Ghost Shrimp Behavior

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Twill

AC Members
Jan 5, 2007
102
0
0
Davenport, Iowa
Hello everyone,

I picked up 5 ghost shrimp for my new tank a couple days ago, and have become fascinated with them! They're really quite amazing little creatures. They spent the first couple of days mostly in hiding, but are now quite adventuresome - roaming about the tank and climbing around on plants searching for munchies.

I've become especially interested in their behavior. Here's one particularly interesting event I observed: The largest (about an inch long, give or take) was making his way along the substrate when he came upon one of the smaller shrimps (perhaps 1/2 - 2/3 his size). The smaller shrimp had been in the same spot for a while, and had apparently found a good bit of food. The smaller shrimp was munching contentedly, but froze when it noticed the larger shrimp a few inches off. The larger shrimp spread out his antennae and limbs and took a few steps toward the smaller shrimp, and the smaller shrimp backed off a few steps. This happened three or four times before the larger shrimp finally bolted directly toward the feeding spot, and the smaller shrimp darted away a few inches and sat watching the larger shrimp. When it became apparent that the larger shrimp was there to stay, the smaller shrimp eventually went on its way to find food elsewhere.

I found it interesting that the shrimp both seemed to know their place in the hierarchy - bigger is better! For the most part, the shrimp roam around solitarily. I think the tank is big enough that they don't need to interact much.


Does anyone else have any stories or info on ghost shrimp behavior? I've done a lot of web searching and have come up mostly dry, so it would be interesting to see what other keepers have to say about this subject! Any aspect of behavior is welcome, including breeding, feeding habits, and interaction within the species and with other aquarium inhabitants.
 

GuZZiZZiT

the geek shall inherit the earth
Oct 4, 2006
153
0
0
Wisconsin
I have ghosts in my 30 gallon tank. For the most part they are solitary, but it seems that every couple of day the host a "Shrimp Convention" and they'll all be in a group somewhere in the tank.

Whats cool too is when they molt. YOu look in the tank and see a bunch of exoskelatons floating at the surface.

I started with 8 ghost shrimp, now i have like, 25. Interesting little guys.
 

Twill

AC Members
Jan 5, 2007
102
0
0
Davenport, Iowa
For the most part they are solitary, but it seems that every couple of day the host a "Shrimp Convention" and they'll all be in a group somewhere in the tank.
I wonder what causes the "Shrimp Conventions!" Could it be they've found a particularly tasty bit of food? Or is this a behavior related to mating?
 

GuZZiZZiT

the geek shall inherit the earth
Oct 4, 2006
153
0
0
Wisconsin
Hard to say with ghost shrimp. I have a cunk of plastic breeding grass floating at the top of my 30 gallon for any platy fry i might have missed. The other morning, 4 ghost shrimp where hanging upsidedown from it.
 

llamabob

AC Members
Dec 14, 2006
203
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www.myspace.com
I got 2 for the fun of it when I set up my 20. Had a blast watching them, then one day I came home to find a shrimp head floating by and my Jurupari looking at me with a smug look.

I no longer have any ghost :(
 
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