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Raising Cherry Shrimp Babies: A Step-by-Step Guide [DOs & DONTs]
Cherry shrimp are pretty delicate creatures, and cherry shrimp babies are much more delicate than adults. So, we’ll have to take some special care of the cherry shrimp babies. In your shrimp-keeping life, at some point, you’ll obviously see little shrimp babies jumping around in the tank. So, it is always necessary to know how to take care of these little devils.
Taking care of cherry shrimp babies is pretty much the same as taking care of adult ones. Along with clean water and ideal water parameters, the babies also need lots of hiding places, plants, moss, and a stress-free environment.
In the rest of the article, I’ll discuss each of the factors that you’ll need to consider to take proper care of the cherry shrimp babies. So, let’s get started!
How Small Are Baby Cherry Shrimp?
Baby cherry shrimp look like miniature grown-up cherry shrimp. They are so tiny that one can hardly see them. The size of baby cherry shrimp ranges from 2.3 to 2.4 mm, and their height does not exceed 1 mm.
Proper Water Parameters For Baby Cherry Shrimps
Like the adult cherry shrimps, the baby ones also prefer specific range of water parameters. If the water parameters are not right, then the babies can feel stressed out. Also, the temperature plays a very important role here.
Before discussing more about the water parameters, let’s take a look at what the water parameters should be for baby cherry shrimps:
| Temperature | 70 to 75 Degrees Fahrenheit |
| pH | 6.5 to 7.5 |
| GH | 6-8 ppm |
| KH | 1-4 ppm |
| TDS | 150-250 ppm |
The first and most important thing to look at is the temperature. Though adult cherry shrimp can withstand a wide range of temperatures, baby shrimps prefer 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you want to target a more ideal temperature, aim for 72 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the ideal temperature for babies and adult cherry shrimp.
After temperature, we need to talk about the pH of the water.
As you can see, The ideal pH range for baby cherry shrimps is 6.5 to 7.5.
For those of you who don’t know, pH is a measurement that indicates how acidic or alkaline the aquarium water is. pH is measured on a scale from 0 to 14. 7 is the neutral value. So, we can see that cherry shrimps prefer a pretty neutral pH value in the water.
If you need a test kit for measuring the pH, I’ll recommend API Master Test Kit. With this master test kit, you can measure ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and many other water parameters. It is certainly a worthwhile investment for any shrimp keeper!
After pH, we need to tackle GH and KH. GH stands for General Hardness, whereas KH stands for Carbonate Hardness. GH mainly measures the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium ions in the water, along with some other minerals. KH indicates the stability of the pH in the water. The older the shrimp tank is, the lower the value of KH will be.
With this API GH & KH Test Kit, you can measure the GH and KH of your shrimp tank water. There is no need to buy two separate test kits. It is certainly a handy test kit that will help you a long way!
Lastly, we need to look at the TDS, or Total Dissolved Solids. TDS measures the total dissolved molecules in the water except for the H20 molecules. I generally keep an eye on the TDS value to know if my shrimp tank needs a water change or not. The ideal TDS range for baby cherry shrimps is 150 to 250 ppm. If the value exceeds that, I try to perform a 20-25% water change.
This is all about water parameters for baby cherry shrimps.
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Baby Cherry Shrimp Care Infographic
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Baby Cherry Shrimps Need Lots of Plants and Moss
After proper water parameters, the one thing that baby shrimps need most is lots of plants and moss. There are several reasons for that, such as:
- After being hatched, baby cherry shrimp like to hide for the first few days, when they are most vulnerable. Nothing is better for hiding than a bush of plants or thick moss. The babies feel safe and at home among these plants.
- During the first few days, the baby shrimp don’t eat any commercial food. They live on biofilm and algae. Plants and moss are wonderful for growing algae and biofilm and for accumulating food particles. The babies love to graze on these food particles all day long.
- During the first few days, the babies generally stay stressed. A good bush of plants can relieve them from their stress. Also, if for any reason the babies feel threatened, they can always seek shelter among the plants and moss.
In my best plants for cherry shrimp article, I have already mentioned some of the best plants for cherry shrimp. Even if you are on a tight budget, I highly recommend getting at least a good bunch of Java Moss for your shrimp tank. Trust me, your shrimp will love this.
