As a dedicated shrimp breeder for over 5 years, I’ve watched countless pregnancies unfold in my tanks. Let me tell you everything you need to know about shrimp pregnancy duration and care, based on both my personal experience and extensive research.
Quick Answer
Most aquarium shrimp are pregnant for 3-6 weeks, depending on the species and water temperature. At 75°F (24°C), typical pregnancy lengths are:
- Ghost shrimp: 3-4 weeks
- Red cherry shrimp: 3-4 weeks
- Crystal shrimp: 4-5 weeks
- Amano shrimp: 5-6 weeks
- Bamboo shrimp: 5-6 weeks
Signs of Pregnancy in Shrimp
We can easily tell when a female shrimp becomes pregnant by looking for these key indicators:
- The Saddle Stage
- A light-colored stripe appears on the shrimp’s back
- This is where eggs initially form in the ovaries
- Usually yellowish in color
- The Berried Stage
- Eggs move under the tail after mating
- Creates dark cluster resembling berries
- Female actively fans eggs with swimmerets
- Behavioral Changes
- Increased hiding and isolation
- More frequent fanning movements
- Less active swimming around tank
Caring for Pregnant Shrimp
I’ve learned through trial and error that pregnant shrimp need special care Here’s what you should focus on
Water Parameters
- Keep temperature stable between 72-78°F
- Maintain consistent pH levels
- Regular water testing is crucial
- Avoid sudden parameter changes
Tank Environment
- Provide plenty of hiding spots
- Add moss and plants for cover
- Use fine substrate for babies
- Keep tank clean with regular maintenance
Diet and Nutrition
- Increase protein-rich foods
- Feed smaller portions more frequently
- Consider specialized shrimp foods
- Maintain consistent feeding schedule
Breeding Cycle Timeline
Here’s what to expect during the breeding process
- Pre-pregnancy (1-2 days)
- Female molts
- Releases mating hormones
- Males become active
- Early Pregnancy (Week 1)
- Eggs move to belly
- Color darkens
- Female starts fanning
- Mid Pregnancy (Weeks 2-3)
- Eggs develop eyes
- Color may lighten
- Increased fanning
- Late Pregnancy (Final Week)
- Eggs become transparent
- Movement visible inside eggs
- Female isolates more
Common Questions and Answers
Q: How many eggs do shrimp lay?
A: A healthy female can carry 20-30 eggs per pregnancy.
Q How often can shrimp get pregnant?A Under ideal conditions, females can breed every 30 days
Q: What if my shrimp drops eggs?
A: This usually happens due to stress or poor water quality. Check your parameters and make necessary adjustments.
Tips for Successful Breeding
- Maintain Stable Environment
- Regular water changes
- Consistent parameters
- Good filtration
- Proper Nutrition
- Varied diet
- High-quality foods
- Regular feeding schedule
- Stress Prevention
- Peaceful tankmates
- Plenty of hiding spots
- Limited disturbances
My Personal Experience
In my years of breeding shrimp, I’ve noticed that success really comes down to consistency. The most important thing isn’t having perfect conditions – it’s maintaining stable conditions. I once lost an entire batch of eggs because I got too aggressive with a water change. Now I stick to smaller, more frequent changes.
Conclusion
Understanding shrimp pregnancy is key to successful breeding. While different species have varying pregnancy lengths, providing proper care and maintaining stable conditions will give you the best chance of success. Remember, patience is crucial – don’t rush the process or stress your shrimp with constant changes.
If you’re new to shrimp breeding, start with hardy species like Red Cherry Shrimp. They’re more forgiving of minor mistakes and will help you learn the basics before moving on to more challenging species.
Would you like me to explain any part of the article in more detail?
Eggs development of the Red cherry shrimp
There are three stages of eggs development as follows:
– Stage I Developing: thin, pale orange, filling one-third of the cephalothorax volume;
– Stage II Mature: orange, filling two-thirds of the cephalothorax volume;
– Stage III Ripe or almost ripe: deep orange, filling almost all of the cephalothorax.
In the process of embryogenesis, the shrimplets pass through 9-12 stages. At this time, changes are taking place in their structure: at the beginning of the mandible, and a little later, the cephalothorax.
Cherry shrimp will keep fanning its eggs with its hind pleopods and washing them with water until the eggs are ready to hatch. Depending on the temperature, egg incubation can last from 25 to 35 days.
The shortest incubation period 15 days takes place at 27°C. The eggs start to have lighter in color and translucent just before hatching. Closer to the hatching day it is possible to notice black dots on the eggs (eyes on the young shrimp).
| Name | 1st stage | 2nd stage | 3d stage |
| Carapace | Carapace: spineless; rostrum slightly exceeding the eye stalks. Several round balls of yolk are visible in the median region of the carapace through the transparent exoskeleton.
