What Should You Feed Cherry Shrimp Babies?

No, I wouldn’t have worried about the shrimp’s diet if they weren’t babies. After all, I knew what the adult ones like and need. I can’t say the same for babies, as they’re still developing. Now the question is, what should they be fed in the first place?

Algae, biofilm, infusoria, algae wafers, and liquid fry foods are all ideal for baby cherry shrimp. These foods provide the protein, vitamins, and minerals essential for the growth of baby cherry shrimp.

But how exactly are they going to help your young shrimp to grow? And why can’t they eat regular foods like the adult ones? Well, that’s the answer you’re going to get today.

Key Takeaways

• Algae and biofilm. Infusoria, algae wafers, and liquid fry foods are ideal for cherry shrimp babies.
• Their foods should contain nutrients like protein, vitamins & minerals, digestible carbohydrates, and fatty acids.
• No hard, dense, flavored, large-portioned foods are ideal for baby cherry shrimp.

Required Nutrition For Cherry Shrimp Babies

When picking up food for your cherry shrimp babies, you must first consider the nutrition it offers. If the food primarily offers the following nutrients, you can consider it for the initial feeding.

Nutrients	Important For
Protein	Growth, molting, and overall development
Vitamins & Minerals	Supporting various physiological functions
Digestible Carbohydrates	Providing energy for daily activities and growth
Fatty Acids	Developing cell membranes and other physiological processes

Top 7 Foods For Cherry Shrimp Babies

The need for nutrition in baby cherry shrimp is unskippable as they’re still developing. This means picking up any random food for them is not a good idea.

So, it’s better to fill their diet list with the right foods like –

Food	Description	Nutritional Value	Notes
Algae and Biofilm	Natural food sources for shrimp; promote grazing behavior	Contain diverse range of fiber, protein, minerals	Assist shrimplet development; cultivate in tank by providing light, nutrients, porous substrates
Infusoria	Microscopic single-celled organisms	High in protein and essential nutrients	Small size makes them easily digestible for newborn shrimp
Powdered Foods	Specialized baby shrimp or spirulina powder	High vitamins, proteins, minerals	Fine texture makes consumption easy; leads to high survival rates
Liquid Fry Food	Blended into water as continuous nutrition source	Contain proteins, microorganisms, amino acids	Ideal size for tiny mouths; perfect for development
Crushed Flake Food	Provides balanced diet	Contain proteins, vitamins, minerals	Suitable for larger shrimplets once hatchlings have grown
Homemade Gel Foods	Can add high-quality ingredients	Provide complete and nutritious diet	Customize to shrimp needs by including things like leaves, spirulina, veggies
Baby Brine Shrimp	Newly hatched brine shrimp	Full of protein and fatty acids	Live food option for slightly larger shrimplets

1. Algae And Biofilm

Algae and biofilm are suitable for cherry shrimp no matter which stage of living they’re at. These are the natural food sources that baby cherry shrimp can have in their aquarium. Plus, they promote the grazing behavior of these babies.

One of the plus points of these foods is that they come with a diverse range of nutrition. So, whether you’re asking for fiber, protein, or essential minerals, these have it all.

Particularly, biofilm assists a lot in shrimplet development.

2. Infusoria

The term ‘infusoria’ is used for microscopic organisms, especially single-cell aquatic microorganisms. Thanks to their smaller sizes, they’re good enough to be used for newly hatched cherry shrimp.

And if you’re asking about the nutritional value, they’ve got loads of protein and essential nutrients. These nutrients are highly effective in contributing to the initial stages of shrimplet development. And guess what? They’re perfectly digestible for these little shrimp.

3. Powdered Foods

A recent study published in 2021 found that feeding baby cherry shrimp a variety of foods high in calcium, such as blanched spinach and baby brine shrimp, led to a survival rate of over 90% through the juvenile stage. This was significantly higher than shrimp fed only fish food or algae wafers.

4. Liquid Fry Food

The key purpose of this type of food is to get blended in the water to become a continuous source of nutrition for baby shrimp.

