# My journey for breeding Amano shrimp



## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Well I been researching for a while to find that many people have a hard time breeding Amano shrimps. People argued mild salinity and many have sucess with full salinity.

I noticed my pregnant female a week ago. So since the offspring are going to die in freshwater, I might as well spend a little money and try to see if I can raise them.

Setup:
8.8 Gallon tank (borrowed from Alyssa) Free
Marine salt for 10 gallons $6
Salinity 33ppm via refractometer Free
no heater
21w home depot clamp light. Previously obtained

I personally think 34ppm would be better, lets hope its good enough. My ammano is looking great, and now I can start seeing black dots on the eggs...anytime soon.

Ill post pictures. But as of now a picture of water in a aquarium is kinda lame lol.


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## mach_six (Sep 12, 2005)

Just curious, what's optimal water parameters and how long before they started to breed?

I bought over 10 large ones for over 3 months now and haven't seen any mating going on. 

I'm not sure if it's the water being soft since I have a few large driftwood, I recently added a small bag of crushed coral in a media bag to raise the pH to more neutral some and provide some calcium.

I plan on breeding them but I have a reef tank and just plan on using the refugium to grow them out but need them to breed first.

Good luck!


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Glad to see more people doing things like this.

Good luck and keep us all posted on the developments.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

I'm interested in these endeavors too. I'm not going to attempt this myself until I move (in a few months) but am interested in seeing who has the most success with this. I too have reef tanks, and can see that it would be simple to get an amano growing tank going...

What kind o parameters are you going to raise them in?
Also a pic of your rearing tank wouldn't be boring at all, it coud show how its setup and what is in it (for example an air hose at least and the light)
The light is a 100W equivalent (CFL)?
You mentioned that you will be using 34ppt SW. Thats 1.026 SG right? you dont think that they will do better at slightly lower salinity? 1.026 is the upper range for reef lol.

Also is there a reason why you will not be using a heater? I hear the zoea grow better at about 75F...as long as food is available.

Which brings me to the final question on what you will be feeding the zoea until they morph to shrimp?


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## jasonpatterson (Apr 15, 2011)

mach_six said:


> Just curious, what's optimal water parameters and how long before they started to breed?


Best of luck accordztech!

Mine started breeding after perhaps 3-4 months. I've only had one female berry so far though (twice.) Had another that saddled and kept her saddle for probably 2 months before it slowly but surely disappeared. No idea what the ideal parameters are, but these can adapt to quite a range of conditions. I'm expecting my next batch of zoeas in about 2 weeks.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

mach_six said:


> Just curious, what's optimal water parameters and how long before they started to breed?
> Good luck!


Honestly, I dont know. I dont ever check my water parameters unless something is going on. But the tank is planted, co2 running, and 4 wpg. Things live in there, like a normal tank...Ph im guessing around 6.5, temp from 72-78 degrees...I add GH booster once a week. I havent seen these guys breed until latley....




Newman said:


> What kind o parameters are you going to raise them in?
> Not sure, just standard salt water, 33/34 ppm full salt water. Not cycled or anything, I havent read many people "who succeeded" that cycled the tank
> Also a pic of your rearing tank wouldn't be boring at all, it coud show how its setup and what is in it (for example an air hose at least and the light)
> Soon I will get a picture
> ...


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Im not going to use that bulb, but this was a huge 300 watt bulb I saw at home depot....OMG!! lol



> Also a pic of your rearing tank wouldn't be boring at all, it coud show how its setup and what is in it (for example an air hose at least and the light)


As requested!









The foil is there to direct the rest of the light into the tank. Light stays on 24/7...blows out every few days. LOL. THe shoe boxes are there because at night, I put a towel over the whole tank so I can sleep.









The dots on the glass is algae









Here is my algae colony. The clearest one is very new, the others a few days old...The brown is the algae.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

jasonpatterson said:


> Best of luck accordztech!
> 
> Mine started breeding after perhaps 3-4 months. I've only had one female berry so far though (twice.) Had another that saddled and kept her saddle for probably 2 months before it slowly but surely disappeared. No idea what the ideal parameters are, but these can adapt to quite a range of conditions. I'm expecting my next batch of zoeas in about 2 weeks.


I hate waiting for my amano to finally let out her eggs. I dont know when, but I can see white eyes...not black eyes on her belley...do you know much longer it will be? 

Have you had luck with breeding these guys? What did you feed them...


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## tbarabash (May 18, 2011)

Excited to see the results


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## mach_six (Sep 12, 2005)

I have one berried now, noticed it this earlier this week. My 55G at work has driftwood in it and I'm wondering it was too acidic for them since I didn't really boil it. prior to that, I added about 1/2lb or so of crushed coral in a media bag into the filter.

