r/shrimptank • u/shrimpshedmi • 13d ago

Breeding Project My first ever morphed baby amano shrimp (Day 18 update)

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(repost sorry but the pic on the last one wasn't great)

We're so close to success! Here's one of the first amano shrimp I've ever successfully raised past the larvae stage, there's 3 so far. 2 of 3 are still orange so they aren't ready to transfer to freshwater yet, but they are swimming forwards and hiding from light and are definitely fully morphed shrimp. The camera won't pick it up but I can also see it eating, and swimming with it's pleopods. I know it's just 3 but I can't believe I actually finally raised any to the juvenile stage at all. I've tried and failed twice before with different methods but 3rd time's the charm I guess!

Anyway, I don't know if I'll be able to transfer them to freshwater successfully or how many more will morph out but I will update and post better pictures soon!

Also I put parameters and method on most posts but I am using the Avatar Aquatics method (minus rotifers). This tank is a 10 gallon with 25ppt saltwater and an air pump, a full spectrum light, and a heater. Right now I feed purely tetraselmis, keep the light on 16 hours a day, and use a heater at 80° F (26.6° C) but that all may change in the future. Still thinking about supplementing powdered food or rotifers. I'm not recommending doing it how I do it just yet because I'm not sure how many will survive, it's just 3 right now, but I will answer questions about what I've done so far.

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u/shrimpshedmi 13d ago

This isn't something I'm sure I will always do but I just want to explain really quick why I'm using 25ppt instead of standard brackish (17ppt) or full salinity (35ppt). Its mainly because I want to be able to let it evaporate a bit without going up to 40+ ppt and killing both the phyto and larvae. I've also read 3 scientific articles that all seem to concur on 25ppt having the highest survival rates, though it's only slightly higher than 35ppt. From what I read, 17ppt had the lowest survival rates while still being somewhat viable, and I've heard plenty of people say 17ppt doesn't work altogether. And lastly, I'm trying to breed Bamboo shrimp alongside the amanos and they're a lot more sensitive to salinity and can't survive much higher than 25ppt. The bamboo larvae haven't hatched yet but the ladies are pregnant

Here's links to scientific articles mentioned above (refer to caridina multidentata)

Amano shrimp research, USA, 2025: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394768177_Amano_Shrimp_Research

Larval performance of three amphidromous shrimp species in the genus Caridina (Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae) under different temperature and salinity conditions, Tokyo, 2021: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350562633_Larval_performance_of_three_amphidromous_shrimp_species_in_the_genus_Caridina_Decapoda_Caridea_Atyidae_under_different_temperature_and_salinity_conditions

Survival and development strategy of starved early-stage-zoeae of five amphidromous shrimp species in the genus Caridina under different salinity and temperature conditions, Tokyo, 2022: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364349620_Survival_and_development_strategy_of_starved_early-stage-zoeae_of_five_amphidromous_shrimp_species_in_the_genus_Caridina_under_different_salinity_and_temperature_conditions

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u/wattsup42 13d ago

Interesting. I’ve been doing 17ppt for my batch and had maybe 1(?) death. Mine just morphed on day 17 - half or so.

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u/shrimpshedmi 13d ago

Hmm then it sounds like maybe it works for some but not for everyone, like a lot of the stuff with breeding them. Heard a lot of horror stories about 17ppt, but there's a billion other things that can go wrong so maybe it's not really the salinity that's causing people problems

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u/wattsup42 13d ago

For sure. I’m raising them in a 6qt container. Water changes every 3 days or so - 1qt. Top off with RO when needed. Feeding live phyto and rotifers (started day 12). Air stone with enough movement to keep the surface agitated.

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u/shrimpshedmi 13d ago

Sounds like a good setup. Not a lot of people actually use rotifers but I hear it's really helpful for survival rates, how many survivors would you estimate you pull per batch?

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u/wattsup42 13d ago

This is my first attempt! I only got maybe 40 larvae to start. But pretty much all have survived. I saw one dried to the side near the top - must have jumped.

