Hey shrimp lovers! I’ve been breeding cherry shrimp for years, and lemme tell you – there’s nothing more exciting than spotting those tiny eggs under a mama shrimp’s tail! Today, I’m gonna break down everything you need to know about cherry shrimp eggs, from what they look like to how to care for them.
Quick Answer
Cherry shrimp eggs look like tiny spherical or oval-shaped beads that are typically yellow, green, or brownish in color. They measure about 0.7-1.0 mm in diameter and are carried in grape-like clusters of 20-30 eggs under the female’s tail.
Physical Characteristics of Cherry Shrimp Eggs
Size and Shape
- Diameter: 0.7-1.0 mm (super tiny!)
- Shape: Spherical or slightly oval
- Formation: Clustered like tiny grapes
Colors and Changes
Cherry shrimp eggs can appear in different colors:
- Initial color: Bright yellow or green
- Mid-development: Becomes more translucent
- Near hatching: Darkens to brownish with visible black eye spots
The 4 Stages of Egg Development
1. Oogenesis (Egg Formation)
- Eggs develop in female’s ovaries (the “saddle”)
- Visible as yellow/green patch behind head
- Takes place during molting cycle
2. Fertilization Stage
- Female releases pheromones to attract males
- Mating occurs after female molts
- Eggs move from ovaries to swimmerets
- Process takes 1-2 hours after mating
3. Berried Stage
- Eggs attached under tail by sticky substance
- Female fans eggs regularly for oxygen
- Color changes become noticeable
- Duration: 15-30 days
4. Hatching Stage
- Eyes visible as black dots in eggs
- Eggs become more transparent
- Baby shrimp emerge at ~3mm length
- Usually happens at night
How to Care for Berried Shrimp
To give those eggs the best chance of survival here’s what ya need to do
Water Parameters
- Temperature: 70-80°F (21-27°C)
- pH: 6.5-8.0
- Keep parameters stable!
Tank Setup
- Plenty of hiding spots (plants, caves)
- Good filtration but gentle flow
- Regular water changes (30% weekly)
- Add air stone for extra oxygen
Common Problems and Solutions
White Eggs
If eggs turn white it’s usually due to
- Fungal infection
- Poor water quality
- Unfertilized eggs
Solution Maintain clean water and stable parameters
Dropped Eggs
Sometimes mama shrimp drops her eggs because:
- She’s inexperienced (first-time mom)
- Stress from poor conditions
- Eggs weren’t fertilized
Solution: Unfortunately, dropped eggs rarely survive. Focus on improving conditions for next time.
Tips for Successful Breeding
- Feed varied diet (biofilm, algae, quality shrimp food)
- Keep tank well-planted
- Maintain consistent parameters
- Minimize stress (no sudden changes)
- Be patient! Nature knows best
My Personal Experience
I remember my first berried shrimp – I was so worried about doing everything right! But honestly, these little guys are pretty resilient. Just keep the water clean and stable, and nature usually takes care of the rest. I’ve had the most success when I just let mama do her thing and don’t interfere too much.
When Will Eggs Hatch?
Typically, cherry shrimp eggs take about:
- 2-3 weeks at normal tank temps
- Faster in warmer water
- Slower in cooler water
You’ll know they’re close when you see those tiny black eye spots!
Understanding what cherry shrimp eggs look like helps you monitor their development and ensure successful breeding. Remember, healthy eggs should be brightly colored initially, gradually becoming more transparent, and carried securely under mama shrimp’s tail.
Remember: Every shrimp keeper was once a beginner, so don’t stress too much. Just provide good care and let nature do its thing!
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Oogenesis is the point where new eggs develop in your shrimp’s ovaries (sometimes referred to as their “saddle”). This development is closely coupled with a shrimp’s molting cycle so both molting and reproductive hormones must be carefully controlled within a female shrimp’s body so eggs are ready to be fertilized when the shrimp is ready to molt.
New shrimp keepers often worry when they see the saddle develop, as it often looks like a weird dark growth through opaque shells. As long as the growth is only between the abdomen and head, as shown in the model, theres nothing to worry about. If you see the growth spread throughout their body, then it may be a bacterial infection called “Milky Shrimp Disease” or muscular necrosis.
Shrimp typically become sexually mature at 50-90 days of age, depending on temperature, at which point they will fertilize eggs after their next molt. Temperature affects the speed of all shrimp development, with faster temperatures leading to faster development/growth rates. Higher temperature may seem best but it can stress them out and increase bacterial/fungal growth so higher temperature is not always better.
Upon close inspection through transparent shells, you can often see individual eggs developing in the ovaries!
Shrimp reproduce sexually so sperm from a male shrimp is required to fertilize eggs carried by a female. This process starts with females releasing pheromones (chemicals that attract males) into the water before she molts, allowing males to find her. After molting, she mates with a male to receive a sperm packet in her thelycum between the back pairs of periopods (walking legs). Mating can happen anywhere from 5 seconds to 5-10 minutes after molting. Heres some shrimp porn:
After receiving the sperm packet, the female finds a safe place to hide. Once safe, she moves the eggs out of her ovaries, through the thelycum and sperm packet, and onto her pleopods (swimmerets). A sticky substance holds the eggs together and keeps them attached to her swimmerets for the rest of their development. This process typically happens within an hour or two of mating.
The thelycum is located under female shrimp between their rear pairs of walking legs.
Stage 4: Hatching & Juvenile Development
After fully developing, the juvenile shrimp break free of their egg to live life on its own! At hatching, baby shrimp—shrimplets—are about 3mm long and mostly transparent. They still carry a small amount of their yolk with them to prevent starvation over the first 5-8 days while they find shelter and sufficient food. After that, juvenile shrimp need a steady supply of food for the rest of their lives to continue growing. This typically comes in the form of detritus (dead plant/animal matter) and biofilm (bacterial growth). To encourage biofilm growth, we recommend using a bacterial powder like BacterAE in your tank. Click here to learn what BacterAE is made of and how the ingredients help your tank.
At this young age, shrimp grow rapidly, molting an average of 7 times within the first 20 days! As they get older, molting frequency decreases, eventually trailing off to once every 1-2 months once they hit adult size, at which point they reach sexual maturity and continue the lifecycle.
A newborn shrimp is about 3mm and mostly clear. This one just has a few spots of pigments!
Now you have a much better grasp on the fascinating process of how dwarf shrimp eggs develop. Remember that those early days are critical though. Good water quality and a sprinkling of BacterAE give shrimplets the best chance for a healthy start. Soon, these tiny creatures will be joining the adults, foraging, molting, and maybe even starting a new generation of their own.
When you see this amazing development for yourself, hopefully it sparks your curiosity and encourages you to ask more questions about shrimp and their environment. Shrimply Explained is here to answer questions and provide answers to important shrimp keeping questions you may not even be aware of yet! Up your shrimp game by subscribing to our email (The Chitin Chronicles) below. You can also visit The Shrimp School or our blog for more information.
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FAQ
How to tell if cherry shrimp have eggs?
In shrimp that are a very light colour or translucent, you usually can see the eggs as soon as they drop from the ovaries. At first, it looks like they are inside the shrimp’s belly but they’re actually not inside her.
How long do cherry shrimp eggs take to hatch after?
After the mating process has occurred the female will pass her eggs threw the sperm and deposit them in her pleopods (swimming legs) under her tail. The female shrimp will carry the eggs until they hatch, normally in 20-40 days. The female will often be observed fanning and cleaning the eggs.