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Lets do a quick little update on how the ‘continual coral food theory’ is coming along. If you are in puzzlement, look here to get you up to speed.
Initially, I started with two cleaner shrimps inside the refugium, and four in the display. The display was and is on a moonlight cycle, and the refuge on a regular light cycle (opposite of display). My first observations were primitive, but yet interesting. I noted in the last post on this topic that all of the shrimp molted at the same time. This was probably due to the moon cycle triggering a group molt. Coincidentally, the shrimp in the refuge never molted (or never had seen their molts).
Fast track to today! Some of you all don`t know about cleaner shrimp`s deadly behavior. I must inform you that no matter how many shrimp (cleaner in this case) you have in your display (or any tank), they will dwindle to only a pair. Why? They are very territorial and will kill all in existence once paired. I currently only have two shrimp in the display, a far cry from four a few months ago. On the other hand, the two paired shrimp in the fuge are fine, thank you for asking.
So what about their reproduction? Both sets of shrimp now have eggs along their undersides. That’s four with eggs. Now, what is very interesting, is that the shrimp in the fuge carried eggs way before the shrimp in the display. You would say, ‘oh, its because they were probably more mature!’. And you would be right if they were bought in two separate batches. But they were not. They all came together in a single batch, so I could safely assume they were the same age.
As it stands right now, they have not released their eggs. The display shrimp have started carrying eggs short after my last post on this topic. This is also when they killed the last shrimp. Sad story, probably has a Stephen King novel written all over it.. really! But the remaining shrimp, by calendar, have been holding for close to a month. The babies are be due any moment now. Should be checking the fuge tonight. Who knows, I may see a tiny cleaner alive!
In the meantime, I will try to acquire more shrimp.. specifically a couple of blood shrimp.
As always, come back to hear more on this, and other cool little topics that we bring. C-ya reefnecks!!
Trained by the thirteenth ring master of the Sian Xiuang Coral Temple. Currently is apprenticing the art of Acropora shaping in the ancient tradition of Ninja Fragging. Known as the SPS hero!
any down side to the blood shrimp, besides stealing food from my corals?
Don’t know personally. I think they are the most docile out of the ones we tend to keep.
I have two cleaners and two blood. They have paired but I have not checked them for eggs. I did however note a release of some tiny shrimp like creatures on Sunday after doing some maintenance work in the area where the cleaners hang out. The fish snapped them up before I could get a closer look. I will be watching them a lot closer now. They will crawl onto my hand if I present it to them so inspection should be fairly easy.
Yup, that would be tiny shrimp. They will be your fish or coral food. If you have enough being released, they might be both.
You can try raising them
I do have the shrimp breeding book …. not likely for cleaner or blood but peppermint is do-able.
Maybe later I will steal your book. Right now, the focus is on corals