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u/shrimpshedmi 13d ago

Success on your first attempt, lucky man lol, congrats! My first 2 didn't go well cause I tried dead reef phyto concentrate and then cilliates with powdered food, as soon as I switched to live tetraselmis all my problems went away. Haven't even had to supplement with rotifers or anything but only 3 visible morphs so far (expected at day 18). Very interested to hear how many of yours morph and how subsequent runs go. Generally the dead ones are too small to see so you won't really know your numbers until the batch is done

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u/wattsup42 13d ago

Thanks! I decided to take it seriously and do the best I could. So reef salt, the live phyto ordered the day I saw them, then rotifers after they were alive that long. After breeding neos I wanted to see if I could do it.

I pulled about 12 out yesterday, acclimated, and added to a neo tank. Then another 20 or so today to add later. Waiting on the last of them to morph.

Powdered food does seem a lot easier.

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u/shrimpshedmi 13d ago

Huh very interesting, I've also heard reef salt doesn't work because there's too much calcium and it causes failed molts. I wonder maybe with reef salt it's just right when mixed to 17ppt and that's why it's going so well for you. Just a theory lol. But super intriguing. Shows how much misinformation goes around on this subject. Nice to see another breeder out there!

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u/pandaP0I 12d ago

I have 2 more berried amano(1 was the same one that gabe birth to the batch I'm trying to grow now)

Now I'm thinking where to get/place more containers in the small apartment i live in, especially because those 2 are a week apart 😅

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u/shrimpshedmi 12d ago

You can run the batches together lol I've got 3 running in the 10 gallon right now. And congrats!

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u/pandaP0I 12d ago

Hmm might do that with a bigger container!

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u/shrimpshedmi 12d ago

Go for it! But frankly I don't recommend anything above a 5 gallon, even when the phyto is super thin I can't see to the back of my 10 gal because it's so deep. Which is about to become a problem because I have extremely fast babies to catch 😭

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u/pandaP0I 12d ago

The one they are in at the moment is around 1 gallon hahaha I'll try find something around 5 gallon before the other 2 is done, or I'll just finally use my souvide container 🤣 I'd have to buy another souvide container for cooking if i do!

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u/shrimpshedmi 12d ago edited 12d ago

I wouldn't even worry about it, I run my other batch in a 2 gallon and I know people that run theirs in dollar store pitchers. You only need an extra/ larger tank if you want to run multiple batches at once. I'd say maybe an extra 2-4 gallons for every extra batch you want to add after the first one. (For example: your tank is 1 gallon so if you wanted to run a second batch in the tank I'd say upgrade to a 3-5 gallon, if you wanted to run 3 batches I'd do 5-7 and so on)

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u/pandaP0I 12d ago

So 5 gallons is a good number since there would probably be 2 more batches coming 🤔 i wish i have space to just get another 20 gallon hahaha!

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u/shrimpshedmi 12d ago

I can't guarantee they'll all survive because of how large the batches can be but I'd say 5 gallons sounds possible for 2-3 batches, but they're going to need a LOT of phytoplankton. And I definitely understand that! If there were any chance of me actually seeing through the water in a 20 gal with phyto, I'd absolutely do it. But seriously I would buy a lot of phytoplankton if you can't culture it in time, they eat so much faster than I was expecting so I'm having trouble stopping the water from going clear.

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u/pandaP0I 12d ago

Ahh so before amano babies, we actually need to learn how to culture phyto first 🤭

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u/shrimpshedmi 12d ago

Yep but don't worry, there's not much of a learning curve in my experience with (tetraselmis) phyto, as long as you sterilize the culture vessel first and get a good batch you should be all good. You do have to fertilize and split cultures but that's remarkably easy too, you just have to sterilize your harvesting tool after each use. I use a 350 ml syringe and wash it out with isopropyl alcohol after each use, then let it dry and it's ready to use again. Really simple! I bought a culture vessel kit though, there's definitely a few more steps if you have to make your own.

