Shrimp in aquariums They began to contain it relatively recently. But the fashion for this area of ​​aquarium keeping is gradually increasing and this is understandable, because shrimps are very unusual. An aquarium with them invariably attracts attention and brings a touch of exotic brightness to our lives.

What kind of shrimp should I get?

Species aquarium shrimp a huge variety! There are freshwater and marine ones, for example, small and large, simple and extremely unusual in appearance. Some shrimp are not at all difficult to keep, they require virtually no special care, others are more finicky and require special conditions. Now the most common freshwater shrimp. If you look at the habitat, these unusual animals brought from Japan, China and India are most in demand among aquarists.
Amano, Macrobrachium, Neocaridina, Atiopsis, Bumblebee are some of the most actively purchased for aquarium keeping shrimp.

How to care for shrimp in an aquarium.

Of course, different types of shrimp will have their own characteristics when kept in an aquarium. But, in general, there are several points that should be observed after purchasing shrimp of any kind.
Temperature.
Best temperature water, which is suitable for most species - 20-27 degrees. In general, the temperature range is quite wide: from 15-16 to 29-30 C. Shrimp are most active at their optimal temperature, but if the water temperature drops below 19-20 degrees, then they become lethargic and slow. Some species die when temperatures drop.
Aeration.
Good aeration is vital for any type of shrimp. They cannot tolerate oxygen starvation, so water aeration devices must be turned on in the aquarium at all times.
Carbonate hardness.
Shrimps need carbonate to form a hard shell, so its content in the water should always be sufficient. In order to increase carbonate hardness, pieces of marble and limestone are lowered to the bottom. Or you can use a special shrimp substrate that also contains limestone.
Volume of water and type of aquarium.
The smallest shrimp can be placed in an aquarium with a volume of 3-5 liters. But the most suitable would be a rectangular aquarium with a volume of 15 liters or more. On average, it is noted that a couple of individuals need 6 liters of water. In addition, do not forget about the size of the shrimp; even a large flock of small animals in a large aquarium will be lost. Therefore, when selecting, it is necessary to take into account the size of adult individuals.

What to feed shrimp in an aquarium?

All shrimp are excellent orderlies who clean the bottom of the aquarium from remnants of fish food, excrement or dead fish. They are unpretentious in food. They enjoy eating algae, insects, snails, and from plants - pieces of spinach, carrots, and peas. It is great to use bloodworms, daphnia, and tubifex as food. Specialized food, fish food, frozen and fresh are also excellent for shrimp diets.
Feeding is carried out once a day; if necessary, shrimp can tolerate prolonged fasting.

Individual characteristics of shrimp.

Shrimp are beautiful and exotic, they move, move their long whiskers and thereby create a unique atmosphere of dynamism in the aquarium, interesting life. But when keeping shrimp, you must take into account some factors.
1. Shrimp are not only capable, but also love to “jump” out of the aquarium. But, unlike crabs, they will not be able to live in the open air for a long time, a few minutes at most. Therefore, an aquarium with shrimp must be covered with a lid on top.
2. Periodically, shrimp molt, shedding their old shell. During the growth of a new animal, the animals remain defenseless; during these days they hide in the thickets of greenery. There is no need to remove the discarded shell from the bottom; the shrimp can eat it, replenishing its carbonate reserves. One more interesting feature is that when molting, a shrimp can regenerate damaged limbs.
3. Keeping fish in the same aquarium also has its own nuances. Dwarf and other small shrimp can be kept together with non-aggressive fish. You just need to remember that shrimp fry are easily eaten even peaceful fish. In turn, larger specimens of shrimp easily damage the fins of fish, especially veil-tailed ones, and small guppies can easily be eaten. Shrimps 14-16 cm long can also dig up aquarium plants.

Whomever you see in the aquarium of friends and acquaintances. But it’s already difficult to surprise with exotic fish and snails, but a shrimp in an aquarium is already interesting. Many will say that there is nothing like that, we feed the fish with thawed shrimp every day, but we're talking about about the most living crustaceans.