Rostrum with 3–4 small teeth dorsally, and 1 tooth, 1 simple seta and 1 plumose seta ventrally. Abdomen: six-segmented, with the sixth separated from the telson. |
Carapace: similar to the previous stage
Rostrum has seven teeth on dorsal margin, one tooth, one simple seta and one plumose seta on ventral margin. Abdomen: some small simple setae present on fifth and sixth segment. |
Carapace: similar to previous Stage.
Rostrum has eight dorsal teeth; one plumose seta and one tooth on ventral margin. Abdomen: similar to previous stage, except for third somite, which is larger than others. |
| Antennule | Antennule: 3-segmented peduncle, proximal segment with very small and spiny stylocerite bearing three simple setae on latero-distal margin and a small knob-like apical spine.
Four small plumose setae in angle located between stylocerite and basal segment. There is a simple seta on the median margin at the opposite side of the stylocerite. One, 3 and 3 plumose setae on ventromedian margin of basal, second and third segments of peduncle respectively. Dorsal margin of the peduncle with two small simple setae, two serrated setae and four plumose setae on basal segment, three serrated setae and two small simple setae on second segment, and one simple seta on the third segment. Ventral flagellum with six segments of similar size with 0, 2, 3, 0, 4 and 3 simple setae respectively. Dorsal flagellum with six segments, but the total length is shorter than the ventral flagellum. This flagellum has zero, two simple setae, three aestethascs, zero, three simplesetae and four simple setae respectively. |
Antennule: Peduncle 3-segmented, proximal segment with a stylocerite bearing three simple setae on laterodistal margin; and four small plumose setae in angle between stylocerite and basal segment. Proximal segment also has subterminal plumose setae, 10 terminal plumose setae and one serrated seta. Second segment with two lateral plumose setae, four terminal plumose setae and third serrated setae. Third segment with four terminal plumose setae and four (2 + 2) simple setae. Ventral flagellum six-segmented with 0, 3, 0, 3, 1 and 3 simple setae. Dorsal flagellum sixsegmented with 0, 1, 0, 0 3 and 3 simple setae respectively. Three aestethascs present on ventral margin of third segment. | Antennule: Peduncle similar to previous
stage. Proximal segment has one lateral and subterminal, and one lateral and terminal plumose setae; 11 terminal plumose setae and two serrated setae. Second segment with three lateral plumose setae and one simple seta; two terminal plumose setae and one simple seta and four terminal serrated setae. Third segment with four terminal setae (two short) and five simple setae. Ventral flagellum nine-segmented with 4, 0, 4, 4, 0, 2, 0, 4 and 3 simple setae. Dorsal flagellum sixsegmented with 1, 1, 0, 0, 4 and 4 simple setae respectively. Three short aestethascs present on ventral margin of third segment. |
| Antenna | Antenna: long, with the flagellum curved and reaching over back of the carapace Peduncle bearing three simple setae and one plumose seta. Flagellum with 42 segments, approximately, bearing sparse simple setae on it.
Scaphocerite (exopod) with a large apical spine and three small simple setae on dorsal margin; ventral margin with 21 plumose setae. |
Antenna: Peduncle bearing one plumose
seta and two simple setae. Flagellum with approximately 49 segments, bearing one plumose and two simple setae on first segment, sparse simple setae on other segments. Scaphocerite with a large apical spine and three small simple setae on dorsal margin; ventral margin with 22 plumose setae. |
Antenna: Peduncle smooth. Flagellum
with 56–59 segments bearing three simple setae on first segment, and other segments with sparse simple setae. Scaphocerite with a large apical spine and three small simple setae on dorsal margin; ventral margin with one simple seta and 22–24 plumose setae. |
| Mandible | Mandible: incisor process with three small teeth, median portion with three rows of fine simple setae (4 + 5 + 3), and molar process rounded and smooth. No palp. | Mandible: incisor process with three teeth, median portion with three rows of setae bearing three plumose setae, seven simple setae and four simple setae; molar process rounded and smooth. No palp. | Mandible: incisor process with four teeth, median portion with two rows of setae bearing three plumose and five simple setae; molar process rounded with 25–27 serrated setae. No palp. |
| Maxillule | Maxillule: rudimentary. Unsegmented endopod with one very small spine distally. Basial endite with 10–11 short serrate setae. Coxal endite with three small spines. | Maxillule: unsegmented endopod with one small spine and one simple seta, distally.