It contains proteins, microorganisms, and amino acids. So, you can count them as the perfect helping hands for developing your young shrimp. Plus, the tiny size makes it ideal for tiny mouths.

5. Crushed Flake Food

No, I won’t recommend this food for hatchlings, but it is suitable for larger shrimplets. This type of food is known for providing a balanced diet.

When I talk about a balanced diet, it comes with proteins, vitamins, and minerals – exactly what crushed flake food comes with.

6. Homemade Gel Foods

Homemade gel foods can be an excellent option, keeping the specific needs of baby shrimp in mind. You can add high-quality ingredients like crushed leaves, spirulina, and finely ground vegetables to these foods. This way, you’ll get a complete and nutritious diet for your baby cherry shrimp.

7. Baby Brine Shrimp

Napuli, or let’s call it newly hatched brine shrimp, can be a perfect live food option for slightly larger shrimplets. Brine shrimp are full of protein and fatty acids. So, getting a better pace of growth and development should be easy for young cherry shrimp.

Here is a table comparing the nutritional content of baby brine shrimp and powdered food for baby cherry shrimp:

Nutrient	Baby Brine Shrimp	Powdered Shrimp Food
Protein	High (60-65% of dry weight)	Moderate (40-45% of dry weight)
Calcium	Moderate	High
Fat	High (12-15% of dry weight)	Low
Vitamin B12	High	Moderate
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	High	Low
Size	Larger than powder but smaller than adult brine shrimp	Fine powder, very small particles
Digestibility	Readily digested	Easily digested
Live vs Powder	Live food	Powdered food
Culturing Required?	Yes	No, just add to water
Availability	May be difficult to culture consistently	Readily available in stores/online

Appropriate Food Amount vs Different Cherry Shrimp Life Stages

Here is a table showing appropriate foods along with their amount for different cherry shrimp life stages:

Life Stage	Appropriate Foods	Amount
Newly Hatched Larvae	Infusoria, liquid fry food	2-3 drops of liquid fry food daily, infusoria available at all times
Young Shrimplets (2-3 weeks)	Liquid fry food, powdered baby food, crushed algae wafers	1-2 drops liquid food daily, light dusting of powder daily, algae wafers available
Juveniles (3-6 weeks)	Powdered food, crushed algae wafers, baby brine shrimp	Light dusting of powder 2x weekly, 5-10 brine shrimp 2x weekly, algae available
Subadults (6-8 weeks)	Crushed algae wafers, crushed fish flakes, daphnia	2-3 pieces of algae/crushed flakes or 5 daphnia 2x weekly
Young Adults (2-6 months)	Algae wafers, vegetables, shrimp pellets or flakes	1 algae wafer or pellet per 5 shrimp 2x weekly, vegetables available
Breeding Adults	Shrimp pellets or flakes, algae wafers, vegetables, calcium-rich foods	1 pellet or wafer per 2-3 shrimp 2x weekly, vegetables available

Weekly feeding schedule for baby cherry shrimp

Here is a sample weekly feeding schedule table for baby cherry shrimp:

Day	Food
Monday	Liquid fry food, infusoria
Tuesday
Wednesday	Powdered baby food, algae wafers
Thursday
Friday	Brine shrimp (for juveniles), algae wafers
Saturday
Sunday	Algae wafers, vegetables

Days with no listed food allow babies to graze on natural algae and biofilm

5 Food That Should Not Be Given to Baby Cherry Shrimp

Adult shrimp can easily survive on baby foods. But baby shrimp can only walk on that road if the food meets specific criteria. So, before you drop any food for your young shrimp, make sure it’s nothing like –

1. Large Pallets

The last thing you’d like to give your baby shrimp is something too big for them to eat, such as large pallets or granules. They’ll do nothing but make the shrimp struggle to eat, ultimately leading to inefficient feeding and potential wastage.

2. Dense And Hard Food

Hard and dense foods are tough for shrimplets to break down and eat. If you plan on giving them any sinking pallets that might need more chewing, just drop the idea.

3. High Protein Food With Larger Particles

There’s no way to deny that shrimplets need protein more than anything for growth. But that doesn’t mean they can jump any food with high protein, especially the ones with larger particles. So, while giving them protein-based food, ensure you’re crushing them into finer pieces.

