Ghost Shrimp just hatched! What do they eat?

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CrustaceaCurtis

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Feb 17, 2012
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I bought a female ghost shrimp with eggs just a few days ago, and they all hatched last night! I put the adults in another tank, as I've read they'll prey upon smaller shrimp. Any advice on what to feed the young?
 

AquaticAustin

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Sep 29, 2011
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Im pretty sure they need brackish conditions

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TL1000RSquid

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Apr 6, 2011
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Don't need brackish but larval shrimp can be very hard to keep alive. Not really sure what to feed FW ones more familiar with marine larval shrimp, brine might work.
 

aviva90

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I don't feed my RCS babies at all, they seem to be fine filter feeding and munching on the itty bitty particles of food the adults don't eat... but maybe someone else has an idea
 

petluvr

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I don't feed my RCS babies at all, they seem to be fine filter feeding and munching on the itty bitty particles of food the adults don't eat... but maybe someone else has an idea
RCS are what is referred to as high order breeders, this means the babies hatch as fully formed individuals (little miniatures of their parents). Ghost shrimp on the other hand are known as low order breeders, their eggs hatch in larval form and then mature into adult shrimp.
 

Murg7

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Apr 23, 2012
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many juvenile shrimp eat small plant matter and scraps. Yes even though some juveniles are carnivores or cannibals, many shrimp will not resort to this until large amounts of plant matter is devoured.
 

rastoma

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Feb 29, 2012
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Don't need brackish but larval shrimp can be very hard to keep alive. Not really sure what to feed FW ones more familiar with marine larval shrimp, brine might work.
Yes larval ghost shrimp need brackish to full marine to grow and mature. They then migrate towards freshwater as they get closer to adults. They then go back to saltwater to breed.

That's why it's so difficult to breed them in the home aquarium.
 

RisiganL.

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I must say that they DO NOT need brackish or marine environments to grow. I have personally hatched and grown ghost shrimp, mostly on accident. The larvae have no legs and no arms, but they are tiny little predators. They feed on the infusoria in your tanks. A well established tank will usually have "scum" on the glass and such and that is usually enough. My tank did not have enough, so I added paramecium into the water, and that yielded pretty good results.
 
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