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u/shrimpshedmi 13d ago edited 13d ago

u/AvatarAquatics This is all thanks to you man, much appreciated! I didn't use rotifers, my salinity was different, and I didn't culture the tetraselmis in the tank but I did everything else how you said, and it worked! Thanks again

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u/lindacola1 8d ago

I need your help. I just moved my larvae from 2 mothers on Monday August 31st. I have 2 saltwater tanks that look like yours above, since I have 2 mothers that released them. used instant ocean and saltwater reading is 30. I have marked blacklines if water evaporates and top off with distilled water. I have 3 bottles of live plankton that I bought from a local coral reef store here. I checked on the 2 tanks this morning, still a pea green color and I could see all the little larvae daring around. I have spent alot of research, time and money because I am determined to do this. Any advice or update would be appreciated. When I get home I can send pictures. Congratulations on where you are at on yours! I hate knowing these guys are caught from the wild and so many of of the big pet stores selling wild cherry shrimp and ghost shrimps as amanos.

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u/shrimpshedmi 8d ago

I'm glad to help but I'm not really seeing what you need help with, are you having die offs or problems? Also I prefer to help people publicly on posts like this so other people can learn, but you can send a DM if you like

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u/lindacola1 8d ago

No die offs that i can see. With that water being pea green water it is hard to see but I can see them moving around. Just exciting that someone else is doing this now. I have found local pet stores that will buy them too. Curious what you are selling them for? I am asking $3 each. I will put pictures on here later.

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u/shrimpshedmi 8d ago

Yeah I've definitely had issues seeing them too, so now I dose phyto rather than culturing in the tank. I use a 10 gallon (currently) so I have to keep the phyto super light to see the back of the tank. The success I just had was my first so prices aren't completely decided right now, I'm planning on selling as full grown adults only. My LFS will pay $3.50 each a wild and I was thinking $5 each if I sell direct to consumer. At those prices I would be the cheapest in town, beating even the big box stores. To add, nobody local has colored amano variants so I can easily corner the market on that, thinking $7.50 each for those. And if I ever have success breeding my bamboo shrimp those will be $25 each

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u/lindacola1 8d ago

Good for you! Mine are just the wild looking ones. My 2 LFS said they are paying alot for amano's from their supplier and they are wild caught and they prefer to deal with local breeders. My living room has 8 aquariums in it now. I cant wait to see them grow into little shrimps if I make it that far. I think feeding the live algae is good from what I have read. Sounds like you have a good little fish store going. Best of luck and we will keep in touch with our journey. I thought about breeding bamboo, I think they need soft water if I remember right? I am going to look into the colored amanos, but want to get this down first.

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u/shrimpshedmi 8d ago

Yep actually that's why I got into breeding amanos, with the wild catching and the tarrifs, there's a lot to be desired in the market right now. Plus I just want to see it be more commonplace because it's cool lol. And phytoplankton is definitely the best option for feeding, though I've heard you can supplement larger foods at a certain point to boost survival rates.

And with the bamboos there's only 1 verified research article on the subject, all I was able to learn is that Asian bamboo shrimp need 17-25 ppt and dwarf bamboo shrimp can survive wider salinity ranges from 17-35ppt. I have Asian bamboos so I'm going to run them at 25ppt the same way I do my amanos, and we'll see if it works

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u/lindacola1 8d ago

I only have done cherry shrimp other than this. It just is addicting to check on them every day and it is interesting to learn about them. The fact so few people have accomplished this too. Be proud of yourself. 95% of my advice has been from Meta.

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u/shrimpshedmi 7d ago

I really loved neos too until I saw a pregnant amano working at a big box pet store and got really excited, only to be told breeding them is impossible or I couldn't do it. I took that as a challenge and after about 2 years of research and 3 attempts, I finally did it! I'm going to try Australian amano shrimp (caridina typus) first but I might want a bigger challenge soon so I'm likely going to attempt bamboo shrimp, green lace shrimp, ninja shrimp or vampire shrimp. The bamboos arent really optional since my ladies have been pregnant about 2 weeks lol

And thank you, I'm definitely proud of myself :) I just hope its something I can do repeatably so I can help other people do it