Shrimp Breeding

[sharon frey <sharonfrey at earthlink_net>]

Amazingly I have 1/4 to 3/8 inch Amano and Red Cherry Shrimp scouring my
29 g tank.  Found them about two weeks ago in the canister filter.

I say Amano and Red Cherry because some of the now 3/8 inch / .75 cm
that can be seen most often in the Echinodorus tenellus are red
translucent and others are just translucent.  Two adult Amano's (5/8
inch / almost 2 cm) were also retrieved from the canister filter.

Details are:
Photo at   http://spf.smugmug.com/gallery/2338/1/67705/Medium

1)  Just before Christmas I set up this new 29 gallon, with 110 watts of
compact flouresent.  Most floura and fauna came from  10 and 6 gallon
tanks. Substrate is original flourite from old tanks and new red
flourite.   The large stand of crypt, anubias nana and java and windelov
fern came from the 10G tank.  The windelov seems to like it's new spot
because it has quadrupled in size.  The madagascar lace apon was new and
small.  There are other apons that haven't yet recovered from their
move.  My experience tells me they are putting out roots before they
burst into growth.

2)  PH 7.4, no measurable ammonia (Nh3/Nh4), nitrite (NO2), nitrate or
phosphate. Shrimp have eliminated my ability to detect thread algae.

3) DIY CO2, tweaked PMDD, Tropical Science Amazon Rain at recommended
dose,  Jobes Plant spikes for lush ferns and palms, and Flourish Iron
complete plant supplements.

4) Fauna are 2 Cory, 5 Lemon Tetrae, 7 SAE, 2 Otocinclus, 9 Amano and 6
Red Cherry shrimp, many Malaysian Trumpet Snails and of course too many
adventurious other snails.  Lights on in the AM means I pick and squish
snails I can reach.  All but 2 lemon tetrae and the shrimp are original
inhabitants.

5) The Amano (Caridina japonica) and Red Cherry (Neocaridina
denticulata) arrived late January 2003 from AZGardens.com.

6) The cleaning of the new canister filter occured about 6 weeks after
and was teeming with tiny shrimp.  I just carefully pulled out the
filter media, contemplated, continued the water change and slow and easy
poured the canister water and shrimp back into the tank.

7) I choose:  If they had grown big enough for me to see them, they had
a chance to grow to adult without my interference and they have.

Best,

Sharon