Hey fellow aquarium enthusiasts! I’ve been breeding ghost shrimp for years and one of the most common questions I get is how to tell if a ghost shrimp is pregnant. Well, today I’m gonna break it down for you in simple terms and share everything you need to know about identifying and caring for pregnant ghost shrimp.
Quick Answer
A pregnant ghost shrimp (also called “berried”) will have visible green or yellow eggs under her tail/abdomen area. Thanks to their transparent body, you can easily spot these eggs which look like tiny dots clustered together. The female’s body will also appear slightly more rounded than usual.
How to Identify a Pregnant Ghost Shrimp
Here are the key signs to look for
- Green/Yellow Eggs: The most obvious sign – you’ll see small round eggs underneath the tail
- Swollen Abdomen: The female’s belly area will look fuller and more rounded
- Increased Fanning: She’ll move her legs more frequently to keep the eggs oxygenated
- Changed Behavior: May become less active and hide more often
- Size Difference: Pregnant females are usually slightly larger (up to 2 inches) compared to males (1.5 inches)
Pregnancy Stages in Ghost Shrimp
Let me walk you through the main stages you’ll notice:
Stage 1: Early Pregnancy
- Eggs first appear as tiny green/yellow dots
- Female starts showing slight belly swelling
- Still active but may hide more
Stage 2: Mid Pregnancy (1 week in)
- Eggs become more visible and darker
- Increased leg fanning behavior
- Abdomen notably rounder
Stage 3: Late Pregnancy (2 weeks in)
- Eggs appear almost ready to hatch
- Very visible dark spots under tail
- Female spends more time near bottom of tank
Care Tips for Pregnant Ghost Shrimp
Here’s what I’ve learned works best for caring for berried ghost shrimp:
Water Parameters
- Temperature: 65-82°F (18-28°C)
- pH: 7.0-8.0
- Hardness: 3.72-6.75 dKH
Tank Setup
- Separate breeding tank (highly recommended)
- Fine substrate for better foraging
- Plenty of hiding spots using:
- Java moss
- Driftwood
- Small caves
- Live plants
Feeding
Ya don’t need anything fancy – just make sure they get:
- Regular fish flakes
- Algae wafers
- Blanched veggies
- Small protein sources
Common Questions I Get
Q: How long are ghost shrimp pregnant for?
A: Usually 12-14 days from seeing the eggs to hatching
Q: How many babies can they have?
A: Anywhere from 8-85 eggs per pregnancy! Though not all survive.
Q: Should I separate the pregnant shrimp?
A: Yeah, if ya can. Other fish (and even adult shrimp) might eat the babies when they hatch.
Tips for Successful Breeding
- Watch water quality – keep it clean with regular partial changes
- Provide good nutrition – well-fed mamas = healthy babies
- Give hiding spots – reduces stress during pregnancy
- Use sponge filters – prevents babies from getting sucked up
- Remove adults after babies hatch to prevent snacking on the young ones
Taking Care of Baby Ghost Shrimp
Once those tiny shrimplets arrive, here’s what they need:
First Week
- Infusoria
- Liquid fry food
- Algae powder
- Super finely crushed flakes
After Week One
- Baby brine shrimp
- Crushed flake food
- Micro worms
- Powdered algae wafers
Final Thoughts
Breeding ghost shrimp ain’t rocket science, but it does need some attention to detail. The most important thing is spotting the pregnancy early so you can prepare properly. Keep an eye out for those green eggs, maintain good water quality, and provide plenty of hiding spots.
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.