Baby shrimp try #2

[Snooker00]

Well here we go again, second attempt. This time I caught plenty as you'll be able to see from the pics. The only problem that I can see right now is water parameters. With these shrimp being so small I haven't been able to figure out a way to do a water change on the QT, which is 20 gal. They have been doing great so far(Thursday 16th while I was typing about one getting ready to let the larvae fly) and lo and behold before I could submit a reply they were everywhere. Well the feeding frenzy commenced and I was able to get my share and still couldn't believe how many there were. If anybody can figure out a way to do a water change with out sucking them up please post it. By the way the cyclopeeze and phytoplanton is going like mad when I put a little in. The larvae is always at the top when the lights are on but when they go off their on the bottom, until I put the peeze in and they come to the top like swarm. Pretty cool to see them white one minute and then red the next. Anyway I said I would start another post on the second attempt.
Here is a pic of them,
Enjoy,
Steve

 

[Witfull]

outstanding!!

 

[addict]

Well, I know that artemia nauplii (baby brine shrimp) are attracted to light, and gather near it, so maybe you could try the same thing?

Just wait until it's dark, shine a flashlight into one end of the tank, then wait for them to gather near it, and then siphon some water out from the opposite end of the tank.

That's about the only thing I can think of...

Good luck. I wish I had the resources to try my hand at raising shrimps.

 

[fidojoe]

Thats a good idea addict...

Good luck with this batch! I hope they make it, that would be some sweet LFS store credit

 

[reefjitsu]

Maybe you could use a coffee filter to cover the end of the siphon hose.

 

[Woodstock]

Excellent! Karma for your efforts!

 

[Snooker00]

Thanks everybody,
Addict and Reefjitzu, I will try both of your ideas thanks for the suggestions! I am also getting a tank divider so that I can block off a portion of the tank, for water changes, I'll use the light to get as many of them to one side as I can and install the divider. I'll then use the coffee filter to try and save what doesn't go to the light(Carolann go to the light, go to the light Carolann). Sorry couldn't resist:jester:
Then I will syphon the water in the divider and refill there also, I should be able to leave it in there but just slide it to the nearest wall and then reverse it when it's time for a water change again. What do ya think?
Thanks again EVERYONE!!
Steve

 

[Witfull]

(Carolann go to the light, go to the light Carolann). i was thinking the same thing~~

sounds like a good plan!

 

[Snooker00]

Thanks Wit, As I was typing the light it just kinda popped in thee ole noggin. HE HE::idea:

 

[chuynh]

I am interested in seeing how things are going with this batch of shrimp. I just got a pregnant shrimp today and it hatch while it was still in transport home. This made it easy for me to separate the mom from the baby.

If you have any tips, please let me know.

Thanks

 

[Cougra]

Personally, I would get a sponge filter for the tank. The biological filtration will help keep ammonia levels in check, the filter will also bring any uneaten food to one area where the shrimp will learn to pick it off when you aren't feeding them. Also, water changes can be done through the uplift tube of the spong filter. This way you wont get any young shrimp crushed under the water pressure as is a possibility should you use a simple coffee filter on syphon hose. The sponge filter can also be easily removed for cleaning without harming the delicate shrimp.

When you replace the water in the tank, try using an airline hose to slowly fill the tank again. This will minimalize the changes in water chemistry and wont create too much water flow.

This way you shouldn't need to play around with tank dividers.

 

[mps9506]

Personally, I would get a sponge filter for the tank. The biological filtration will help keep ammonia levels in check, the filter will also bring any uneaten food to one area where the shrimp will learn to pick it off when you aren't feeding them. Also, water changes can be done through the uplift tube of the spong filter. This way you wont get any young shrimp crushed under the water pressure as is a possibility should you use a simple coffee filter on syphon hose. The sponge filter can also be easily removed for cleaning without harming the delicate shrimp.

When you replace the water in the tank, try using an airline hose to slowly fill the tank again. This will minimalize the changes in water chemistry and wont create too much water flow.

This way you shouldn't need to play around with tank dividers.

Ditto, I'm thinking sponge filter/air pump combo is the way to go.

 

[Snooker00]

Cougra,
I think I will go with your idea on the sponge filter for the next try. Yeah, they lasted until a week ago with some minor die off and then it seemed like they all died in one day, but have no fear I WILL TRY AGAIN!! While I was trying this batch my other Skunk released her larvae, so I can predict now when the next batch will be due, in all seriousness with 2 of them I have larvae about every 3 weeks and now 1 of my Peppermint are holding eggs(time for a rearing tank).
chuynh, as far as tips here is a link to a book about raising peppermint shrimp that will help, but other than that just pointers from people here and on the web. Loooots of reading and from what I have read the skunks are by far the hardest to try and raise because it takes 5-6 months for them to settle out.
http://www.lysmatapublishing.com/shrimp.html
Steve

 

[Cougra]

Steve,
You should get yourself a sponge filter now and start running it in your sump so it has a bit of time to mature before the next go.

I'll be the first to admit that I have never tried rearing any sort of shrimp neppuli but I'm wonding if they all died off due to failed molting. I'm sure they'll be molting a lot at that stage and water conditions will need to be immaculate.

Would it be possible to set up some sort of continuios water change system? Maybe have an airline constantly draining water from the tank and a fresh batch of saltwater continiously trickling in to keep the water quality high? Another thought is that the small imbalances in the artificial saltwater could be serious flaws to the newly hatched animals. I know that a lot of tests (although said to be skewed) involve sea urchin hatchlings and they didn't servive for very long in it. Just a couple ideas to consider.

I hope that you have better results next time around as it would be awesome to have a documented case of someone successfully rearing a batch of shrimp on this site!

 

[Snooker00]

Michelle,
I don't have a sump, so do you think it would be OK to put the sponge in the cartridge chamber of a bio wheel filter. I use the one side with nothing but empty cartridges in the chamber for a place for amphipods to grow for my refugium and that works well because, I take them out, open them up and always have big and small pods to put in the refugium. The water idea sounds good and since I'm 5 minutes from the G.O.M. I could always try it with natural sea water since the red tide is gone. I could get 3 or 4, 5gal. buckets and try the slow water exchange method. I do remember reading that one place was using a continuous natural sea water exchange to grow shrimp (Japan I think). So hey, if nothing else comes of it we could always document how not to raise shrimp :smack:
Steve