Common shrimp

Variety of shrimp

Using shrimp, you can build a real tropical water corner in your apartment. A stunning variety of colors and types, ease of care, easy reproduction, and just unusualness is a good reason to think.

Shrimp characteristics:

• Size – from 2 to 5 cm, yes rare species up to 15 cm;
• Life expectancy is up to 2 years, but more often no more than a year;
• Color – cherry, blue, yellow, green, transparent.

Cardinal

There are also cardinal, red crystal, and harlequin shrimp.

Aquarium

An aquarium that contains shrimp is called a shrimp tank. It is no different from the usual one, inhabited by fish; it was named that way simply to stand out.

The volume of the shrimp tank should be within 80 liters (minimum 40). If it is less, then it is difficult to maintain biobalance, since sudden changes in parameters will negatively affect the health of the shrimp, and in larger quantities they will simply get lost in the thickets, as in the photo below.

Shrimp are good at hiding

Not recommended shared content shrimp in an aquarium with fish, as they can easily become food, but this only applies to large and aggressive fish, like or. They get along well with small guppies and harmless shrimps; moreover, at night they can even bite the veiled tails on their huge fins, but this is more of a game than a threat.

Required water parameters:

• Temperature is 18-27 degrees, but the warmer the water, the less oxygen it contains;
• Hardness – 1.5-2;
• pH – 6 -7;
• The water is fresh.

Shrimp are very sensitive to sudden changes and changes; keep the microclimate constant, or changes no more than 30% per day. A temperature jump of just 7 degrees will kill them.

The aquarium must be equipped with a fine bubble aerator and a safe filter, since baby shrimp are very small in size and can simply be sucked into the filter system.

Small shrimp in a spoon

The aerator should work around the clock, especially at night, when aquatic plants do not produce oxygen. Their body consumes more oxygen than any other aquarium inhabitants.

The bottom must be covered with a thin layer of gravel, as in streams, and there must also be shelters - decorative elements, floating and ground plants, driftwood and the like. This gives both a certain charm to the aquarium and hiding places for shrimp, especially if they are adjacent to other fish. But don’t allow there to be narrow cracks; shrimp have a habit of getting stuck, from where they then cannot get out, and die there.

Once a week, replace the water with fresh water, but not more than 40%, and room temperature, as in the aquarium itself.

Buying shrimp

Buying crustaceans is not as easy as it seems. In ordinary pet stores this is a rare product, you will have to place an order and wait, or you can turn to advertisements. Large pet stores usually have them in stock.

Shrimp in a pet store

The price for one individual starts from 100 rubles, and given their extreme fertility, it is rational to buy several pieces and simply wait until they multiply to the required quantity. The price does not differ much depending on the type and color.

When transporting them home, it is better to place them in a container with warm water and a plant placed in it so that the kids can attach to it. Carry the vessel carefully, do not shake it, otherwise you may injure the animals.

After bringing them home, place them in a separate aquarium for observation for a week. There is no guarantee that these shrimp are not from wildlife, and are not contagious with deadly infections.

Reproduction

Shrimp reproduction in an aquarium occurs all year round, the main condition is clean water.

It is not difficult to determine the maturity of a female - she releases special pheromones into the water, from which the males begin to frantically rush around the aquarium from corner to corner.

The gestation period is about a month, after which tiny, but completely ready for independent life, shrimp are born, about 30 pieces. Their parents do not pose a danger, but if there are other fish, the crustaceans will become excellent food for them, so some will have to be removed.

Pregnant shrimp

Be sure to check the filter again; if necessary, change the sponge to a more finely porous one.

There are some types of shrimp that cannot be kept in an aquarium because they have a larval stage that requires salt water. But most species are still viviparous, which is very pleasing.

