breeding tank
A structure for breeding Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata). Source: Image on Wikimedia Commons License: public domain Author: Rchampagne
A small group of females and males are kept in an aquarium.
A 12 liter glass aquarium is suitable for three females and two males. So that shrimp and larvae can be easily observed, the tank is set up and planted sparingly.
A few shrimp tubes, which are readily available in stores, and a small dwarf spear blade will do. The bottom can be sand or gravel.
A filter is not necessary. An oxygen stone is sufficient to provide slight water movement. 50% or more water changes once a week.
A heater is only necessary if the temperature falls below approx. 21°. Lighting is useful to be able to see the larvae.
The glass pane of a suitable picture frame can be used as a cover.
breeding tank
A 12 liter glass aquarium is also sufficient as a rearing tank. The pool is set up as bright and sunny as possible, e.g. B. on a window sill. Shading should be available in summer. The temperature is kept at around 23° with a heater. About one air bubble per second is let into the pool with an air hose in order to move the water slightly. The glass pane of a suitable picture frame can be used as a cover.
Osmosis water is salted with 25 grams of salt per liter and filled into the pool. Due to the bright location, the breeding tank grows algae over time. The water should turn a bright green so that the larvae swim in the food. If it takes too long for algae to turn the water green, a few drops of liquid algae food, e.g. B. JBL ArtemioFluid, which stimulate algae formation.
In the rearing tank, only evaporated water is replaced by osmosis water. No water is changed. When one or more generations of larvae have been reared, the rearing tank is cleaned with hot water and set up again.
Larvae after successful breeding
Transfer the larvae
Amano shrimp Source: Image on Wikimedia Commons License: public domain Author: Rchampagne
The larvae are transferred from the breeding tanks to the rearing tank as quickly as possible. The larvae cope with the different salinity and slight temperature differences without any problems.
If there are many larvae in the breeding tank, turn off the lights. You shine a flashlight in a corner of the aquarium. After some time, the larvae gather there. From there, the larvae can be sucked out into a glass container using an air hose. The outflowing water must not splash into the collection vessel from above. The hose must be kept close to the ground to avoid injuring the larvae. With an air hose and a disposable pipette, e.g. B. a funnel can be made. The larvae then do not notice the current so strongly and are carried away. They are then placed in seawater for rearing.
If the females only release a few eggs over a longer period of time, the individual larvae are removed from the breeding tank using a fine Artemia sieve.
Amano shrimp Source: Image on Wikimedia Commons License: public domain Author: Rchampagne
First, a glass bowl is filled with water from the breeding tank. The sieve is carefully placed under a larva some distance away.
There should be no strong currents. Otherwise, the larvae quickly roll up and jump a good distance to another position. If the sieve is under a larva, the sieve is taken out of the water with one quick movement. If the sieve is held at a slight angle, only a little water remains in the sieve and ideally the larva too. This requires some practice.
So that the salt water is not diluted by water from the breeding tank, the water in the sieve is largely allowed to run back through the sieve into the breeding tank.
Then the sieve is dipped into the glass bowl at a slight angle and pulled out again so that the larvae are easily washed into the bowl.
Once all the larvae have been fished out of the breeding tank, the glass bowl is held at a slight angle in the breeding tank so that the water flows into the breeding tank.
Raise the larvae
Young Caridina multidentata one month old. Source: Image on Wikimedia Commons License: public domain Author: Rchampagne
No further intervention is required to rear the larvae.
If the water is bright green, the larvae have enough food.
Water changes are not required.
After a few weeks, young shrimp that have developed can be found in the rearing tank.
When these are about 1 to 2 centimeters in size, they can be transferred directly from salt water to fresh water.
Special adjustment measures are not required.
Some quick tips
Amano shrimp Photo: Christoph Besser
Only glass aquariums and glass vessels should be used. Breeding in plastic tanks is difficult or impossible. Salt water may dissolve substances from the plastic that are fatal to the larvae.
Temperatures above about 30° do not seem to suit the young shrimp. They race through the breeding tank at such temperatures.
25 grams of salt per liter seems to be the lower limit for proper breeding success. You have to experiment with a higher salt content of up to approx. 35 grams of salt. Salt for saltwater aquariums should preferably be used as the salt.
Osmosis water is probably not absolutely necessary.
A few drops of marine trace elements may support development.
It makes sense to mark the water surface in the rearing tank so that the water evaporation can be easily monitored and, if necessary, compensated.
The larvae and even the young shrimp are very difficult to see in water with good algae growth.
Amano shrimp Source: Image on Wikimedia Commons License: CC Attr. SA 3.0 Author: BS Thurner Hof
If no more larvae come through after initial success, the rearing tank should be set up again.
A styrofoam plate behind the rearing tank can be used for insulation at night in winter and for shading during high temperatures in summer.
Algae growth should not be increased by fertilizer if possible. At most, a few drops should be used immediately after reinstallation. Fertilizer should be avoided while larvae are in the tank.
As long as the water is green, the larvae should not be fed extra. Supplemental food should only be used as an emergency when larvae but no algae are present.
The artemia sieve should be as square as possible. The larvae can then be lifted more easily along the aquarium pane. On round sevens, they jump away even faster.