ms. Walstad mentioned this in the context of a longer post, in which she referenced the high zinc content of her well water:

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"I would be careful with big water changes. My shrimp were fine with small water changes with its small zinc input. It was a big 50% water change that killed them; they immediately became hyperactive. I dismissed this unusual hyperactivity, but the next day they were dead.


Diana Walstad"
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You didn't do a water change with unconditioned water by mistake (I've done this..... gallon jugs all filled and set out to warm up overnight, the phone rings..... did I put the Amquel and StressCoat in or not?)

If you have another thermometer, perhaps check the temperature, too. I've seen this hyperactive swimming when introducing new shrimp into one of my tanks. When doing a much slower acclimatization I haven't seen it, leading me to infer that I had not acclimatized slowly enough, and there was some transition stress that caused the behaviour. 

I hope its just a LOT of mating enthusiasm!
-Jane


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Jane, I haven't done anything different to the tank, no water changes, lighting changes, or anything of the such. They were doing it again last night. Round and a round. very odd..all in the same direction. But, they did stop hovering once I placed some H&B lobster bites in there. So no more flying cherries for now.









I just changed 10-15% of the water just in case it was due to high nitrate levels. Everything seems alright right now, no deaths, moltings everywhere, and happy picking shrimp. I checked the temp, 77 degrees. I'm gonna lower it a to 75 over the next day or two. I hope things are okay. I'll keep you posted.

-John N.


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## Jane of Upton (Jul 28, 2005)

Oh Good..... I'm glad they're OK. 

Its puzzling behaviour, especially if the whole gang is doing it!
-Jane


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