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Encouraging aquarium shrimp to breed in your tank can sometimes be difficult. So a bit of troubleshooting can really help if your shrimp are not breeding and you’re not sure why.
There are several reasons why shrimp sometimes don’t breed in an aquarium setup. These include:
- Shrimp Gender (Males/Females)
- Shrimp Breeding Age
- Tank Temperature
- Water Parameters
- Tank Environment/Tank Maturity
- Food Supply
- Filtration (Oxygenation & Flow)
- Tank Maintenance
- Shrimp Health/Genetics
- Shrimp Type
- Time And Patience
Let’s take a closer look at the points on the list above so you know what to check if your having a problem getting your shrimp to breed.
Shrimp Gender (Males/Females)
You need both male and female shrimp in your tank if you want your shrimp to breed. I know this is an obvious statement. But telling male and female shrimp apart isn’t that easy. Particularly when they are young and/or you haven’t kept shrimp before.
As shrimp approach their full size or reach sexual maturity it becomes easier to tell. Adult female shrimp are usually larger and fuller in the body than adult males, with their underbelly being more rounded. Females are also deeper in colour than the males as a general rule. But this may depend on the type of shrimp that you’re trying to breed. So it’s worth doing a little research about your chosen shrimp.
Getting a fair sized group of shrimp from the start will increase your chances of having both sexes in your aquarium. And as most shrimp like to live in a colony it’s a case of the more the merrier. It’s also worth telling your Pet Store, Aquatic Dealer, or whoever you’re getting your shrimp from, that you would like both males and females.
Tip: Take a good look at your shrimp to check that you have both sexes. Using a magnifying glass close up to the tank is useful for this.
Shrimp Breeding Age
Different types of shrimp reach sexual maturity at different ages. Although, because most aquarium shrimp don’t have a particularly long life span, their breeding age begins early on in their life. So anywhere between 2-6 months is not unusual. It’s worth finding out about the average breeding age for your type of shrimp so that you get a good idea of when you’re likely to see shrimplets in your tank.
A good indicator that your shrimp are getting ready to breed is that sexually mature females develop what is known as a saddle on their back just behind their head. It’s called a saddle because it looks very similar in shape to a saddle that you would put on a horse to ride it. The saddle contains unfertilized eggs ready for breeding. The saddle may or may not be visible depending on the colour or type of your shrimp. But on my Red Cherry Shrimp the saddle is golden yellow and is easy to spot.
For more information about keeping Cherry Shrimp read my article ‘Cherry Shrimp | An In-Depth Guide To Their Care‘.
Tip: If your shrimp are really young when you first get them you need to give them time to mature until they’re ready to breed. So be patient.
Tank Temperature
Some types of shrimp prefer warmer water and others do better in cooler temperatures. For example, Caridina shrimp such as Crystal Reds like their water to be on the warmer side. Neocaridina shrimp like Cherry shrimp prefer things to be a little cooler. So make sure that you keep the tank water at the correct temperature for your chosen shrimp to live and breed in. Because if your shrimp aren’t happy with the water temperature they are unlikely to start reproducing.
Tip: Using a simple tank thermometer helps you to monitor the water temperature. It’s also useful as an early warning if something goes wrong with your aquarium heater.
Water Parameters
The type of water parameters needed for shrimp to thrive and breed in can vary between shrimp species. Some shrimp prefer soft water and some hard water. So you need to know which water your shrimp will need. However, all shrimp are sensitive to the levels of Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia. With high levels of the last two in particular being deadly for shrimp and other aquarium inhabitants.
You can test your tank water by using a Water Testing Kit (Amazon link). There are different types of testing kits available so choose one that suits you and your budget.
Tip: Water Testing Kits are a useful troubleshooting tool if you’re having trouble getting your shrimp to breed and/or your shrimp are dying on a frequent basis.
Tank Environment/Tank Maturity
The general tank environment and the maturity of the tank make a difference when it comes to encouraging your shrimp to breed.
Tank Environment
Shrimp of all kinds need secluded areas to hide and breed in. It’s easy to create these by using plants whether they’re live or fake ones. You can also use tank decorations such as coconut domes or anything else that’s aquarium safe and provides shelter.
The reason for this is that breeding generally occurs after a female shrimp has moulted. After moulting she hides herself away. She then sends out pheromones into the water to let the males know she is ready to mate. Then all the sexually mature males in the tank try to seek her out. So you will need to provide your shrimp with hiding places for breeding purposes.
Your shrimp won’t mind about your taste in tank decor. Just be sure to give them some suitable areas to breed in.
Tank Maturity
Shrimp do better in mature aquariums. One reason for this is that over time a tank accumulates a natural build up of algae and biofilm that provides a food source for both adult and baby shrimp. Another reason is that mature tanks have become balanced and shrimp like stability in their environment.
