Baby crays on the way

[vampie]

After several miscarriages, my crayfish is finally about to deliver a batch of babies. As you might be able to see, the eggs have developed, but mum will carry them for a little while longer before letting them go.

Yes, the photo could be better. But it's not.

Random tidbit: The mother still "fans" them, so the ones on the bottom are occasionally smashed against the floor. They're going to come out dumb.

 

[black_sun]

Hah, my mother cray used to fan the babies, too. Maybe they all come out a little retarded, hehe. But aww, look at the itty-bitty eyes! So cute.

Anyway, what species is that? The coloration is really interesting.

 

[pik01]

Random tidbit: The mother still "fans" them, so the ones on the bottom are occasionally smashed against the floor. They're going to come out dumb.

lol poor little guys. is that what it's called? fanning?

 

[vampie]

Anyway, what species is that? The coloration is really interesting.

Cambarellus shufeldtii

lol poor little guys. is that what it's called? fanning?

I don't know really. I hear some shrimp-keepers call it fanning, so I just followed suit.

They do it to keep the eggs oxygenated. Not to intentionally make their kids dumb. Or maybe they do. They might be dumb themselves.

 

[pik01]

let's see, repeated bludgeoning or oxygen deprivation...thaaats a toughie

 

[petluvr]

I'll take bludgeoning for $200 Alex The babies are so cute.

 

[vampie]

Here we go! One of the first releases in the center, and the mum with the other kids at the right.

 

[black_sun]

Aww! So cute!

 

[pik01]

sweet! looks like a full grown ghost shrimp

what are those 7 oval things up against the glass under the substrate? Roots?

 

[vampie]

Yes, they do resemble ghost shrimp quite a bit.

The oval things are snail eggs. They were laid there a long time ago when I only had about half a cm of substrate. I've since added more substrate when I added plants, and I guess they're just kinda stuck down there.