Cleaner Shrimp carrying eggs!!

[eprouve]

I want to save the fries when they are laid... anyone with tips and advise for this? I'm trying to catch hold of the shrimp so as to put it into a breeder net, but its dodging and hiding from me...

[Killerwhale]

Catch the shrimp out and roll it with steam rice and eat it immediately..... Should be very fresh.

[Phang]

It is actually pretty difficult to raise shrimp fries simply becos of the limited resources in a reef tank....
These fries would most likely be of much greater use as food(plankton)for the corals or other inhabitants....

Unless you can get a good supply of phytoplankton....

[Spiff]

its impossible to raise the fries unless u hv lab equipments n conditions. it will b excellent food for ur fish though!

[bawater]

first of all u need a food source
secondly-Nost shrimp larvae go they a few stages of growth till they look like shrimp, starting from planktonic size till visible at 2-3mm.
U will need a dedicated breeding tank just for the fry(1-2ft). a sponge filter is enough for circulation & filtration.

There are quite a few articles on captive breeding of Lysmata ambionenesis.
L. amboinensis is hermaphroditic, meaning that each individual is capable of producing both ova and spermatozoa. Each individual therefor acts as the opposing sex, with one using sperm to fertilize the others eggs and visa versa.-> link below


http://www.reefsuk.com/CaptiveBreedi...nerShrimp.html

The main captive breeding site:> a wealth of info on all types of species here.->>
http://www.reefsuk.com/CaptiveBreedi.../Articles1.asp

[eprouve]

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On 12/5/2002 6:03:51 PM

There are quite a few articles on captive breeding of Lysmata ambionenesis.
L. amboinensis is hermaphroditic, meaning that each individual is capable of producing both ova and spermatozoa. Each individual therefor acts as the opposing sex, with one using sperm to fertilize the others eggs and visa versa.-> link below


http://www.reefsuk.com/CaptiveBreedi...nerShrimp.html

The main captive breeding site:> a wealth of info on all types of species here.->>
http://www.reefsuk.com/CaptiveBreedi.../Articles1.asp

----------------

Very interesting reads... but I only have ONE cleaner shrimp. Must have copulated with another before I bought it:

The question now arises why not simply self-fertilize. If individuals are separated after copulation two/three clutches of eggs can still be fertilized by means of sperm stored. After this period however no eggs are produced suggesting the stored spermatozoa either die or are released. This lack of egg production also indicates that L, amboinensis is unable to self-fertilize, an adaptation that is in following with many hermaphroditic spawns.

[eprouve]

The eggs were turning from dark to bright, pale green... and then suddenly this morning, I realised the eggs had disappeared. I thought they were supposed to turn silver first before they are hatched? Missed the spectacle... I only have ONE cleaner shrimp and its never going to self-fertilize to produce eggs ever again []

[kelstorm]

well, u can consider getting another cleaner shrimp in that case.

[bawater]

Fertilization:
During fertilization, two Scarlet Cleaner shrimp couple, joining at midsection with one shrimp assuming a position underneath the other, soon after one shrimp molts. Apparently, sperm is passed from the hard shelled shrimp to the recently molted shrimp during this coupling. The recently molted shrimp stores the sperm. Later in the day, the recently molted shrimp extrudes eggs over several hours. The eggs are fertilized, using the stored sperm, as they are extruded. In about a week the second shrimp molts and the two shrimp again couple. This time, the hard shelled, egg carrying shrimp passes sperm to the newly molted shrimp. Within a few hours the newly molted shrimp extrudes eggs and now both shrimp carry fertilized eggs. Thus, Scarlet Cleaner shrimp spawn through hermaphroditic reproduction and all members of a mature group carry eggs. Sperm can only be transferred to a recently molted shrimp soon after molting, while the shell is still soft, so two couplings are necessary for both shrimp to receive sperm since the two shrimp molt at different times.

