Peppermint shrimp breeding

[LanglandJoshua]

My main tank has been bustling with baby shrimp. I know they've been aquacultured for a while. But has anyone ever had them breed successfully in a community tank. Also, any suggestions on how to catch the buggers. I am devising a plastic and fishnet trap. But at the rate they are breeding as soon as I can start selling them, I have to.

 

I'm just curious if anyone else has had this experience. I am very surprised, happy, and confused haha.

 

I am planning to add a 120 gallon tank to my system so I can have enough room for them all.

[LanglandJoshua]

Does no one have info? I haven't heard of this before in a reef tank, and just want some info.

 

I know they let loose eggs. The larvae eventually settle, then grow. But everywhere I look says they will be nothing more than food unless they are separated from the main tank. I've seen mine eaten. But I know several are making it. I can see several that are definitely peppermints by body shape. Could someone please help me out here? I plan on buying the book on raising and training them. But cant do a multi-system approach.

[Chad]

I have honestly never heard of it happening in-tank before.

 

The problem is that there is some period of time between when the eggs hatch and when they settle that they are palegic (I think it is something like 2 weeks for peppermint shimp), in most setups the fish have ample opportunity to eat all of the larvae before they settle. Are you sure they are not mysids?

 

Maybe do some research and post in MOFIB.

[rocko918]

i have heard of tanks having shrimp breed (not sure if they are peppermints). I have not heard of anyone really trying to breed them.

 

I am not sure why you are in such a rush. Let them grow in the main tank and see how they do. If they get eaten don't worry i am sure they will lay eggs again. If that happens get a pico tank with a bubblier or something and throw some in there. Trial and error. seems like you are trying to make some money off these, i would just hold off on trying to sell them til you figure out what they are and if they will survive.

 

I say keep up what you are doing. let them grow or net some in put in the sump. I think you might have more success netting them at night.

 

relax and enjoy them too.

[L8 2 RISE]

Are you sure they aren't mysis or something?

[Supernova26]

I got a feeling they are mysid shrimp. I have them in my tank and a few of them can get slightly larger then others. I have also noticed that some of my mysids have a red tint to them.

[LanglandJoshua]

I have had a couple members over, they agreed. It looked like tiny little peppermints. I have looked at images of mysis. But they look nothing alike to what I had. Unfortunately when I got my tank I had to move everything. Even more unfortunately I dont have space for the kind of tank I was going to set up for the shrimp. So after looking at what I do have space for I will be cloning anemone's. RBTA's and some GBTA's in a 20 gallon refugium.

[motti]

I used to have peppermints spawn in my previous tank. Huge meal for the rest of the tank :-)

[motti]

Joshua I got the book "how to raise and train your peppermint shrimp" which I could spare

[LanglandJoshua]

That would be awesome, I have heard of that one! Unfortunately I may read books quickly, but I LOVE to keep them. Thanks for the title. I've been trying to remember that one...any other suggested good reads I can go buy? BTW, thanks lots for the offer.

[dave w]

Joshua, sorry to be late coming to this topic. Peppermints spawn like crazy in just about any type of tank you can imagine. Back when I used an undergravel filter, the female would swim to the airlift at the top of the tank just before dusk and flick off zoea with her legs into the water stream. Same behavior with the skunk and fire cleaner shrimp. I'd guess they have been spawning for a while and you may not have noticed it.

 

However the larvae won't last a day because everything in the tank eats them. I also can lend you April Kirkendoll's book about 'raising and training your peppermint shrimp'. She found the best food for her babies was.....

 

drumroll......

 

flake food! yes, the zoea grabbed hold of finely ground flake food and wrestled with it while eating it. I don't remember their pelagic span, but I think it was more like 4 weeks than 2 weeks.

 

Hope this information helps and you have many more baby shrimp in your future.