Feeding

Crustaceans eat absolutely everything. These are the real orderlies of the aquarium, as they spend all their time searching for food, searching the bottom and plants. They eat leftover food after fish, plaque on leaves and stones, even their own shed shell after molting. Pet stores sell food special for shrimp, but to be honest, there is no need to buy it; you can feed it with any fish food of any size. The main thing is that he drowns sooner or later.

You can also feed it with boiled vegetables.

Special food

Both for newborns and for adults, the food is the same, this makes care and maintenance very easy.

You need to feed crustaceans once a week, sometimes having a fasting day. They easily endure a hunger strike, switching to detritus, that is, eating dead parts of plants, deposits on the ground, and simply eating dirt from the filter sponge, thereby easily surviving your vacation or long business trip. The main thing is to leave the aerator and filter on.

And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!

Most of the freshwater shrimp kept in our aquariums come from Asia. Their length, as a rule, does not exceed 6-8 cm. Almost all of them are omnivores, but they prefer lower aquatic vegetation. Shrimp are generally quite hardy creatures. Shrimp are interesting mainly during the day, when they lead an active lifestyle, quickly moving along the bottom in search of food and crawling along the leaves of plants. In a moment of danger, they make jerky swimming movements in the water column using contractions of the tail fan.

Shrimp molt regularly. Throwing off the chitinous shell. During molting (two to three days before molting and one or two after), they do not feed. Having freed themselves from the old shell, the shrimp take refuge in thickets of plants, under stones or in other shelters. After molting, the shrimp's integument is soft, and for some time, until the shell becomes hard, the animals are defenseless. After molting, shrimp recover damaged and lost limbs. In young individuals this happens faster, in adults it happens gradually.

Shrimp are peaceful. They do not attack their own kind or other inhabitants of the aquarium.
Although, when kept with fish, they themselves can become quite tasty food.

All types of aquarium shrimp are not picky about their living conditions. With the exception of some, for example, Sulawesi shrimp.
An aquarium of 10 liters or more is suitable for successful maintenance. In which you can place 10-15 shrimp. But you need to remember that sooner or later they will multiply and choosing a fry will not be so easy. Therefore, we advise you to start immediately with large aquarium volumes.

Aquarium shrimp Looks better on black soil. Although this is a matter of taste.
Amazingly, they live in temperatures ranging from 15 to 30 degrees Celsius. So, if the temperature in your apartment does not drop below 17 degrees, you can safely keep a shrimp tank without heating means. Although the ideal temperature for them would be 24-25 C.

Thus, you can save on heating, but aeration will not do this. It is imperative to install aeration in the shrimp tank. Krill, unlike fish, is very sensitive to oxygen saturation in water.

Very good for shrimp the presence of living plants is important in their habitat - an aquarium. It would be ideal to plant Java moss. Shrimp need it for hiding and cleaning. Of course, any plants will do for a start, even hornwort and pistia.

Water filtration for shrimp. It is necessary to put a nylon stocking on the internal filter; there must be a pre-filter on the intake pipe of the external filter, otherwise the shrimp will be sucked in.

Lighting for shrimp not really necessary, except to see the food :). But the plants that will be in the shrimp tank simply need it.

And now the unpleasant moment when keeping shrimp.

Aquarium shrimp are very sensitive to the chemical composition of water. The water that is replaced must be clean and well settled. You also need to pay attention to the environment when using various kinds sprays and fresheners in the room where there is an aquarium with shrimp is unacceptable; surface gas exchange has not yet been canceled. Be very careful when changing water and ventilate the room. In addition, shrimp do not tolerate high concentrations of nitrogen compounds in the aquarium.

Nutrition of aquarium shrimp

Everyone eats shrimp! In the truest sense of the word. They are constantly searching for food. Clean up dead parts of plants, corpses of other residents (if any) and smallest particles everything you can eat. These arthropods need to be fed, or rather fed, no more than once every two days. However, it is not advisable to feed them on the day when the water is changed. Hungry shrimp are better able to withstand stress or other unwanted changes.