Provide A Stress-free Environment For Baby Cherry Shrimps
Cherry shrimps, in general, need a stress-free environment to thrive fully. So, it is needless to say how important this is for the baby cherry shrimps.
The #1 thing that contributes to baby shrimp’s stress is bad tank mates.
On this site, I have always recommended getting a shrimp-only tank while you can. Shrimps generally don’t do well with other tank mates, except for snails.
However, if you really desire to have a couple of other tank mates in the shrimp tank, you’ll definitely need to research well beforehand.
Here is a chart that simply shows some of the good and bad tank mates for cherry shrimp:
| Good Tank Mates | Bad Tank Mates |
|---|---|
| Other shrimp species | Discuss |
| Dwarf suckers | Cichlids |
| Small rasboras | Discus |
| Small Tetras | Angelfish |
| Snails | Fishes with a large mouth to gulp the shrimp in a single instance |
As you can see, most of the fish are not suitable for cherry shrimp. Some small schooling fish can live with cherry shrimp, but they might nibble at the babies. So, the babies are generally not safe from any tank mates.
That’s why your shrimp tank needs to have lots of hiding places for the baby shrimps to stay safe.
Presence of Algae and Biofilm Is A Must For Baby Cherry Shrimps
Baby cherry shrimps mainly live on Algae and Biofilm. This is the primary source of food for them. So, your tank needs to have a decent amount of algae and biofilm.
Fortunately, that doesn’t become an issue for most of the cases. Most tanks grow algae and biofilm naturally. There is nothing you’ll have to do additionally for that.
Biofilm mainly grows over the surface of other objects, leaves, glass, etc. While cleaning the aquarium glass, you can always leave one or two sides unscratched. It will ensure there is enough biofilm for the baby shrimps all the time.
Also, baby shrimps don’t eat all types of algae. Both baby and adult cherry shrimp don’t prefer any type of hair or thread algae, hard spot algae, etc.
In nurturing baby cherry shrimps, it’s crucial to prioritize their dietary needs.
As highlighted by renowned shrimp expert Abhisek Mallick, a stable tank rich in biofilm plays a pivotal role in their survival.
He advises using feeds such as Teraa Tots and Shrimp Kind Baby feed, which are essential for the early stages of their development. Mallick stresses that while these feeds become integral after the first two weeks, the initial reliance on biofilm is indispensable.
Moreover, ensuring filters like HOB or canister filters have adequately covered inlets is vital for their safety.
What Is The Best Food For Baby Cherry Shrimps?
When considering the best food for baby cherry shrimp, especially to enhance coloration and produce higher-quality offspring, the choice extends beyond typical offerings.
As noted by shrimp expert Abhisek Mallick, color-enhancing shrimp feeds like Teraa Rang and Shrimp King Color can be beneficial. However, it’s vital to understand that results won’t be immediate if the shrimp’s gene pool is weak.
Proper tank setup, maintaining water parameters, and sourcing shrimp from reputable breeders with strong gene pools are crucial steps.
Once these are in place, integrating color-enhancing shrimp feed into their diet can be more effective. Additionally, temperature sensitivity is an important aspect of monitoring shrimp health.
In my long years of shrimp keeping, I have tried almost every brand of shrimp food on the market. But nothing made me and my shrimp happier than the Bacter AE.
Bacter AE is a very popular shrimp food manufactured by GlasGarten. It is powdered and suitable for baby shrimp.
You may wonder among hundreds of shrimp food brands, why am I choosing Bacter AE? Well, here are some reasons:
- helps to produce biofilm in the tank
- contains all the essential bacteria that are vital for a shrimp tank
- Shoots up the survival rate of baby shrimps. This is because the food is in powdered form, which the baby cherry shrimps can easily consume
- The Aquatic Arts shrimp breeding facility uses this food in all of its shrimp tanks, so you can imagine how reliable it is!
Here’s how much you should feed this food to the shrimps:
- If you have a low-stocked shrimp tank (less than 10 shrimps), then half of the measuring spoon a day will be enough for all the shrimps.
- If you have a moderate-stocked shrimp tank (10-25 shrimps), then one full measuring spoon a day will be enough for all the shrimps.
