# Shrimp TOO active



## splur (Nov 26, 2011)

I'm having trouble with my CBS tank at the moment, they're zooming around like crazy... swimming all around. They've been in the tank for 2 months, so it can't be due to acclimatization issues. My CRS are same as always, grazing around but not moving much, which is what I expect as normal.

I'm worried about this behavior. Possibly pre-mating? ...

pH 6.4
temp - 71 F
ammonia - 0
nitrate - 0
KH - 0-1
GH - 6


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

When a female molts there are pheromones or other chemicals that go into the water and the males will then go nuts swimming around as part of the mating process.

It could be that it took this long for the shrimp to acclimate to your tank and for an adult female to molt and that would explain why you haven't seen this behavior before.

There could be actual problems that would cause this behavior but if it is the mating frenzy it is perfectly healthy (actually a good indicator of health since they don't tend to mate when stressed out).


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

Also, I think it is only the males that go nuts.

Have either your CRS or CBS tanks had any berried (pregnant) females yet? If so then you should have seen similar behavior.

The females will go into hiding right after molting so it isn't really easy to look for a freshly molted female to verify these things but if tank parameters look good then it is probably a mating thing.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

My tangerine tigers just ended a 3 day breeding frenzy, they were swimming around like lunatics for 3 straight days, not stopping to eat or anything. Must have had a female molt every few hours or so, because if the lights were on, they were dancing


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Sometimes the females are flying around too to get away from the males that are chasing them... They are never willing participants in this mating ritual



madness said:


> Also, I think it is only the males that go nuts.
> 
> Have either your CRS or CBS tanks had any berried (pregnant) females yet? If so then you should have seen similar behavior.
> 
> The females will go into hiding right after molting so it isn't really easy to look for a freshly molted female to verify these things but if tank parameters look good then it is probably a mating thing.


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

mordalphus said:


> My tangerine tigers just ended a 3 day breeding frenzy, they were swimming around like lunatics for 3 straight days, not stopping to eat or anything. Must have had a female molt every few hours or so, because if the lights were on, they were dancing


Good, keep pumping out those suckers.

Awesome shrimp.


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## splur (Nov 26, 2011)

madness said:


> Also, I think it is only the males that go nuts.
> 
> Have either your CRS or CBS tanks had any berried (pregnant) females yet? If so then you should have seen similar behavior.
> 
> The females will go into hiding right after molting so it isn't really easy to look for a freshly molted female to verify these things but if tank parameters look good then it is probably a mating thing.


My CRS have been mating for 2 months straight, I've seen the female hiding and males looking a bit, but... never this active.

I actually haven't seen any molted shells. I saw one yesterday but I'm almost certain it came from a cherry in the tank. None of them are hiding.

Cherries seem docile as ever too lol.


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## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

my oebt do that when its going to rain and about an hour after it starts the calm back down. sorry its sideways but you can still see the shirmp
http://s161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/wicca25_2007/?action=view&current=shrimp.mp4


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## splur (Nov 26, 2011)

wicca27 said:


> my oebt do that when its going to rain and about an hour after it starts the calm back down. sorry its sideways but you can still see the shirmp
> http://s161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/wicca25_2007/?action=view&current=shrimp.mp4


yeah... kinda like that. maybe my CRS are just super lazy...


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## gowfan05 (Feb 16, 2010)

Good info here. But I have to ask this random question: can a female mate with multiple males throughout the process? Also how long does their mating last if a male latches onto the female (1second, 1minute, or longer?)?


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Oh yes, the female mates with many males once she gets tired of running.

And the mating takes all of a second or two.


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## jasonpatterson (Apr 15, 2011)

splur said:


> Cherries seem docile as ever too lol.


This is what really strongly indicates that it's mating behavior and not some other stressor in the tank. If the cherry shrimp were going nuts too it might have been worth checking for some other problem, but if one species is going wild and the other is calmly snacking on the biofilm, then the Barry White music is playing in the background.


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## Buff Daddy (Oct 19, 2010)

jasonpatterson said:


> This is what really strongly indicates that it's mating behavior and not some other stressor in the tank. If the cherry shrimp were going nuts too it might have been worth checking for some other problem, but if one species is going wild and the other is calmly snacking on the biofilm, then the Barry White music is playing in the background.


Bwahahaha... Barry White, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, et.al. The 70s and 80s had some awesome "belly-rubbing" music. I wonder if it would work better with dinner _and _a W/C...


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