So it’s always a good idea to add your shrimp to an established/mature tank rather than a new tank setup. That’s not to say that you can’t add shrimp to a relatively new tank. It’s just that things will take a little longer and are likely to be a bit more tricky.
You can give your new tank a boost by using aquarium products such as API Quick Start (Amazon link) to get the tank cycle off to a good start. These products contain Nitrifying Bacteria that speed up the production of a healthy tank environment. There are other brands of similar products available such as Fritz Aquatics FritzZyme 7 (Amazon link) and a few others too.
Tip: An established/mature aquarium is the ideal start for a shrimp breeding tank. But if you haven’t got time to wait, or you’re not sure how well your tank has cycled, use an aquarium product that is designed to speed up the process.
Food Supply
Shrimp are more likely to breed if they have a regular food supply. This can be made up of the naturally occurring algae, biofilm and decaying leaf matter in an established/mature tank. If you add other foods such as green vegetables, shrimp pellets and fish food flakes etc, as a treat on a regular basis, your shrimp will be more likely to reproduce.
Shrimp in a community tank will eat any food that the fish and other tank inhabitants have missed. Which is one of the reasons that shrimp are great members of any tank clean-up crew.
Tip: Feed your shrimp well but Never Overfeed your tank. Leftover food will decay and make the tank water unhealthy.
Filtration (Oxygenation & Flow)
Most types of shrimp only need minimal filtration, oxygenation and flow. Shrimp tend to do better and breed more successfully if the filtration system isn’t too fast. After all, many aquarium shrimp species are relatively small and won’t do well if they are constantly fighting against a strong current. For shrimp only tanks a sponge filter run by an air pump is ideal. These also work well in fish and community tanks where a more gentle but efficient filtration is needed or preferred.
If you’d like to learn more about using a sponge filter in your aquarium read my article ‘What Is An Aquarium Sponge Filter?‘ for more information.
Tip: If your filter’s intake is big enough for your shrimp to crawl into, or to be sucked into, you can prevent losses by using a pre-filter sponge.
Tank Maintenance
Regular but gentle tank maintenance is important if you want your shrimp to breed. Shrimp like clean water but don’t like drastic water changes. So the key here is to carry out small but frequent water changes that don’t disrupt the water parameters too much each time.
Also, because the main source of food for most shrimp is algae, biofilm and decaying leaf debris don’t scrub your tank so clean that there’s no natural food left in the tank. Not only will your shrimp go hungry you will upset the balance of beneficial bacteria that helps to keep your tank environment healthy.
Tip: Using a pale coloured or transparent water change bucket for a tank that contains shrimp is helpful. It makes it easier to see if you’ve accidently syphoned out any shrimp. Let the water in the bucket settle, then catch out any shrimp you find and put them back into their tank.
Shrimp Health/Genetics
The healthier your shrimp are when you buy them the better the chance you have of them breeding successfully. Unhealthy shrimp are likely to die off rather than breed. And shrimp that have been inbred for too long are unlikely to produce healthy and strong shrimplets. So choose your supplier carefully.
Make sure that you get your shrimp from a reputable dealer if you want your shrimp colony to expand over time.
Tip: Getting your shrimp from 2 or 3 different reliable sources is a good way to mix up the gene pool and produce healthy shrimplets. You will need to check that they didn’t all originate form the same initial supplier though.
Shrimp Type
Some shrimp can’t breed successfully in freshwater. For example, Amano Shrimp will mate and produce young in a freshwater tank. But their shrimplets will only live for about 24-48 hours max. The reason for this is that some shrimp need to release their offspring in fresh water that flows down stream to brackish (slightly salty) water for the shrimplets to survive. Once the shrimplets get big enough they make their way back to the freshwater.
Although the adults live in freshwater, and wouldn’t survive in brackish or salty water, the shrimplets start off their life that way.
If you would like more information about keeping Amano Shrimp read my article ‘Amano Shrimp | An In-Depth Guide To Their Care‘.
There are other popular aquarium shrimp that release their young into brackish water too. Wood/Bamboo Shrimp are another example. So any shrimp who’s shrimplets need brackish water to begin their life in won’t breed successfully in a freshwater tank.
Tip: If you want your shrimp to breed in a freshwater tank check before you buy them that they can do that. If you don’t want them to breed choose ones that need brackish water for their babies to survive.
Time And Patience
If you want your shrimp to breed you need to give it time. Time for your tank to mature. Time for your shrimp to mature. Time for them to produce shrimplets. All of these things need your patience.
So be prepared to wait.
And be prepared to try again if things don’t work out first time round. Just keep going and learn by your experience and the experience of other shrimp keepers.
