Yes, ghost shrimp absolutely can and do breed in freshwater! As someone who’s kept these fascinating little creatures for years, I’m excited to share everything you need to know about breeding ghost shrimp in your home aquarium.
Why Ghost Shrimp Make Great Breeding Projects
Ghost shrimp (also called glass shrimp) are one of the easiest freshwater shrimp species to breed because
- They’re super affordable (often 20-50 cents each)
- They’re hardy and adaptable
- They breed readily in standard freshwater conditions
- They can produce 20-30 eggs every few weeks
- They don’t need brackish water to reproduce
Setting Up Your Ghost Shrimp Breeding Tank
Tank Requirements
- Size: 5-10 gallons minimum
- Substrate: Fine sand (they love sifting through it!)
- Plants: Java moss, hornwort, or guppy grass
- Filter: Gentle sponge filter
- Decorations: Rocks, driftwood, caves for hiding
Perfect Water Parameters
Temperature: 70-80°FpH: 7.0-8.0GH/KH: 5-10 dGHTDS: 150-250 ppmThe Breeding Process Step-by-Step
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Identifying Breeding Pairs
- Females develop green saddle markings when ready
- Females are slightly larger than males
- Get 6-8 juveniles and grow them together
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The Mating Dance
- Females release pheromones to attract males
- Males chase and tap females with their claws
- Female molts, then mates with males
- Eggs appear under female’s belly
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Egg Development
- Females carry 20-30 eggs
- Eggs take 2-3 weeks to hatch
- Mom fans eggs with swimmerets for oxygen
- Eggs visible through clear body (cool to watch!)
Caring for Baby Ghost Shrimp
Here’s the tricky part – baby ghost shrimp (or larvae) need special care:
Food for Babies
- Infusoria (tiny microorganisms)
- Green water culture
- Powdered fish food
- Biofilm from plants
Survival Tips
- Use separate breeding tank
- Cover filter intakes with fine mesh
- Dim lighting for first few weeks
- No water changes during larval stage
- Remove adults after eggs hatch
Common Breeding Problems & Solutions
Problem: No breeding activity
Solution: Check temperature (drop to 70°F to trigger mating)
Problem: Eggs not hatching
Solution: Remove unfertile eggs after 3 weeks
Problem: High larvae mortality
Solution: Increase infusoria and biofilm food sources
My Personal Tips for Success
I’ve learned these tricks through trial and error:
- Start with at least 10 healthy adults
- Feed varied diet (they’ll eat almost anything!)
- Keep water parameters stable
- Be patient – it might take a few tries
- Don’t mix with aggressive fish
Wrap-Up: You Can Do This!
Breeding ghost shrimp isn’t rocket science, but it does need some attention to detail. With the right setup and care, you’ll soon have more ghost shrimp than you know what to do with!
Quick reminder: Make sure your local pet store sells true freshwater ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus). Some species might need brackish water, but the common pet store variety breeds just fine in freshwater.
Got questions about breeding ghost shrimp? Drop ’em in the comments – I’d love to help ya out! Good luck with your shrimpy breeding adventures!
Remember: Every tank is different, so don’t get discouraged if things don’t work perfectly the first time. Keep at it, and you’ll be a ghost shrimp breeding pro in no time!
What do you need for breeding ghost shrimp?
Ready to start breeding shrimp? You dont need much to get started. In fact, you can get reasonable survival rates in a heavily planted set-up without any intervention on your part. However, raising the larvae separately is ideal and will result in a significantly higher survival rate, as theres no risk of them being eaten by their parents.
So, for the purposes of breeding, we recommend two tanks. One can be a normal community aquarium or a ghost shrimp-only set-up, and you can do whatever you want with it. The other one, the rearing tank, can be as simple as a food-safe plastic tub. It doesnt have to be fancy (although it can be if you want!). In fact, since the larvae have such a low bioload, you probably wont even need a filter if you add lots of plants.
All you need for the rearing tank is:
- 5 or 10-gallon aquarium or plastic tub
- Plenty of aquatic plants, such as Java moss
- Air stone or sponge filter (set to the lowest possible flow level)
Thats it! You dont even need a heater in most cases, as ghost shrimp larvae do just fine at room temperature.
Its best to give the rearing tank plenty of time to mature. The water parameters will be more stable this way, and plenty of biofilm will grow for the larvae to eat. Dont worry if it gets algae, thats just more food!
How do you tell the difference between male and female ghost shrimp?
In addition to the equipment, youll need a few ghost shrimp to start your colony. If you get 6-10, you can be pretty sure there are both males and females in the batch. It can be difficult to tell the difference between them at first, especially if the females arent carrying eggs yet, but youll soon get a feel for it.
Female ghost shrimp are larger than males. They will have a colored fleck behind the head, called a saddle, which are eggs developing in the ovaries. Alternatively, they might carry fertilized eggs in their swimmerets.
Ghost Shrimp Care, Breeding, WaterParameters, Tank Mates & Feeding.All you need to know! JR Aquarium
FAQ
Will ghost shrimp breed in your tank?
Got some ghost shrimp for your aquarium and wondering if you can breed them? The answer is yes!
How do you tell if a ghost shrimp is male or female?
Sexing[edit]
Ghost shrimp can be sexed in a number of key ways. Females have a green saddle that runs along the underside of their belly while males do not.
Can shrimp breed in freshwater?
Setting up a tank with the proper water parameters is crucial for having success in breeding freshwater shrimp. If you need help in understanding the different parameters for each freshwater shrimp variety, we have another blog post here that covers it in detail.
Do ghost shrimp reproduce asexually?
Palaemon paludosus reproduces sexually, having gendered individuals. They are a polygynous species, meaning the males will mate with more than one female. There are typically more females than males in wild populations with 0.78 males for every female.
Can ghost shrimp breed in a main tank?
If you’re trying your hand at ghost shrimp breeding in the main tank, then there really isn’t much you need to do. The survival rate will be lower, but the larvae will feed on infusoria and biofilm, eventually metamorphizing and growing into adult ghost shrimp without intervention on your part.
Do ghost shrimp breed?
Water changes can also help contribute to breeding behavior. Higher temperatures increase metabolism and will help breeding activity in the Ghost Shrimp. It is important to fill your tank with patches of thick plant cover. This will give the Ghost Shrimp piece of mind and safety needed for breeding.
Are ghost shrimp good for freshwater tanks?
As the aquarium community started to form and grow, they quickly became useful and common creatures to include in freshwater tanks. Ghost shrimp are incredibly active, good for the health of your tank (because of the algae they eat), and are easy to breed. Thus, the role that the shrimp play in the world of aquaculture is a big one!
What is a ghost shrimp?
Ghost shrimp, also called glass shrimp, are small, transparent shrimp commonly sold as aquarium pets or fish food. While several species are referred to by the same name, they can all be cared for in the same basic way. If the shrimp are kept in a comfortable environment with no predators, they can breed rapidly.
Should you get ghost shrimp?
Their busy nature, unique appearance, and peaceful temperament are all great reasons why you should give ghost shrimp a shot. This means no matter who you are, as long as you have a freshwater tank you should probably consider getting some. That’s why we thought it was so important to put together this resource for you.
Do ghost shrimp look good in aquariums?
Ghost shrimp will also contribute to the tank’s bioload, which will decrease the water quality and cause an unhealthy environment. Due to their translucency, ghost shrimp look good in aquariums with black substrate/background or many live green plants. However, when we are talking about Ghost Shrimp, there are a few popular varieties of it.