Lev F.
10/09/2006, 11:14 AM
About a year ago, I aquired a pair of Urocaridella Antonbruunii from an aquarium dealer. I don't know why more people don't have them in their tanks. A couple of months later, The female developed eggs. For a couple of months, I didn't care much about this, but I began increasingly observing these shrimp over the past year. They are not hermaphroditic, I have noticed. The female shrimp is the only one I see with eggs. Watching these guys at night is amazing, they glide effortlessly through the water using their little paddles.
They mate in the same manner as Lysmata shrimps do (I have seen the actual process, way cool.) The male seems to wait for the female to shed, she positions herself away from the reef structure, and while she is doing this, she appears to be emmiting some kind of hormone, as My Brittle Stars along with my Lysmata Shrimps congregate, along with the male urocaridella, at the scene as well. The Female then sheds lighting fast right out of her exoskeleton, the male grasps her horizontally, and deposits a packet of sperm. While this is happening, the exoskeleton of the female is greedily consumed by the Lysmata, as well as the stars. Maybe it is a way to distract them from eating the female?
About a month and a half later (they have long holding periods, it seems) The larvae hatch, just like any other shrimp. They are, surprisingly, not phototropic at all. They are vertically oriented, upside down, and look like upside down lobster larvae. they have a large front pair of pincers. I have observed them eating baby brine shrimps. I haven't raised them beyond their first shed.
Other things I have noticed is that the Urocaridella do not mate right after they drop their eggs. They mate about a week after that. Another rather strange thing I have noticed, is when I am cleaning the tank, these guys clean my hand, but the immediate area where they are sitting become colder than the surrounding water. Maybe they emit some kind of chemical to prevent their cleaning host from ingesting them? Strange. Also, these guys always clean. Not like Lysmata, which drop the habit eventually, urocaridella have been cleaning my fish all the time, even after recieving supplemental feedings.Well, hopefully this has been of use to anyone trying to breed these unique shrimps, and If you do, then Good luck!
They mate in the same manner as Lysmata shrimps do (I have seen the actual process, way cool.) The male seems to wait for the female to shed, she positions herself away from the reef structure, and while she is doing this, she appears to be emmiting some kind of hormone, as My Brittle Stars along with my Lysmata Shrimps congregate, along with the male urocaridella, at the scene as well. The Female then sheds lighting fast right out of her exoskeleton, the male grasps her horizontally, and deposits a packet of sperm. While this is happening, the exoskeleton of the female is greedily consumed by the Lysmata, as well as the stars. Maybe it is a way to distract them from eating the female?
About a month and a half later (they have long holding periods, it seems) The larvae hatch, just like any other shrimp. They are, surprisingly, not phototropic at all. They are vertically oriented, upside down, and look like upside down lobster larvae. they have a large front pair of pincers. I have observed them eating baby brine shrimps. I haven't raised them beyond their first shed.
Other things I have noticed is that the Urocaridella do not mate right after they drop their eggs. They mate about a week after that. Another rather strange thing I have noticed, is when I am cleaning the tank, these guys clean my hand, but the immediate area where they are sitting become colder than the surrounding water. Maybe they emit some kind of chemical to prevent their cleaning host from ingesting them? Strange. Also, these guys always clean. Not like Lysmata, which drop the habit eventually, urocaridella have been cleaning my fish all the time, even after recieving supplemental feedings.Well, hopefully this has been of use to anyone trying to breed these unique shrimps, and If you do, then Good luck!