Many people like to admire the large leisurely fish swimming in the home aquarium. However, even very small inhabitants of the underwater world, such as snails and shrimps, will become interesting breeding sites.
Shrimp adapted for life in home aquariums, there are dozens of species. The most popular are small Neocardin shrimps, for the content of a pair of which a couple of liters capacity is enough.
Shrimp homeland
In nature, this type of arthropod is found in shallow fresh water bodies of China and Taiwan. The bottom of such reservoirs consists of silty sediments and fine sand, and the flow of water is almost imperceptible.
Despite this, shrimp prefer to live in clean water with a high oxygen content. The bodies of wild shrimp do not differ in bright colors, they are almost transparent to merge with the environment as much as possible.
Typically, females are slightly larger than males and more brightly colored. In nature, it is difficult to distinguish the gender of a small shrimp, except for the size, the shape of the tail also differs. The male has a direct underbelly, and the female is wide and convex, created for carrying eggs.
Wild Neocardine shrimp live in small flocks, quickly scattering in case of danger.
Shrimp species
About a dozen decorative species of Neocardin shrimp were bred from the only wild ancestor during the selection years. In these colorful bright creatures, one can hardly see the signs of an inconspicuous transparent great-great-grandmother.
Neocaridina freshwater shrimp is classified by color. The most common types in home aquariums are:
- Red Cherry or Cherry. The most unpretentious and popular species. He loves plants and mosses, in which the offspring will hide.
- Yellow Pearl or Canary. It has a rich yellow color, which acquires an orange tint with age.
- White Pearl or Snowflake. An almost transparent, whitish creature seems to be a guest from another world. But it is not difficult to distinguish between a male and a female, in which white eggs are visible through a transparent body.
- Blue or Blue Dream. Deep blue shrimp will decorate any aquarium. However, the blue gene is still not sufficiently fixed and the offspring of such shrimp may be greenish or even transparent.
- Chocolate Neocardine (Neocaridina Heteropoda). In our country appeared relatively recently. It features a rich brown tint with a reddish tint.
The maximum size of these shrimp does not exceed 3 cm. According to reviews on the content of Neocardine shrimp in the aquarium, with good care, pets can live up to two years.
Suitable aquarium
Nano-aquariums are gaining more and more popularity, the volume of which varies from 2 to 30 liters. Often in such small acrylic tanks a thermal mat is already installed to maintain the required temperature. And special lamps are mounted in the lid to illuminate water and enhance plant growth.
Although such a small ecosystem may well maintain water balance at the expense of living plants, it is better not to risk it and install a special small filter. Its size is a little larger than a box of matches and masking such a filter will not be very difficult.
Shrimps are flocking creatures, it is better to contain 8-10 individuals of the same species. In addition, they multiply rapidly, so you need to immediately choose a larger tank.
Bright shades of Neocardine shrimp look beautiful on the ground in dark shades. In general, they react sharply to the color of the environment. Bright shrimp living on light sand, gradually begin to lose color and merge with the environment.
Plants in the aquarium
In the wild, flocks of shrimp hide from enemies among swaying algae. Even after many generations of aquarium breeding, thickets of plants and mosses are necessary for the successful maintenance of Neocardin shrimp.
Plants are best chosen with delicate soft leaves, then the small inhabitants will be able to eat them. And only hatching tiny shrimps will hide among the moss. Moreover, due to the large amount of light and well-heated water, many plants that do not take root in large aquariums feel great in nano-ponds.
Plants cope well with possible excess levels of nitrates and ammonia, which are very dangerous for shrimp. If the plants have taken root and dense thickets have appeared, you can not use a filter, but limit yourself to a sprayer.
Breeding
To breed Neocardin shrimp in an aquarium, you need to create only three conditions:
- constant water parameters;
- plenty of food;
- the presence of individuals of both sexes.
When the female reaches maturity, a bright yellow area begins to appear under her carapace, in which the caviar forms. Breeders call it "saddle" because of the similarity of form. The marriage ritual always happens the same way. Calling on a partner, the female throws odorous substances, pheromones into the water. The males hear the call and begin to scamper around the aquarium in search of the female. Fertilization itself takes a few seconds, and the female will bear eggs for almost a month.
As the eggs grow in the saddle, you can see how they change from white to a greenish tint. Before the appearance of fry in the eggs, tiny eye points become noticeable.
If fish live in the aquarium with shrimp, even small and harmless, it is better to plant the female before the offspring appear. Caviar and tiny shrimp attract fish too much and there will be almost no chance for babies to survive.
Number control
With food and partners, shrimp will breed very quickly. Babies, just born, look like transparent copies of their parents. But they are growing rapidly and in ten months will also begin to look for a mating partner.
Surprisingly, the shrimp population itself regulates the number: when the aquarium is very densely populated, males protect their part of the territory from young animals and there is no time for mating. Young shrimp almost ceases to appear. Gradually, the number is on the decline, shrimp again begin to actively breed and the circle closes. This can be regulated by periodically looking for young shrimp for a new home.
Unwanted Crossing
Bright beautiful species of Neocardin shrimp were bred by long selection. Sometimes it seems to an inexperienced breeder that having settled several types of shrimp in an aquarium, he will get a new unique look.
But with shrimp, it’s more and more difficult, when crossing different species, the offspring do not inherit the best features of their parents. On the contrary, with interspecific crosses, the offspring are gray and nondescript. For example, if you bring the White Snowflake and Cherry together, you get not a tender pink shrimp, but a hybrid of gray, unattractive color.
Shelter for molting
During shrimp growth, its hard outer shell does not grow with it. Therefore, as they grow, the shrimp molt, discarding the old cover and growing a new shell. During this period, they are very vulnerable, so you need to put several shells or hollow ceramic tubes in the shrimp, in which they will sit out during molting.
Fry molt much more often than adults, in the first months every 5-6 days, adults about once a month. When water parameters deteriorate, shrimp begin to drop shells more often.
To create a new protection for shrimp, calcium is vitally important, the reserves of which they accumulate in the body throughout life and then are spent on molting. If calcium is not enough to create a new shell, the animal will die. Therefore, in the diet you need to include special pills for crustaceans, such as Calcium Active, or put a piece of white chalk on the bottom of the aquarium.