You can feed them with any food, from dry daphnia to live and concentrated and balanced branded food.

You can feed them with Tetra shrimp food. The food should be balanced and varied. Try to alternate feeds.

Shrimp tank maintenance.

Maintaining a shrimp tank is not particularly different from maintaining an aquarium with fish.
Water changes should be done once a week ~ 1/3 of the total volume. It is advisable to do a light siphon of soil every few months. Remove dead plant parts and shells from the reels. We emphasize! Everything must be done very carefully. Shrimp much fewer fish and it is possible to inadvertently injure or even kill them. But in general there is nothing complicated or unusual.

Breeding aquarium shrimp.

There is no need to help shrimp in breeding! They do everything well themselves.
If the conditions are favorable and your shrimp are good, then the offspring will not be long in coming.
During the period when the female is ready to reproduce, she releases pheromones into the water. All males begin to frantically chase around the aquarium and look for a female. Mating lasts no more than a second. Although the process of searching for a female usually lasts for hours. Soon after mating, the female develops a so-called saddle on her back. Cherry shrimp are yellow, special shrimp are drunken gray. This is caviar at a certain stage. Subsequently, the female molts and the eggs move under the abdomen, and after 3-4 weeks the fry will appear.
Juveniles do not need special care. He immediately eats what his parents eat. It hides in the thickets and swims jerkily. The above applies only to shrimp: neocardina cherry and neocardina special. Eat complex species shrimp, which a beginner will not be able to breed, because they need special approach and a lot of knowledge and experience, for example, Amano shrimp, filter feeders.

Aquarium shrimp are no less popular than fish or aquatic plants. A transparent container with these arthropods will be a wonderful interior decoration, but before you get them, you need to figure out how much care they will require. This will largely depend on the type purchased, so it is better for beginners and experienced owners to purchase different representatives arthropods.

Aquarium shrimp exist different types and the complexity of the content, so it is better to study them better before purchasing

General description

Although there are many types of aquarium shrimp, they all have one thing in common - the same body structure. They have a well-developed tail, eyes with a wide viewing angle, and long mustaches that perform the function of touch. Instead of claws, they have three pairs of jaws that perform a motor function. The entire body is covered with a layer of chitin. In addition, females are usually almost one and a half times larger than males.

In all other respects, these arthropods are not similar to each other. They differ in origin and belonging to a particular family, in size, color and habitat. Therefore, there are several types of aquarium shrimp. Some do not require special care, while others can only be kept by an experienced breeder.

Types for beginners

For those who are getting shrimp for the first time, it is better to pay attention to attractive, but unpretentious representatives who will not need to create special living conditions. These include the following varieties:

All these species are non-aggressive and do not cause trouble to their owner.

For experienced breeders

If you have successfully dealt with unpretentious creatures, you can try to get shrimp that require more careful attention. For example, one of these types:

Such decorative shrimps require professional care under the supervision of an experienced aquarist. To maintain them, special soil treatment and installation of a reverse osmosis system are required.

Basic conditions of detention

Shrimp in an aquarium require proper care. To ensure this, even before purchasing arthropods, you need to prepare their home and think about what they will need for a comfortable life in the future.

Choosing an aquarium

For shrimp, you need to choose a container of a suitable volume, where each representative will have about 0.5 liters of water. Of course, some species feel fine in more cramped conditions, but sufficient space will be the key to peaceful coexistence between neighbors.

You need to calculate the volume of the aquarium based on the number of shrimp. For each shrimp 0.5 liters of water

The shape of the container is not of primary importance, but for beginners it will be more convenient to care for a rectangular wide tank that is easy to clean. You also need to remember to cover the container with a lid to prevent its inhabitants from jumping out.

The optimal solution would be to start a shrimp tank, that is, a special aquarium where only arthropods will be settled. If fish live in the same container, hunting for small shrimp is inevitable, so they will need a large number of shelters, such as decorations, stones or moss.