4. Flavored Foods

Some of the shrimp foods out there come with added flavors, enhancers, and spices. But these can be tough for the delicate digestive system of the baby shrimp. So, pick something that is free of flavors, spices, or other strong additives.

5. Large-Portioned Algae Wafters

Indeed, giving shrimplets algae wafers can significantly assist in their growth. But they’re too large to eat; the shrimplets won’t benefit from them anyway. So, it’s better to break the wafers into smaller pieces.

In 2020, a large commercial shrimp farm in Thailand reported losses of over $100,000 due to molting issues in young cherry shrimp. They have since revised their baby shrimp diet to include more calcium-rich vegetables like kale and collard greens in addition to commercial foods.

What do you feed newly hatched cherry shrimp?

Newly hatched cherry shrimp, often called shrimplettes, have very small mouths and require fine, easily accessible food. Here are some common feeding options for them:

Powdered Foods: Commercially available powdered shrimp foods are excellent for shrimplettes. These foods are specifically formulated to be nutritionally complete and are fine enough for the tiny shrimp to eat.

Bacter AE or Similar Products: These products promote the growth of biofilm, which is a natural food source for shrimps. Biofilm contains bacteria, algae, and microorganisms that are ideal for the nutritional needs of baby shrimp.

Crushed Pellets or Flakes: If you are already feeding adult shrimp with pellets or flakes, you can crush these into a fine powder. This makes it easier for the shrimplettes to eat.

Boiled Vegetables: Finely grated or boiled until very soft, vegetables like zucchini, spinach, or cucumber can be a good food source. Ensure they are organic or free from pesticides.

Infusoria: These are tiny aquatic creatures that are often used to feed fish fry but can also be suitable for baby shrimp. They can be cultured at home or purchased.

Natural Tank Algae and Biofilm: A well-established aquarium often has enough natural biofilm and algae to sustain baby shrimp. However, this may not be sufficient if you have a large number of shrimplettes.

It’s crucial to feed in small quantities to avoid overfeeding, which can lead to poor water quality.

At the 2020 American Shrimp Farmer’s Association conference, feeding trials were presented that showed baby brine shrimp to be the most effective live food for maximizing juvenile cherry shrimp survival through the first two molts, a critical growth period.

Do cherry shrimp take care of their babies?

Cherry shrimp, like most shrimp species, do not exhibit parental care after their eggs hatch. The life cycle of cherry shrimp is quite straightforward and lacks the parental involvement seen in many other animal species.

Here’s how it typically works:

Female cherry shrimp carry their eggs under their tails, where they are constantly fanned and oxygenated by the shrimp’s swimming movements. This is the extent of their “care” — ensuring the eggs are well-oxygenated and protected until they hatch.

Once the eggs hatch, the shrimplettes are on their own. They are fully formed miniature versions of adult shrimp and are capable of fending for themselves from the moment they emerge from the eggs.

Cherry shrimp rely on a strategy of producing a large number of offspring to ensure that some survive to adulthood. The lack of parental care is offset by the sheer number of young produced.

The baby shrimp immediately begin foraging for food and hiding from potential predators. They are generally very good at taking care of themselves and will eat the same foods as the adults, albeit in smaller sizes.

From birth, cherry shrimp are equipped with the instincts to hide from danger and find food.

A well-established aquarium with plenty of hiding spots and a natural supply of biofilm and algae can be an ideal habitat for them to grow and thrive.

Is Glasgarten good for baby cherry shrimps?

Yes, Glasgarten products are generally considered very good for baby cherry shrimp. Glasgarten is a well-regarded brand in the aquarist community, known for producing high-quality foods that cater specifically to the needs of shrimp. Their products are often recommended for both adult and baby shrimp due to their nutritional content and suitability for shrimp of all ages.

Before We Go…

Clearly, you want your cherry shrimp to have all the foods they need, whether they’re adult or babies. But what if you see them fight over food out of the blue? Well, check out my blog – Why Are My Cherry Shrimps Fighting Over Food? and you’ll know how to handle that in the first place.