Hermaphroditic reproduction is common in snails, with each individual outfitted with functioning male and female organs; however, self-fertilization is not common in hermaphroditic spawners so two individuals are needed. The male organ of one individual fertilizes the female organ of the other individual, and visa versa. The male Scarlet Cleaner shrimp organ apparently matures sooner than the female organ as one shrimp in a young pair may carry fertile eggs several months prior to the second shrimp commencing to carry eggs.

Complicating the understanding of the reproductive habits of Lysmata amboinensis, is their ability to store sperm. One shrimp produced four viable egg clutches after separation from a mate. The eggs are fertilized as they are extruded from a stored spermatophore, a packet containing sperm and nutrients that is passed from the male organ of one individual to the female organ of another individual. It is not unusual for a single, mature Scarlet Cleaner shrimp to spawn several times soon after being introduced to an aquarium containing no other cleaner shrimp. After the stored spermatophore is used up, the shrimp spawns one unfertile spawn which disappears within a day or two. Then the shrimp ceases to spawn until fertilized again.


a little long-but in short, u just need another shrimp & let nature take its course.

[eprouve]

Hmmm... wait a minute... does that apply to most shrimps?

The question I have after reading that is this: When the shrimp is carrying eggs, it is NOT the result of being fertilized/copulation? So the eggs are NOT fertilized and therefore needs another shrimp to FERTILIZE the eggs which are carried in the pleopods?

So in otherwords, my shrimp didn't actually get fertilized such that it began swimming around with eggs... it was WAITING to be fertilized?

How about (freshwater) cherry shrimp? Is it the same, requiring another shrimp to fertilize the eggs which are carried?

[bawater]

if u know the scientific name then i can look it up for u.
i tried it with feeders before- but i used a group of 6 & managed to raised 1 shrimp out of 3 egg carriers. without proper food(just crushed flake & tetra bits)& with other fishes around.
If i'm not wrong, the cherry shrimp? is a mutation of the bee strain of freshwater shrimp- produced by one breeder in singapore & only in limited numbers.Mostly shipped overseas.

For the cleaner, i think the eggs are already fertilized. each shrimp has both sex organs but need another of its kind to do the copulating.
so if u get another shrimp, don't be surprised to see both with eggs.
A single shrimp without stored sperm-raised on its own won't produce eggs.
i can vouch for that as mine 9mths(abt 6cm body) not a single brood of eggs.
once ready they will release the larvae into the planktonic layer which it will spend its time feeding & finally settling. molting into a tiny shrimp.
how many stages a cleaner shrimp larvae goes thru to become something that looks like a shrimp i'm not sure.
Again u will need plankton food to raise any significant numbers, the larvae would be slightly smaller than baby brine shrimp.
80% of all marine species breed thru this planktonic layer. which consist of numerous micro & macro sizes:nano-plankton,pico-plankton,phyto-plankton,zoo-plankton.

But why not give it a try,the breeding of marine is very new & new info & ways are being discovered all the time by home breeders.

[eprouve]

Cool! Well, I won't be getting another cleaner shrimp. Cos mine's only a 2 footer and I really should keep the bioload low. Wait got space then get a bigger tank lah.[]

I don't know the scientific name of cherries... but I bought 22 from NA some weeks back and now I have 5 egg carriers.

I am still searching around for the scientific name.

[kelstorm]

clarence,
a cleaner shrimp will not increase your bio-load significantly as compared with another clownfish.. so, no worries.

[eprouve]

I just noticed the strangest of things! !
My single cleaner shrimp is carrying eggs AGAIN! [:0] [:0] [:0] !
Oh well, I am not going to attempt to take it out and try and save the fries. Don't think I can provide the conditions for its growth.


BTW, Kelvin, do you have a picture of your marine tank? Would love to have a look.

[kelstorm]

would love to post it.. but i dun have a pic of it.. ahhaha.. and can't post it too, dun have website.. hahaha.. anyway, it is a FOWLR... (Fish only with Live ROck)... dun intend to keep corals.. until i get a chiller and a bigger tank in my own house..[]