# Wood Shrimp Breeding?



## Kaylee Skylyn (Oct 17, 2005)

I've recently purchased some Wood Shrimp (Atyopsis moluccensis) and find them so interesting to watch. I am wondering if anyone knows about breeding them, or beter yet has tried or succeeded?!

So far I haven't found a whole lot about breeding them except that they are probably 'brackish' breeders, or the same as Amano shrimps in that their larva need salt water to develop in and are planktonic when hatched. 

Does anyone have more information on breeding these guys? Or seen them with egg? (if so what were the conditions?)

Kaylee


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## Faust2001 (Jul 29, 2005)

There's some basic info here. You can post on their forum and ask their experiences. I think the moderator (Mustafa) was trying to breed them, but I haven't see any updates.

There's a discussion about breeding them here, so someone might post something useful on it.

Good luck and let us know your experience with them.


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## Veneer (Jan 18, 2005)

Faust2001 said:


> There's some basic info here. You can post on their forum and ask their experiences. I think the moderator (Mustafa) was trying to breed them, but I haven't see any updates.


I think he's had females produce larvae on a regular basis but decided not to rear them due to space constraints.


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## Kaylee Skylyn (Oct 17, 2005)

Veener:
Really?!

That is such a pity...is understandable I guess but makes me sad.

Faust:
Yes I have come accross those pages. Looking for a bit more first hand info. 

Maybee I should pester Mustafa and get the specifics how he got to getting eggs at least.

Due to the lack of info in aquarium sites I've started researching their wild habitat. Hopefully I can mimic it enough to get them having eggs. ...then learning to raise the babies is a whole nother ball game too...

But any info from first hand experience would be great! If anyone does have it.

Kaylee


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## Navaros (Aug 19, 2005)

I'm curious, what types of food will these shrimp take as a staple if you are trying to keep them in a smaller, newer, tank? I wonder if they would take small ammounts of microworms and powdered foods if fed with an eyedropper?


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## Kaylee Skylyn (Oct 17, 2005)

Yes, I do have them in a newer tank and because of that I have been feeding them regularly (and probly will continue to do so because I want to keep them in good condition, and eventualy breed). I have been giving them microworms (they seem to like), vinegar eels (they didnt seem to care for...but that may have just been a bad day) and I did try some Brine Shrimp food (algae powder) they didn't seem to like at first but I think they ate it as the water was clear again by the time I got home from work and they had green dropings the next day.  Right now I just put the food in the tank, whereever, and the current picks it up and the shrimp feed from the middle of the strong current. If I get to close or move to fast they stop feeding so an eye dropper would not work (with mine anyways).

I've read of people suplementing with crushed flake food, or sinking pellets...but I'm not sure they would really eat sinking stuff but I will probably try giving mine some flake food. I did buy frozen rotifers too but due to my brand NEW frezer not working they dethawed... -_-

I gave them a new set up this morning and added a nice strong current and the female just loves it. She has been feeding *constantly* since adding the powerhead as oposed to only feeding for a little while after each feeding befor. The male is still hiding in the cave but think he may molt soon, the female did the other day.

I'll keep you posted. 

PS: The smallest tank recomended for them is 20G. I have a 33 I am dedicating for them. Going to make it a 'biotype' aquarium...a bit more than my other aquariums anyways. I temporarly have them in a 10G but don't feal comfertable with them in that for to long, they need more space.


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## lumpyfunk (Dec 22, 2004)

I just got two of these good looking shrimp, any updates? how do you sex them?


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## Kaylee Skylyn (Oct 17, 2005)

No updates other than they are living happily. 

As to sexing them: it is quite easy. Just get a good look at the first pair of walking legs. The males will be *very* large and thick and the females will be thin, only slightly bigger then the rest of her legs. See photos below.

Male:









http://www.silentecho.org/aquaria/photos/WoodShrimp-AtyopsisMoluccensis-05Nov01 077W.jpg

Female:


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## jimmydrsv (Apr 8, 2005)

Well... I definately have yet to seen a male so it seems.


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## Kaylee Skylyn (Oct 17, 2005)

Well if yours are still young they may yet develop the big legs. Mine were very mature when I purchased them so I could tell sex easily.


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