Basial endite with two plumose setae distally, 13–15 short serrated setae, two to three plumose and two to three serrated setae marginally; coxal endite with two small plumose setae, 18–20 median plumose setae marginally and six to seven serrated setae, eight spines on its surface. |
Maxillule: similar to previous stage. |
| Maxilla | Maxilla: Scaphognathite with four plumose setae on proximal portion, four serrulate setae apically and 30–31 plumose setae from median to distal portion. Endopod reduced. Basial endite
with 14 min serrated setae on proximal lobe, and 6 min serrated setae on distal lobe. Coxal endite unilobed with 21 simple setae. |
Maxilla: Scaphognathite with two plumose setae proximally, four serrulate setae apically, and 27–29 plumose setae along median to distal. Endopod reduced. Basial endite with approximately 28 simple setae on proximal lobe; approximately nine simple setae and three plumose setae on distal lobe. Coxal endite unilobed with approximately
30 simple setae. |
Maxilla: Scaphognathite with six plumose setae proximally, seven serrulate setae apically, and 34–35 plumose setae from median to distal. Endopod reduced with one simple seta.
Basial endite with approximately 40 simple setae on proximal lobe; and approximately 10–12 simple setae, four plumose setae and one sparsely plumose seta on distal lobe. Coxal endite unilobed with 40–43 simple setae. |
| First maxilliped | First maxilliped: biramous. Endopod reduced with one small plumose seta. Basial endite with approximately 18 serrated setae. Coxal endite with five simple setae. Exopod unsegmented, enlarged from proximal to one-third before the distal part; 17–18 plumose setae on enlarged part and one plumose and one small sparsely plumose
setae on distal part. Epipod reduced and smooth. |
First maxilliped: biramous. Endopod
reduced with two small plumose setae. Basial endite with microtrichia on dorsal margin, third plumose setae on terminal end and five sparsely plumose setae on median margin; several small spoon-tipped setae on median margin. Coxal endite with 11 plumose setae. Exopod similar to previous stage with 16 plumose setae on enlarged part, three sparsely plumose and one plumose seta on distal part. Epipod very reduced. |
First Maxilliped: Endopod reduced
with 1–2 small plumose setae. Basial endite with microtrichia on dorsal margin, three plumose setae on terminal end; approximately two rows of 16–18 plumose setae each on median margin; approximately 70 spoon-tipped setae distributed in 4 rows. Coxal endite with 11 plumose setae. Exopod unsegmented, similar to previous stage with 19–20 plumose setae on enlarged part and three to five sparsely plumose setae on distal part. Epipod very reduced. |
| Second maxilliped | Second maxilliped: biramous. Endopod fur-segmented, shorter than exopod, bearing 0, 0, 5, 11 small serrated setae. Exopod long with four long terminal plumose setae. Epipod reduced and smooth. | Second maxilliped: biramous. Protopod with one simple seta and four plumose setae. Endopod four-segmented bearing zero, one plumose seta, four plumose setae and two simple setae, and three plumose and 16–20 plumose brush-like setae respectively. Exopod long with four long terminal plumose and one simple seta.
Epipod reduced and smooth. |
Second Maxilliped: Protopod with
sixto seven plumose setae. Endopod four-segmented bearing one plumose seta on first segment; no seta on second segment; three plumose and three simple setae on third segment; threeplumose setae and two rows of 11–13 plumose brush-like setae each and one row of five to six plumose setae. Exopod long with four long terminal plumose and one simple seta. Epipod reduced and smooth. |
| Third Maxilliped | Third maxilliped: biramous. Endopod four-segmented, first and second segment with six and eight simple setae, respectively; third segment with 2 simple setae, 1 plumose setae and 14 (3 + 5 + 3 + 3) cuspidate setae; and fourth segment with three fine simple setae and three short and enlarge serrated setae. Exopod shorter than endopod, bearing four long terminal plumose and one small simple seta. Epipod as a small bud. | Third maxilliped: biramous. Protopod with five simple and six plumose setae. Endopod 4-segmented with 5, 8, 3 and 2 simple setae and 4 serrated setae. Third segment has 16 (5 + 5 + 3 + 3) cuspidate setae. Exopod shorter than endopod, bearing four long terminal plumose and one simple seta. Epipod as a small bud. | Third Maxilliped: Protopod with eight simple setae and six plumose setae. Endopod foursegmented.
First segment with two plumose, six simple and two serrated setae; second segment with 11 simple setae; third segment with three simple and four rows of 5–6, 5–6, 4 and 3-4 cuspidate setae; fourth segment with four simple and five serrated setae. Exopod with four long terminal plumose and one simple seta. Epipod represented by a bud. |
| Pereiopods | Pereiopods: 1st and 2nd chelate, 5-segmented, former shorter than later. Both chelipeds bear very small simple setae on the tip of the dactylus and propodus, and some sparse simple setae on all segments. A slender serrulated seta present on the dorsal margin of the basis, which is common for all pereiopods except for the fifth. The dactylus of the third, fourth and fifth pereiopods is provided with a terminal claw and 2, 2 and 6 small and strong serrated setae respectively. Third, fourth and fifth pereiopods with some serrated setae on ventral margin of merus, carpus and propodus. | Pereiopods: both chelipeds similar as in previous stages, except for the presence of several serrated and pappose brush-like setae on tips of dactylus and propodus. Some sparse simple setae present on all segments. Dactylus of third, fourth and fifth pereiopods with a claw and 2, 1 and 5 small and strong serrated setae. Third and fourth pereiopods with one plumose seta on dorsal margin of merus; fifth pereiopod with one plumose seta on dorsal margin of ischium and merus.
