Caridina shrimp have captured the attention of aquarium enthusiasts worldwide. These beautiful, exotic creatures are prized for their beauty and captivating behavior.
They also command high prices and can be a lucrative source of income for those who breed them. Rare variants in particular attract a cult following among serious collectors.
Care
Shrimp can be a little challenging for a beginner to care for. They need small tank mates, require a certain amount of light and are very sensitive to changes in their environment. There is a wide variety of information available online about how to properly care for them, but the real learning experience comes from trying things out and learning something new every day. Keeping shrimp is a great way to keep your brain sharp, so it basically makes you smarter.
Feeding
Because rare caridina shrimp are prone to sudden changes in water parameters, keeping them in larger tanks helps to maintain stability. They also love to graze on biofilm in the tank, so a sponge filter or foreground plants like dwarf hairgrass (Eleocharis parvula and E. acicularis) or dwarf sagittaria (Sagittaria subulata) can help to keep your tank clean. They also do best in groups of at least ten, which gives them more room to hide and less likely to become the focus of attention by other fish or inverts. Shrimp require very little care, but can be fascinating to watch. They have even been shown to make their owners smarter!
Breeding
Shrimp are exotic creatures that command medium to high prices depending on their grade. They spawn readily, making them an ideal hobby to get into for those seeking to make some extra cash. They are extremely attractive animals to watch grazing on moss and algae, their colorations and patterns are awe inspiring to the eyes. Breeding them can be a fun and exciting hobby that will allow you to see the offspring grow.
In the beginning it is important to start with a high quality tank and the highest grade shrimp you can afford. This will ensure you have offspring that are of a higher caliber and will be more valuable when it comes to selling them. B and C grades can be bred and sold as well, but they won’t bring in as much money.
Once your shrimp are sexually mature (4-6 months old) they will need to be paired with a male. Breeding occurs right after the female molts, during this process she sheds her exoskeleton and hides while she releases pheromones telling the male to find her. Once paired the female will carry the fertilized eggs under her tail until they hatch.
It is important to purchase your shrimp from local breeders or well-reviewed websites that will provide you with the best quality specimens. This will reduce the chance of getting a diseased animal that could cause costly problems in your future.
Caridina shrimp come in many different colors and patterns that have been selectively bred to meet aquarist’s desired look. These strains are often referred to by the names of their color, such as bee shrimps, crystal shrimps and tiger shrimps. It is also possible to create hybrids between these different strains. These hybrids are referred to as strains and have their own unique names that aquarists assign.
