Belly full of babies

MI-Reefer · 07-19-2007, 12:14 PM

My cleaner shrimp has a belly full of babies whats the chance of any surviving. I have a 40gal reef with 1 B&W clown, 1 Palani Tang and a wheeler goby. 80-90lbs LR, HOB skimmer, no sump/refugium yet (workin on it). I doubt there is little if anychance, but just wanted to see.
Thanks in advance

jgordie · 07-19-2007, 12:48 PM

I don't know but how cool to experience that.

frankandmaura · 07-19-2007, 01:19 PM

I am going to say low...

I had the same thing (not sure how it even happend - I had the shrimp in the tank for like 8 months, no other cleaner...no idea how it could have gotten preggo). I do have a Pistol Shrimp (but I think that is unlikely). Anyway...from what I have heard, they will release them (usually at night) and then they are just eaten or pulled into the skimmer...

I guess you could try to remove her and see how it goes...but I think you may stress her out.

t4daddy · 07-19-2007, 01:21 PM

I used to have a "pair" that did that every couple of weeks, think they turned to fish food, not sure, just never seen any little ones.

MI-Reefer · 07-19-2007, 01:35 PM

Thanks for all the feedback I just bought her about a week ago from a LFS and there was one other cleaner shrimp with her. I figured I wouldn't ever see any baby shrimp but you never know.

Loverotties · 07-19-2007, 01:45 PM

Maybe if you put them in a hospital tank.

MI-Reefer · 07-19-2007, 01:54 PM

I was thinking about that, but I would have to completely tear apart my tank to get her out. She hides in the back and wont come out for anything, while she has her babies in her.

MI-Reefer · 07-20-2007, 12:27 PM

Well last night I emptied my skimmer and she still had the eggs this mourning she didn't have any eggs and the skimmer was 1/2 full so I bet none survived.

MI-Reefer · 07-20-2007, 12:27 PM

reddg321 · 07-20-2007, 02:34 PM

idk if this will help or not but this site sure has helped me in keeping shrimp alive http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/shrimp.html

reddg321 · 07-20-2007, 02:50 PM

also i have read that when 2 shrimp get together they both can get preg as each shrimp has both sex organs and a note about them getting preg with one shrimp is its been said that they store the male sperm from another shrimp so later if there not together the lone shrimp can still have fertile babys

and no as far as i have heard babys wont survive in a open tank till atleast past 10-14 days of living. as they molt they get stronger and stronger and the ones that last that long will be the survivors but only if they live that long and on a plus side theycan live off newly hatched brine shrimp but any brine older than hatchling will be able to get away from the shrimp so it wont be able to eat em

my cleaners got preg night of the 18th so ill be waiting for 14-20 some days to find out if there fertile. and i have converted a 10g to the specs of that site so it looks like it could make some babys

well hope some of my info helped i could be wrong though but all this is what i have read. if u have any other questions ill be on later to check back.

MI-Reefer · 07-20-2007, 03:43 PM

Hey thanks for the info, I'm leaving for a week so no chance of saving any but o well its good food for my coral and fish anyways.

MI-Reefer · 07-20-2007, 03:43 PM

LMK if you get urs to hatch and you raise them.