- If you have a highly stocked shrimp tank (more than 25 shrimp), one full measuring spoon twice a day will be enough for all the shrimp.
If you want to know more about Bacter AE and check its latest price on Amazon, click here.
Creating A Safe Environment For Baby Cherry Shrimps
As baby cherry shrimps are very delicate, we’ll have to create a safe environment for them. Your shrimp tank probably has a sponge filter or a Hang On Back Filter.
For a Sponge filter, you’ll need to do nothing. However, for Hang-on-Back filters, you’ll have to cover the inlet pipe with a thin layer of filter media.
This will ensure that the baby shrimps don’t get sucked into the filter. I have seen many shrimp keepers making this mistake. As baby shrimps can’t swim well, the current produced by the filter can prove to be too much for them.
Thus, covering the inlet pipe with a layer of filter media provides an extra layer of security for the baby shrimps.
This has another benefit, too!
The filter media that you’ll use to cover the inlet will start to grow biofilm over it, which the shrimps will absolutely love to enjoy!
Adjusting Water Flow For Baby Cherry Shrimps
If the shrimp tank has any instrument that creates water flow, check if it is too much for the baby shrimp. Baby cherry shrimps can’t swim well, especially in the presence of a strong current.
So, make sure there is nothing in the tank that is creating a strong current of water. This also makes the baby shrimp stressed out.
However, a little bit of water flow throughout the tank is never a bad thing.
Baby Cherry Shrimps Love Cholla Wood & Indian Almond Leaves
Cholla Wood and Indian Almond Leaves are not a must for your shrimp tank. However, I can guarantee that your baby cherry shrimp will love you if you provide these, too! Almost every experienced shrimp keeper keeps these in their shrimp tank.
Cholla wood has lots of holes. Shrimps love to hide under this wood, which also allows a good growth of biofilm over the surface. So, shrimps enjoy hiding and grazing on the biofilm at the same time. Moreover, they are extremely cheap to get. So, why not get one for your baby cherry shrimp?
Like cholla woods, Indian Almond leaves also offer a very good surface for biofilm to grow. If you have this in your shrimp tank, you’ll see most of the shrimp are often grazing over the leaves. Also, Indian Almond Leaves secrete a type of leach which is thought to be beneficial for the shrimps. For a couple of bucks, you’ll get a handful of these leaves from the market. Also, if there are any Indian Almond trees around your neighborhood, you can get loads of them for absolutely free!
If you are looking for a good deal on Indian Almond Leaves, check this out. You’ll get 10 packs that will last you a lifetime!
In a moderately stocked shrimp tank, one piece of the leaf can last for about a month easily.
Things Not To Do If You Have Baby Cherry Shrimps
Till now, we’ve learned everything we should do to take care of the baby cherry shrimps. In this section, we’ll take a look at some of the things that we should never do. Here are some examples:
- If you have children in your home, make sure they can’t get their hands in the tank. Children often try to hold the shrimp in their hands, which can be deadly for the shrimp.
- Don’t think that baby shrimps don’t need any extra food other than algae and biofilm.
- Never buy tank mates for your shrimp tank without doing proper research. This will have deadly effects not only on the baby shrimp but also on the adult ones.
- Using a power filter in the shrimp tank that creates very strong current. This will make the lives of your baby cherry shrimps much harder.
What Do Baby Shrimp Look Like?
From a distance look, people often mistake baby shrimp for worms that swim around your enclosure at lightning speed. When you look at these baby shrimp closely, you’ll find them as a miniature version of adult shrimp.
The newborn baby shrimp remain colorless for a short period. Gradually, different types of color appear on the body of baby shrimp according to their species type.
These babies are as small as 4-5 mm. Since baby shrimp are almost similar sized to rice grains, it becomes difficult to identify them. Although these baby shrimp do not have any coloration, you can identify these babies by their iconic black spots.
Do Cherry Shrimp Eat Their Babies?
Since cherry shrimp are omnivores, there’s a myth about their being cannibalistic. After all, cannibalism is a common trait in all shrimp species.
If the eggs are attached to the mother shrimp, the shrimp will not eat them. Your cherry shrimp will not harm their eggs as long as they are healthy. Also, cherry shrimp do not prefer to eat healthy eggs of other shrimp.