Water preparation

Arthropods are more sensitive to water characteristics than fish. They usually do well in temperatures between 20 and 28 degrees Celsius. If the temperature rises to 32 degrees, they will die. If it drops to 15, they will stop reproducing and lose mobility, but there is no mortal threat. The previous behavior is quickly restored when the liquid is brought to normal temperature.

For unpretentious shrimp, you can use the most ordinary tap water. It’s even good if it has slightly increased rigidity, since the shrimp will build a shell from the elements included in it when molting. But too hard water will be uncomfortable and will stop reproduction.

Most shrimp do well in water 20-28C

More demanding creatures will need water with a nearly neutral pH and zero hardness. This is achieved by passing the liquid through a reverse osmosis unit. After this, you will need to add special salt to the water for a comfortable life for the shrimp.

Before pouring into the aquarium, the water must settle and reach room temperature. You can change the fluid only once a week, pouring out 1/5 of it and replacing it with fresh one.

Required equipment

As for aquarium equipment, first of all you will need a compressor, since a large number shrimp may lack oxygen.

If there are a lot of shrimp, you definitely need a compressor for the aquarium.

Filtration systems are usually installed in aquariums where both arthropods and fish live, so the shrimper can do without it. But if there are a lot of inhabitants and few plants, then it is still better to purchase an external canister or internal sponge filter. To prevent small shrimp from being sucked in, you will need to put a sponge on the pipe of the device.

Crustaceans need lighting to form daily biological rhythms. In addition, aquarium plants cannot do without light. Fluorescent or LED sources are well suited for this purpose. They will work efficiently and economically, and the water will not heat up.

To maintain the desired temperature you will have to get a heater. It is better if it is equipped with a thermostat that maintains the set value. But you can’t always completely trust the device, so sometimes you need to control the temperature it sets using a thermometer.

If the days are hot and the water in the aquarium gets very hot, you will need to install a fan or refrigeration unit that reduces the temperature to acceptable values.

Waste must be removed regularly so that the ammonia released from it does not lead to diseases of the shrimp. To do this, you will have to carefully siphon the soil.

Suitable nutrition

Nutrition - important point in keeping aquarium shrimp. They eat everything: algae buds, fish food, plant leaves. But they also need to be given boiled vegetables or special food purchased at a pet store. In the latter case, you need to pay attention to the composition. It must contain calcium, which is necessary for building the shell. Otherwise, the shrimp may begin to eat their own shell.

Frozen brine shrimp is suitable as food for shrimp.

Good choice frozen food made from bloodworms, brine shrimp or even cod meat is considered.

There is no need to feed arthropods more than 1-3 times a week, since they will already eat up the plants in the aquarium, and increased feeding can harm them. In addition, in nature they often go without food for 7-10 days.

Breeding rules

Reproduction occurs when the female reaches sexual maturity. At this time, she begins to secrete enzymes that attract the male. He fertilizes the eggs that appear under her tail, and after 4-6 weeks larvae emerge from them. As soon as they emerge from the eggs, they will immediately be able to feed on their own and, in general, lead a lifestyle characteristic of adults.

But for this process to occur, conditions for mating must be created. The female's achievement of sexual maturity can be accelerated by frequently replacing the water with fresh water. In this case, the shrimp molt faster, preceding the release of pheromones.

Shrimp fry immediately lead an independent lifestyle, like adults

After successful fertilization, you need to be even more careful about the characteristics of the water. Under any unfavorable factors, the female may shed her eggs and a new generation will not appear.

It is worth considering that up to 40 new larvae can appear at a time, but overpopulation usually does not occur, since with a lack of space and food, large individuals begin to feed on small ones, thereby regulating their numbers.

Compatibility with fish

If you don’t want to have a separate shrimp tank, you can add arthropods to snails or small non-aggressive fish. Shrimp get along well with the following species:

• micro-assessments;

Neon fish can be a good aquarium mate for shrimp

However, even these fish will be interested in their too small neighbors and some of the shrimp will still be eaten. This can be avoided by introducing large enough arthropods to small fish so that they cannot swallow them.

