# conditions for breeding rcs?



## cjim (Nov 6, 2006)

hey everybody. I have have heard red cherry shrimp reproduce like crazy. i have had 4 of them for a couple months now and i was wondering what specific requirements are need for them to reproduce? I was thinking i should buy some more to increase my chance. Any info is greatly appreciated! 
Many thanks in advance!


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## duchessren (Sep 16, 2006)

Cherries like harder water than some of the other shrimps, though they'll breed in softer water too. They are definitely the easiest to breed. My temps vary from 74 to 79 in different tanks and the cherries do fine and reproduce in the lower temps and higher temps. Obviously, being shrimp, nitrates need to be very low and copper should be non-existent. Read your food labels as many foods have copper sulfate. I'd buy more to increase your chances of reproduction, but once they get going your tank will be full of cherries, unless...
you have fish in the tank with mouths large enough to gulp the babies down. Almost every fish is capable of this, a couple of the exceptions being otos and dwarf cories. Plants and hiding places are good and make them feel more comfortable. My advice: get some more cherries to increase the likelihood of cherry eggs. Good luck to you!


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## bijoon (Nov 20, 2006)

Would harlequin rasboras be big enough to eat the baby shrimp?


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

Yup... 

Shrimplets are about the size of baby brine shrimp. So any fish capable of eating BBS are also going to find your shrimplets quite tastey 

Take Care,
-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## cydric (Nov 1, 2006)

My harlequin rasboras pretty much leave my baby RCS alone for the most part. The only time i've seen my harelquin's go after a baby RCS is when it swam past them in the middle of the tank but the baby always seem to get away. They certainly don't go 'looking' for them either. Mine are too interested in each other, chasing each other around the tank.


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## GlitcH (Aug 21, 2006)

cjim.........unless you have a prefilter.........check your filter next time you clean it. There may be babies living happily inside.

I have found upwards of fifty babies in my canister filter at cleaning time.


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## Purrbox (Jun 1, 2006)

With only four shrimp, it's extremely possible that you have all males or all females. Buying more will help increase your chances of having a mix of sexes as long as you aren't buying from a source that only sells females. Some LFS will only sell the females since they are more colorful and it means you need to come to them when you want more.


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

I've never had any luck breeding RCS. I started off buying a berried one with a few others who's babies got eaten by the filter and since then although the females do become berried they drop the eggs a day or so later. I had all females at first but do have males now but still no breeding.

My tiger shrimp on the other hand won't stop breeding! Not that I would want them to....my tanks busy with three generations of tigers. I might try moving my cherries back in with the tigers and see if I have any luck.


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## cjim (Nov 6, 2006)

Hey thanks everybody! I am a little worried that i may have too many fish for the baby shrimp to survive. Ive read that java moss or similar plants act as a sanctuary for the babies. Has anybody had any survive in a moderatly planted community tank? Ive seen some cherries for sale at a decent price on this site. Has anybody ever ordered these and had any problems?? Never had fish shipped before so I'm just a little cautious! thanks for the info!


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## Neon Shrimp (Apr 26, 2006)

RCS are one of the more hardy types of shrimp and ship well, so if the shrimp are not alredy sick/stressed then you can exect them to make it to you just fine. I wil pm you some more information.


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