But, not all shrimp eggs get fertilized due to various reasons. There might be no male cherry shrimp to fertilize the eggs. Also, improper water parameters can cause unfertilized eggs in cherry shrimp. In such cases, cherry shrimp choose to drop their unfertilized egg clusters.
These dropped, undeveloped, or unfertilized eggs are a good source of protein for cherry shrimp. No wonder your cherry shrimp will not hesitate to eat them. Besides, cherry shrimp can eat eggs on which fungus is grown.
How Many Babies Do Cherry Shrimp Have?
If all environmental parameters are alright, your cherry shrimp can reproduce every 3-4 months. Within 3-5 months, you can experience your cherry shrimp multiply.
Generally, cherry shrimp can carry around 20-30 eggs on average. But, the number of laying eggs varies according to the age and health of the cherry shrimp.
Young and inexperienced cherry shrimp do not lay many eggs at once. On the other hand, the larger and older cherry shrimp tend to lay up to 51 shrimplets per hatchling.
How To Introduce Shrimp To Babies?
You might have noticed that the experts strictly forbid keeping baby shrimp with adult shrimp in a similar tank. But, some hobbyists love to experiment with keeping them together by taking risks.
If you want to introduce shrimp to babies, you must maintain some requirements. The first thing to remember is that hunger is the main reason adults kill shrimp babies. So, you must provide an abundance of appropriate foods for both adult and baby shrimp.
Besides, you must provide lots of hiding places for the baby shrimp. Your baby shrimp should find places to hide if they feel threatened by the adult shrimp.
Lastly, you should keep the water parameters right to keep the baby and adult shrimp healthy. However, you should separate baby shrimp from adult shrimp in case the number of your baby shrimp decreases.
Cherry Shrimp Baby Survival Rate
Although you might notice 20-50 eggs in your cherry shrimp abdomen, only 50% of these eggs get hatched. So, you might see only a handful of cherry shrimp fry.
On the other hand, only 10-20% of these cherry shrimp babies can make up their adulthood. To increase the survival rate of cherry shrimp babies, you should offer them an abundance of food. You can also use powdered food for your cherry shrimp baby.
Besides, you should provide lots of hiding corners in their tank for their safety and shelter. An algae-based tank may help your cherry shrimp babies have plenty of food.
Sometimes, an unsafe filtration system can suck up your tiny cherry shrimp babies. So, you need to be careful in filter selection to increase the survival rate of cherry shrimp babies. Lastly, the most significant responsibility is to keep the water parameters ideal.
What Do Baby Cherry Shrimp Look Like?
When your cherry shrimp eggs get fertilized, the eggs will become hatched. Afterward, you’ll get tiny cherry shrimp larvae from the eggs. Gradually, these cherry shrimp larvae will turn into cherry shrimp fry.
Baby cherry shrimp or fry are so tiny that you may not notice the babies with the naked eye. The bodies of these baby cherry shrimp are highly delicate and soft.
You might assume to have red-colored baby cherry shrimp. But, there will not be any small patches or drops of red coloration in these baby cherry shrimp. The baby cherry shrimp will look transparent or naturally clear-bodied.
You can also notice their internal organs through their semi-transparent body. When these babies start to develop, they will turn red.
Are Baby Cherry Shrimps Clear?
When newly hatched, baby cherry shrimp are typically transparent or clear. As they grow and develop, their coloration begins to develop, and they start to exhibit the vibrant red color that cherry shrimp are known for.
The process of their coloration becoming fully pronounced can take a few weeks, during which they gradually transition from transparent to red. So, while baby cherry shrimps may initially appear clear, they will acquire their characteristic red coloration as they mature.
Conclusion
So, this is my detailed guide on how to take care of cherry shrimp babies. Cherry shrimp babies are extremely delicate, and they need proper attention from you for a better survival rate.
After all my years of shrimp-keeping knowledge, I shared everything I know about baby shrimp care in this article. Follow the guidelines mentioned here and I do believe you’ll see a pretty good success rate with the baby shrimps.
Happy Shrimp Keeping!
About Author
Hello, I’m Muntaseer Rahman, the owner of AcuarioPets.com. I’m passionate about aquarium pets like shrimps, snails, crabs, and crayfish. I’ve created this website to share my expertise and help you provide better care for these amazing pets.
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