For check-in to be successful, you must adhere to the following rules:

Thus, by taking your time and monitoring the well-being of your new pets, you can successfully place them in a new place of residence.

Common mistakes

Those who decide to keep shrimp for the first time often encounter certain difficulties. Their pets get sick or even die, although it would seem that everything was done correctly: an aquarium was selected, water and food were prepared, everything was purchased necessary equipment.

Aquarium shrimp can get sick and die if the water in the aquarium is too stagnant

The thing is that small arthropods are very sensitive to various components environment. The owner should be aware that the following factors have a detrimental effect on them:

1. Insufficiently settled water. Fresh liquid, in which microflora has not yet developed, is detrimental to shrimp, so before the first pour, the water should stand in a dark place for several weeks.
2. Tobacco smoke. If you smoke in a room with an aquarium, aquatic inhabitants will not live long in such conditions. Shrimp are so sensitive to smell that they can be harmed even if you put food in them with an unwashed hand that was holding a cigarette.
3. Medicines and water stabilizers. Any chemicals that contain the slightest traces of copper have a detrimental effect on arthropods.

Thus, the owner may accidentally make a mistake that will lead to the death of his pets. To prevent this from happening, you need to take care of the inhabitants of the aquarium responsibly, and then they will delight you with their beauty and health.

Today no one will be surprised by an aquarium in the house, but by its diversity underwater inhabitants this can be done easily. Indeed, in addition to traditional aquarium fish, other inhabitants can also live in it underwater world. These include red eared turtles, clawed frogs, crayfish and aquarium shrimp, which can complement life behind the glass of an aquarium. But you should understand that while aquarium shrimp are suitable for almost any aquarium, keeping frogs or turtles will be much more difficult. That is why you need to first find out all the information about the content of the desired species, and only then get it.

Shrimp appeared in the aquarium in the early 2000s, although domestic aquarists practiced keeping local species back in the early 2000s. Soviet times. But the real interest in them arose with the import of cherry shrimp from Asia, which has a bright red color. This is where the development of breeding and selection of various species began.

Now on sale for the aquarium you can find such species as: Amano, Red and Black Crystal shrimp, various colors of cherry shrimp (blue, red, yellow, orange and even black), Babaulti, Pinocchio, Sulawesi (cardinal, etc.), etc. d. They differ from each other both in color and living conditions, and in types of nutrition. The size of some reaches ten centimeters, while others barely reach two centimeters.

If we talk about scientific names, most aquarium shrimp belong to two genera: Neocaridina (cherry) and Caridina (crystal, babaulti). Although they are similar to each other in size and lifestyle, they belong to different subspecies. And they cannot interbreed with each other.

In nature, shrimp live in shallow streams and river mouths, some prefer cooler or brackish water, others do not tolerate ammonia impurities. A common feature Everyone has a love for clean and oxygenated water; this should not be forgotten when keeping them in a common aquarium.

Keeping shrimp in an aquarium, although considered simple, still requires certain knowledge and experience. For example, you should not put them in a newly installed aquarium with fresh water, this can lead to death. The water should sit for at least a couple of weeks, microflora should develop in it, and only then can the shrimp be safely relocated to their new home.

Shrimp also cannot tolerate certain odors, in particular tobacco smoke. This means that you should not smoke in the room where they are kept, and you should not sprinkle food with your hands that were holding a cigarette.

You should not use chemicals in the aquarium, be it medicines for diseases or water stabilizers. Most of them contain copper sulfate and other copper impurities, and all freshwater aquarium shrimp are very sensitive to them.

• cichlids;
• barbs;
• labyrinthine;
• labeo;
• bots, etc.

For them, shrimp are just food, but not neighbors in the aquarium.