I see others have used Kent's liquid products which I have for my reef so I wonder why they don't work so well when the micron size is the same as DT's live phytoplankton? I got the powdered stuff too but hoping they don't require live to make it easier to raise.

I have the large Marina hang on tank that I'm going to throw them in. I use it as a cheap refugium with chaeto now.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

a 21watt CFL is a 100W incandescent equivalent (usually) so I'd jsut use one of those...wont blow out your lamp...plus im worried that you're eventually going to lose the entire lamp if that keeps happening.

according to those links, SG of 1.024 and 1.025 is best.

what kind of phyto is it? phyto can't take being frozen or w/o light can it?


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Newman said:


> a 21watt CFL is a 100W incandescent equivalent (usually) so I'd jsut use one of those...wont blow out your lamp...plus im worried that you're eventually going to lose the entire lamp if that keeps happening.
> 
> according to those links, SG of 1.024 and 1.025 is best.
> 
> what kind of phyto is it? phyto can't take being frozen or w/o light can it?


The lights are trippy. Even my other tank with the light raised with a 21w bulb will blow in about 3 months. There is nothing different and its just a lamp, a light, and a cord. Im baffled but glad to have home depot return policies lol.

I just dialed in my SG and its dead on 1.025. As for the phyto I actually read the label this time. Its phytofeast. I dont know if I would freeze it, just leave it in the fridge.

My amanos eggs are finally having black dots on them. Its about time! I noticed she hides more now and latley I been feeding her much more than before. I used to feed the tank 2x a week...now I feed it every day. 

I was thinking of isolating her in a breeding net but I dont really want to stress her out by catching her. I read somewhere that the easy way to catch them is to turn the lights off and then shine a flashlight at the surface. The zoes are attracted to light and then use a pipet to suck them out. Maybe I will do that.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Newman said:


> Also is there a reason why you will not be using a heater? I hear the zoea grow better at about 75F...as long as food is available.


I took some tank specs. It sits from 70.5F to 72F. I might add a heater, but im worried that the heat from the heater might harm the zoes if they touch it. What do you think?


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

i think your should be fine at 72F as long as its not too cold or warm.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Well its been getting colder, and now the temp sits at 68 degrees. I was going to put a heater in today, but after a huge cleaning on my nano (where my amano is) she decided to give birth! I tried not to stress the tank or anything, but I swear I never saw black dots (even though I THOUGHT I did before). 

Now im wondering if I should put the zoes in the salt water now, or wait till the tank heats up a little bit.

Im counting maybe 75 zoes right now.


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## jasonpatterson (Apr 15, 2011)

You won't kill the zoeas by moving them to a tank at 68 degrees. That's where I've been keeping mine (room temperature) and haven't had any problems. Supposedly they'll grow faster at slightly warmer temperatures (which makes sense) but my latest batch is doing very well.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Interesting is it more of keeping the temps stable....?

Do u have a air hose in your setup? How fast is it going?


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## jasonpatterson (Apr 15, 2011)

I've got an air powered filter, of sorts, in mine. It's going fast enough to keep the filter running, so not terribly.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Oh..I have my bubbles turned down so it doesn't agitate the surface that much. Maybe I should turn it up.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

I ended up putting in a heater to let it sit at 71 degrees. Its been getting colder latley, I just want a stable temperature. It took so long to capture these suckers in my other tank using a flashlight. I think putting freshwater into the salt water tank lowered my salinity. Now im at 32ppm, wondering if I should raise it.

I finally found the mother, she has dropped all of her eggs. She was hiding for a long time, got her to come out at night with some food. At least she is alive =)


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## Alyssa (Sep 16, 2011)

How cool!


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Day 7

Well these guys are still alive and kicking. I turned my heater on in my house and now my tank sits dead at 72 degrees. I feed these guys every day. Sometimes out of my algae culturing bottles, and sometimes out of the main bottle concentrate. Sometimes I even feed them both. 

You can see them sitting in the light and then when I feed them they rush towards the food. I cant tell if they are bigger, they do not look as small as they were when they were born. I guess its going to be a while lol. 

I havent done any water changes or added any water. I keep a lid on this tank so it doesnt evaporate. 

Lets hope these guys will pull through. :icon_smil


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

mark a line and top off with RO or DI water. SW tanks have a big issue with evaporation. overtime accumulation of salt raises salinity and will kill your zoea. just simply keep any eye on water level and do not let it go below your mark. also measuring the SG is always useful when keeping something in SW...