Third, fourth and fifth pereopods with some serrated setae on ventral margin of merus, carpus and propodus. |
Pereiopods: similar to previous stage. Dactylus of last three pereiopods with a claw and 2, 2 and 7 small and strong serrated setae. Fifth pereiopod has no plumose setae on ischium. Third, fourth and fifth pereopods with some serrated setae on ventral margin of merus, carpus and propodus. |
| Pleopods | Pleopods: all five biramous and bearing a simple setae on protopod. Exopods with 10, 11, 10, 10 and 10 plumose setae. The second and the fifth pairs also have one simple seta on the distal margin of the exopod. Endopods with 3, 6, 7, 7 and 6 plumose setae on terminal margin. The fifth pleopod also has one plumose seta on its proximal margin. All the endopods of pleopods, except for the first, have a fully developed appendix interna with four cincinnuli each. | Pleopods: very similar to previous stage. | Pleopods: similar to previous stages, but the seta number can vary. All five pleopods have one simple seta on protopod. Last four pleopods with appendix interna and four cincinnulli.
First pleopod with four and 11 plumose setae on endopod and exopod respectively. Second pleopod with eight plumose setae and one simple seta on endopod, and 11 plumose setae and one simple seta on exopod. Third pleopod with 7 and 12 plumose setae on endopod and exopod respectively. Fourth pleopod with 8 and 10 plumose setae on endopod and exopod respectively; one plumose seta on proximal portion of endopod. Fifth pleopod with 7 and 10 plumose setae on endopod and exopod respectively; one plumose seta on proximal region of endopod. |
| Telson and Uropods | – | Telson and Uropods: biramous. Exopod with five simple setae on its dorsal margin; and one terminal spine, three simple setae, 16–20 plumose setae and one small seta distributed along postero-ventral margin. Endopod with 14–17 plumose setae and one simple seta along postero-ventral margin.
Telson: longer than wide bearing three serrated setae, five plumose setae and two fine simple setae on its postero-lateral margin. Surface smooth |
Telson and Uropods: Exopod with five simple and one plumose setae on dorsal margin; one spine and two serrated setae terminally; rounded by 22–24 plumose setae. Some small setae hair-like and plumose setae present between terminal spines and the set of plumose setae. Endopod with 20–23 plumose setae.
Telson: longer than wide with 5 + 5 plumose setae on posterior margin. Three serrated setae on each side of postero-lateral margin. |
The early development of the atyid shrimp is very diverse with species showing common, abbreviated, and completely suppressed types. Some authors have emphasized the importance of the egg’s size and the shrimplets morphology to classify the early development of shrimps.
Following such arguments, we have three categories:
- the common type of early development has from 9 to 12 planktonic stages, and the pleopods of the first stage are not yet developed;
- the abbreviated type has fewer (from 4 to 7) planktonic stages, and the pleopods of the first stage are still only rudiments and
- the complete suppressed type has no planktonic stage, and the pleopods are well developed.
Red cherry shrimp development follows the third type. When pereiopods and pleopods completely developed. Nevertheless, some variation could occur in species showing intermediate development.
Newly “born” cherry shrimp look like miniature versions of the adult with an average length of 2.3±0.5 mm and an average height of less than 1mm.
Right after hatching baby shrimps will hide for 3-4 days. They are small, transparent, and remain consistently near the bottom, walls, leaves and in the Java moss for better protection. They molt after 1st day.
Note: Actually, shrimplets grow very quickly and often molts.
The sex of the shrimp is not clear during the early stages. From Stage 7 onwards, the sex could be determined despite its inconspicuous characteristic by using special tools.
The difference of Neocaridina and Caridina Shrimp
Neocaridina shrimp is an indigenous species of Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Previously Neocaridina shrimp was incorrectly identified as Caridina weberi. A little bit later scientists reclassified Neocaridina shrimp. From that moment they based a new classification on the morphological difference in the male that is the presence of endopod on the first pleopod.
In short, the shape and size of the reproductive appendage are different. On Neocaridina the end of the appendage is round and flat. While the end of the Caridina species appendage is longer but slender than that of the Neocaridina shrimp. That is the reason why these two species cannot interbreed. Their organs just do not fit together.