But with whom shrimps will definitely get along are small species of characins and viviparous fish. Great neighbors can be:

• micro-assessments;
• guppy;
• neons;
• Rhodostomus and many other species.

As you can see, keeping fish together is possible, but don’t forget: fish taste everything that suits their mouth size. This means that small shrimp will serve as food for them, although, of course, they will not eat all the young ones.

• temperature 20-25 degrees;
• pH 6.5–7.2;
• GH - 4–6;
• KH 1–2.

A special soil for shrimp and a reverse osmosis system help create such conditions.

For beginner aquarists, it is recommended to keep cherry shrimp, Amano or Babaulti shrimp. They are unpretentious, have an attractive appearance and are undemanding to water parameters. Having gained experience, it is worth moving on to more demanding types.

Nutritional Features

Caring for shrimp is easy, because their diet is not too different from fish. Moreover, they serve as natural orderlies of the aquarium, picking up all the food that has fallen to the bottom that they have not eaten. aquarium fish. And this is one of the factors that made them popular in the world of aquariums.

But there are also some nuances that should be taken into account in the content. So, freshwater shrimp in an aquarium molt regularly, so they grow. And for successful molting, they require calcium, so they should be periodically given food high in calcium. If there is a shortage of it, they eat their shell, from which they just crawled out. To do this, you can use special food produced by industrial companies, or some types of frozen food (bloodworm, brine shrimp, cod meat). In general, the use of seafood for feeding aquarium animals has long been used both here and in the West.

Any aquarium for shrimp must be planted with plants, this is necessary for their proper nutrition. And also dense thickets of plants, in addition to providing food, will also serve as additional shelter for the young. Java moss is well suited for this purpose; all types of arthropods love it.

But not all types of shrimp eat the same. For example, filter feeders prefer to sit near the filter and use their fan-shaped paws to catch food particles from the water. Therefore, when keeping them, you should spray a little food in the water and add it to the aquarium with shrimp.

Breeding conditions

It is not difficult to distinguish a female from a male in some species, while in others it is difficult to do this due to their rich color (golden bee). But in general view the differences are as follows: females are larger than males, they have a so-called saddle on their backs, and they are usually brighter in color. Males are smaller, less colored, and Amano has half the price for females.

If favorable conditions for life are created in the aquarium, then reproduction will take place naturally and regularly. But you should know only one thing - females are ready for mating only after molting. Then they release pheromones into the water, which force all the males in the aquarium to rush around in search of a female. A water change can serve as a stimulus for molting.

After fertilization, eggs appear on the female’s abdomen, which she carries for about a month. At the end of this period, small shrimp are clearly visible in the eggs. From the moment they hatch, they begin to feed independently and lead a typical lifestyle for their species. One female lays up to 40 eggs at a time, their number directly depends on the size and type of the female.

In the event of a sharp drop in temperature or other unfavorable factors, the female may shed her eggs, which is why it is so important to maintain stable water parameters in the aquarium.

All species are easily bred in aquariums, except Amano, filter feeders, Sulawesi and a number of others - their larval stage takes place in sea ​​water. And it is almost impossible to recreate it at home.

An interesting feature of shrimp

A small but very interesting feature is their ability to independently regulate their numbers depending on surrounding factors. So, if there is a lot of space and food in the aquarium, then they begin to multiply en masse, and after 4-6 months their number can increase tenfold.

But as soon as the resources in the aquarium become limited and there are no longer enough for everyone, the reverse process occurs. Reproduction decreases, and large shrimp begin to eat small ones, thereby reducing population density. Although when favorable conditions Cannibalism is never noted.

In conclusion

To summarize all of the above, having briefly examined the types of shrimp, their maintenance and care, the conclusion suggests itself: both a novice aquarist and an experienced aquarist can keep them, the contents will be equally interesting to everyone. The main thing is not to rush into purchasing; you must first choose the desired species correctly and prepare the aquarium, and then you will not encounter any problems.