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Newman said:


> mark a line and top off with RO or DI water. SW tanks have a big issue with evaporation. overtime accumulation of salt raises salinity and will kill your zoea. just simply keep any eye on water level and do not let it go below your mark. also measuring the SG is always useful when keeping something in SW...


Really....even if it doesn't evaporate?


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

your mark will tell if it evaporates or not. decreasing water level over the course of one week should be noticeable if you marked your water line initially.


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## jasonpatterson (Apr 15, 2011)

It also helps that they are brackish animals rather than purely saltwater. They're able to survive swings in salinity (and often high extremes of salinity) that would kill anything marine.


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## mach_six (Sep 12, 2005)

Keep the tank covered as much as you can and you will minimize evaporation.

My SW evaporates a gallon or two in 2 week in a 29 gallon, it's open top and the area it's on is colder than the water temp. 

Smaller tanks will have higher swings especially if you don't notice salt creep (crusting salt on the rim of the tank) and water is missing.


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## randyl (Feb 1, 2012)

I know it's an old post but any update?


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

randyl said:


> I know it's an old post but any update?


Yeah, thats fine

I forgot to feed algae one day, then the next day, I forgot to put the food in the fridge, so after the next morning I didnt see that many moving....after that they all died. I didnt loose any water, if I did it was maybe half a water bottles worth.

So after all that, im not doing this again! lol


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## Richardblack (Sep 25, 2012)

accordztech said:


> Yeah, thats fine
> 
> I forgot to feed algae one day, then the next day, I forgot to put the food in the fridge, so after the next morning I didnt see that many moving....after that they all died. I didnt loose any water, if I did it was maybe half a water bottles worth.
> 
> So after all that, im not doing this again! lol


At what day did you lose your larva? I am at day 17 with mine and nervous about success as it’s my first time.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Richardblack said:


> At what day did you lose your larva? I am at day 17 with mine and nervous about success as it’s my first time.


not as long as you. LOL. I think I was like 10 days.

If you are at day 17 your doing something right.


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## ryl_dsz (Jan 16, 2012)

Dear friends i have been trying to breed amanos for quite some time now almost 7+ months. The issue i am facing from the very beginning is that the berried female never seems to carry the eggs for more 48 hrs. I am trying to figure this out but am unable too. I have also seperated them into a small 5 gallon tank when they get berried but still the problem of them dropping the eggs within 48hrs continues. Could someone provide some insight into this.

Thank You,

Ryel


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

ryl, lots of info in this thread.


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## Richardblack (Sep 25, 2012)

Soothing Shrimp said:


> ryl, lots of info in this thread.


What thread?

Do you have the link?


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## Richardblack (Sep 25, 2012)

ryl_dsz said:


> The issue i am facing from the very beginning is that the berried female never seems to carry the eggs for more 48 hrs. I am trying to figure this out but am unable too. I have also seperated them into a small 5 gallon tank when they get berried but still the problem of them dropping the eggs within 48hrs continues.


I have the same problem with my own amano.. the berried females just won't release larvae..... they just dump the dead eggs? is this right?


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## dougolasjr (Mar 3, 2010)

He means there is alot of info in this thread.


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## ryl_dsz (Jan 16, 2012)

gezz i know i'm replying after way too many months but would be grateful if some one could provide a reply regarding my amanos dropping eggs and not releasing the zoes. Over the months i happened to test my water parameters PH 7, Kh 3, Gh 4. I am facing the same problem when my temperature is about 28 - 29 degrees in summer as well as in winter about 20 - 23 degrees.


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## ryl_dsz (Jan 16, 2012)

Richardblack said:


> I have the same problem with my own amano.. the berried females just won't release larvae..... they just dump the dead eggs? is this right?


Sorry for the late reply. In what environment are you keeping ur amanos like ph,gh,kh, temp, etc. Do u have any idea. What could u and me must not be doing right that we don't get zoes.


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

How old is the female. Years ago when I first got my Amano shrimp, my female got berried for quite often and held the eggs for a good time, but as the years went on she started getting berried less, and holding the eggs for less time.


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## ryl_dsz (Jan 16, 2012)

I had multiple batches over a period of time. I was facing the same problem of eggs being dropped.


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

You guys are aware that the larvae need brackish water to survive, right?


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## ryl_dsz (Jan 16, 2012)

yes i'm aware the larvae need brackish water. But it takes a good number of day for the eggs hatch into larvae. I have put the berried female in 3 gal tank and seen it for my self the eggs as completely dropped as they are no hatching and no zoes.


