How Long Do Shrimp Carry Eggs? A Complete Guide to the Shrimp Reproduction Cycle

Shrimp keeping is an enjoyable and rewarding aquarium hobby for fish enthusiasts. Watching a pregnant shrimp carry eggs and eventually release tiny shrimp babies into your tank is an amazing experience. But how long do shrimp actually carry eggs before they hatch?

The shrimp reproduction cycle is complex, with females going through several distinct stages. By understanding the various phases, you can better care for a berried (pregnant) shrimp and anticipate when the eggs will hatch. In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how long shrimp carry eggs.

Overview of the Shrimp Reproductive Cycle

Before diving into the specifics. let’s do a quick overview of the shrimp reproductive cycle

• Adult female shrimp develop eggs in an ovarian chamber behind their heads.

• The eggs are initially unfertilized. To fertilize them, the female will mate with a male shrimp.

• Once fertilized, the eggs move under the female’s tail and attach to swimmerets on her underside. This is the “berried” stage.

• Shrimp eggs incubate under the female’s tail for 3-4 weeks on average before hatching. The duration depends on species and temperature.

• When ready to hatch, the female shrimp releases the larvae, which immediately become free-swimming shrimp babies.

Now, let’s take a more in-depth look at each reproductive stage and timeline.

How the Shrimp Life Cycle Begins: Egg Development

A female shrimp’s ovaries are located in her cephalothorax, behind her head and digestive tract. Here, eggs begin developing even before fertilization occurs.

Mature female shrimp continually produce eggs, which appear as a yellow, green, or brown-colored mass in the ovarian chamber. An adult Neocaridina shrimp may carry 300-500 eggs at a time.

These unfertilized eggs can survive 1-2 weeks in the ovarian chamber waiting for an opportunity to mate. If mating doesn’t occur, the eggs will eventually be reabsorbed into the female’s body.

Finding a Mate: Shrimp Courtship and Mating

For the eggs to mature and hatch, the female shrimp needs to successfully mate with a male. Here’s how shrimp courtship typically plays out:

• The female releases pheromones to signal she is ready to mate. Multiple males may be attracted.

• Males will chase and tap the female with their antennae as a courtship display.

• If she’s receptive, the female will stop fleeing and allow a male to approach from behind and mate.

• The actual mating lasts just a few seconds as the male transfers sperm to fertilize the eggs.

With a large colony, you may witness shrimp mating frequently. But shrimp are selective and a female may reject some advances until the right suitor comes along.

Once the eggs are fertilized internally, the next stage of development begins.

Carrying the Eggs: The Berried Stage

After mating occurs, the female shrimp’s eggs become fertilized within her ovarian chamber. She will then begin pushing the eggs down towards her abdomen. This process takes 12-24 hours.

The eggs move into an external chamber on the female’s underside between her tail and legs, known as the brood pouch. Here they attach to fine hair-like structures called swimmerets.

At this point, the female is considered “berried,” carrying a clutch of eggs visible on her underside. The eggs are initially a darker color and opaque. Over the 3-4 week incubation period, they will gradually lighten and become more translucent as embryos develop inside.

While berried, the female constantly fans her swimmerets to keep the eggs clean, oxygenated, and protected. She will also become increasingly reclusive, seeking out areas with good water flow.

Hatching the Eggs: Release of the Larvae

Shrimp eggs incubate for around 3-4 weeks from the start of the berried stage until hatching. The exact timeframe depends on water temperature and species. For example:

• Cherry shrimp eggs may hatch in 20 days at 75°F.

• Ghost shrimp eggs can take 28 days at 70°F.

• Amano shrimp eggs hatch between 32-35 days at 72°F.

As the eggs near their hatch date, you’ll notice them turn nearly translucent with the shrimp larvae visible inside. When ready, the female will vigorously flap her swimmerets to release the larvae into the water column.

Newly hatched shrimp larvae look like tiny versions of adults. However, they go through planktonic and benthic post-larval stages before reaching maturity several months later.

Tips for Caring for a Berried Shrimp

While carrying eggs, the female shrimp needs special care for a successful and healthy hatch:

• Avoid disruption – Limit maintenance, water testing, and other disturbances to her habitat.

• Supplement food – Feed high protein foods like blanched veggies and algae wafers.

• Add hiding spots – Give the berried female plenty of plants, rock caves, and driftwood to feel secure.

• Maintain water quality – Test parameters frequently and perform water changes as needed.

• Isolate if stressed – Move her to a nursery tank if threatened by tankmates.

Follow these tips to help ensure your berried shrimp can carry her eggs to full term. Then get ready for the excitement of seeing lots of tiny shrimp babies swimming around!

Can Shrimp Drop Their Eggs Early?

In some cases, a berried female shrimp may release her eggs before they are ready to hatch. This is usually due to stress from improper water conditions, predators, or harassment from other shrimp.

If eggs are dropped within the first week of the berried stage, they likely haven’t had time to properly develop and will not survive.

Eggs dropped in the second or third week have a chance of hatching. You can attempt to incubate these eggs in a separate hatchery until their due date.

While undesirable, premature egg dropping is normal on occasion. Don’t be too concerned unless it happens repeatedly. Just focus on reducing stress and maintaining an optimal tank environment.

Recap: How Long Do Shrimp Carry Eggs?

Here’s a quick recap of the shrimp reproductive timeline:

• Unfertilized eggs develop in the female’s ovary for up to 1-2 weeks.

• After mating, fertilized eggs move to the brood pouch under her tail.

• Shrimp enter the berried stage once eggs are attached to the swimmerets.

• Females carry the developing eggs for 3-4 weeks on average.

• Larvae hatch from the eggs and become free-swimming shrimp babies.

Now that you know what to expect throughout the shrimp’s reproductive cycle, you can be prepared to care for the females and their eggs. Pay close attention for signs of courting behavior, a developing egg clutch, and an impending hatch. With the right tank conditions, you’ll have a thriving colony of shrimp in no time!