When the first shrimp babies hide in the moss, it's a sense of achievement for every aquarist. Here are the answers to the most burning questions about breeding:
How do I tell the difference between males and females?
With adult animals, it's not that difficult:
The females: They are usually more intensely coloured, significantly more robustly built and have a pulled-down "belly armour" (to protect the eggs). A sure sign is the neck spot (the egg attachment at the nape).
The males: They are slimmer, often a little paler and generally appear smaller and more agile.
What do I need to do to get my shrimp to have babies?
Actually, all you need to do is create a feel-good atmosphere. If the water values are stable and there is enough food, the rest will happen by itself:
- Moulting: The female moults and releases pheromones.
- Mating swim: The males swim wildly through the tank to find the female.
- Carrying eggs: The female carries the fertilised eggs under her abdomen for approx. 3–4 weeks and constantly fans fresh water to them.
- Hatching: After this time, she releases fully developed mini-shrimp, approx. 1–2 mm in size.
Do I have to protect the baby shrimp from their parents?
No, that's not necessary. Dwarf shrimp are not cannibals. The parent animals do not hunt their own offspring.
Important: If you have fish in the tank, the babies need extremely fine hiding places (like moss or dense plants), as they act like living plankton for fish.
Food for the little ones: To ensure that as many babies as possible grow up, special powdered food helps. Since the little ones are very sedentary in the first few days, the food comes directly to them, no matter where they are in the moss.