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## Jgrad (Apr 4, 2018)

So, it seems I have an unusual problem. I noticed today that one of my female amano shrimp is carrying eggs. My issue is that my amano shrimp are breeding and the babies are surviving. I have a small, planted unfiltered tank. I do weekly water changes and also have a betta (who won’t eat enough baby shrimp). I’ve also now got 2 ramshorn snails which appeared out of nowhere (eggs on a plant I purchased). So now I have quite the happy family and a need for a larger tank.

My issue is that I’m worried about having too many shrimp and if there is a market (can I sell them back to pet stores). To clarify though, I started out with 6 shrimp, 3 disappeared, or got eaten. Then there were 3 now I have about 10 or more (2 large females, one or two larger males and a bunch of babie). I haven’t done anything special and didn’t intend to breed them, if anything I probably do not take good enough care of my tank.


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## Zoidburg (Mar 8, 2016)

Jgrad said:


> So, it seems I have an unusual problem. I noticed today that one of my female amano shrimp is carrying eggs. My issue is that my amano shrimp are breeding and the babies are surviving. I have a small, planted unfiltered tank. I do weekly water changes and also have a betta (who won’t eat enough baby shrimp). I’ve also now got 2 ramshorn snails which appeared out of nowhere (eggs on a plant I purchased). So now I have quite the happy family and a need for a larger tank.
> 
> My issue is that I’m worried about having too many shrimp and if there is a market (can I sell them back to pet stores). To clarify though, I started out with 6 shrimp, 3 disappeared, or got eaten. Then there were 3 now I have about 10 or more (2 large females, one or two larger males and a bunch of babie). I haven’t done anything special and didn’t intend to breed them, if anything I probably do not take good enough care of my tank.




Do you have pictures of your shrimp?


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## Kubla (Jan 5, 2014)

I got most of the way through page 2 of this thread before I realized it was over 6 years old! Pics would be good. Are you certain they're Amanos? Sometimes shrimp are sold by the wrong name and other similar species offspring can survive in fresh water.


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## Jgrad (Apr 4, 2018)

I’m not 100% sure they are Amano shrimp. I got them from a rather iffy shop that had them labeled as “algae eating shrimp”. The females are slightly larger than the males at about an inch right now. They were much smaller when I got them. The females are clearing brownish with a brown stripe on their backs, black eyes and and the vertical brown marks on their sides. The males are pretty unimpressive being mostly clear/ brownish with black eyes and round dots along the side. At first I thought they might be ghost shrimp but they seem to be too big and bulky and they don’t have the extra hump on their backs. I will try to post pictures tonight as I only have iPhone photos which don’t do them justice.


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## mgeorges (Feb 1, 2017)

Jgrad said:


> I’m not 100% sure they are Amano shrimp. I got them from a rather iffy shop that had them labeled as “algae eating shrimp”. The females are slightly larger than the males at about an inch right now. They were much smaller when I got them. The females are clearing brownish with a brown stripe on their backs, black eyes and and the vertical brown marks on their sides. The males are pretty unimpressive being mostly clear/ brownish with black eyes and round dots along the side. At first I thought they might be ghost shrimp but they seem to be too big and bulky and they don’t have the extra hump on their backs. I will try to post pictures tonight as I only have iPhone photos which don’t do them justice.


If you're not moving the babies to brackish water, they aren't Amano's. The babies have to be raised in brackish water. What I suspect you have is a wild type neocaridina which can look similar to an Amano.


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## Jgrad (Apr 4, 2018)

The current pregnant female’s eggs are greenish, brownish grey if that helps. I think you might be right thought that they are the wild neocaridina. In which case if they are, should I exercise some form of population control or just let them do their thing?


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## mgeorges (Feb 1, 2017)

Jgrad said:


> The current pregnant female’s eggs are greenish, brownish grey if that helps. I think you might be right thought that they are the wild neocaridina. In which case if they are, should I exercise some form of population control or just let them do their thing?


I don't see any reason to cull them. I'd just let them do their thing. If they're happy and doing well, you could get 10's per gallon. If you get to the point where you feel like you need to reduce your numbers, I'm sure someone local would be happy to take some off your hands or you could give them away/sell them on here.


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## Jgrad (Apr 4, 2018)

Pictures of some of the shrimp, both male and females as well as one of the babies. Female with eggs is in photos one and two. Baby and male shrimp together in the third. Sorry for the quality, only had a iPhone.


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## Zoidburg (Mar 8, 2016)

I'm pretty sure they are not Neocaridina, but are in fact a Caridina species. That said, I can't tell exactly what Caridina species... they are not [Japanese] amanos, but they do remind me of [Australian] amanos, or Darwin Algae Shrimp...


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