How to Breed Peppermint Shrimp

Peppermint Shrimp are primarily found in the Caribbean and Eastern Atlantic regions. They have red and white stripes and grow to be approximately two inches long. Peppermint Shrimp are hermaphrodites and have cycles in between becoming male and female. They are also omnivores, eating meat and plants, and have been known to eat each other and their larvae. Breeding Peppermint Shrimp has proven difficult for some researchers, but with the right habitat and knowledge, they can be breed successfully.

Things You'll Need

  • Large aquarium
  • Gravel
  • Rocks
  • Water vegetation
  • Water filtration system
  • Raw fish or shrimp
  • Water siphon
  • Algae scraper
  • Small light
  • Cup or syringe
  • Small aquarium
  • Black trash bag
  • Air stone
  • Battery operated backup pump
  • Flake food
  • Brine shrimp
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Instructions

  1. Caring for Adult Peppermint Shrimp

    • 1

      Create a happy, healthy habitat for the adult Peppermint Shrimp to live in. When they are happy and healthy, they will want to spawn and breed. Do not add other fish or shrimp to the tank. Add gravel to the bottom, some larger rocks to climb and hide and vegetation. Install a water filtration system in the tank to help keep the water clean.

    • 2

      Deter cannibalism. Ensure that the shrimp are generously fed each day. Their diet should consist of small pieces of raw fish or shrimp. Make sure there is enough food for them to feed on, allowing a little extra to sink to the bottom. Peppermint Shrimp are scavengers and will find the food left in the tank. Also be sure that the shrimp are not overcrowded, as this will lead to cannibalism as well.

    • 3

      Keep the environment balanced. The water will need to be siphoned and cleaned as it gets dirty or cloudy, as would any aquarium. Scrap any algae growth off of the sides of the tank. Test and balance the water often. The ideal pH for Peppermint shrimp is between 8.1 and 8.4. The temperature should be within 75 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 4

      Watch for the Peppermint Shrimp to spawn. In a healthy environment, the shrimp will mate late at night, after dark. They will race around the tank, chasing one another. When first attempting to breed the shrimp, watch their chase carefully. Mating and fighting can be mistaken. If it is determined that the shrimp are fighting, the tank may be overcrowded, underfed or need the environment adjusted.

    • 5

      Look for eggs on the shrimp. The eggs will nestle in the pleopods, or swimming legs of the shrimp. The swimming legs are located under the belly of the shrimp. The eggs will be hatched just before the female shrimp molts.

    • 6

      Collect the larvae from the tank as soon as possible after it is hatched. Because adult Peppermint Shrimp will eat the larvae, they must be grown in a separate tank. Use a small light to attract the larvae to a corner of the tank. Use a cup or syringe to pull the larvae from the tank. Be careful with them, as they can suffer broken legs and antennae from this process. There are a few other devices that can be purchased and used to collect the larvae. Check with your local pet store for more information.

    Raising the Larvae

    • 7

      Create a healthy environment for the larvae. The new tank should be filled beforehand and balanced as closely as possible with the adult tank. The tank should be smaller and only contain water. Cover the sides of the tank with a black trash bag to help keep out bright light.

    • 8

      Install an air stone with small bubbles to help circulate the water and keep the larvae floating. When they sink, they tend to die. However, be sure the air stone does not give off so many bubbles that they are pushed into the sides of the tank. Set up a backup pump in case of a power outage.

    • 9

      Provide a healthy diet. Larval Peppermint Shrimp will eat foods that float, such as flakes and baby brine shrimp. They do not scavenge off of the bottom yet. Ensure that the larvae are fed as soon as they are transferred into the new tank.

    • 10

      Keep the environment balanced. The water will need to be siphoned and cleaned as it gets dirty or cloudy, as would any aquarium. Scrap any algae growth off of the sides of the tank. Test and balance the water often. The ideal pH for Peppermint shrimp is between 8.1 and 8.4. The temperature should be within 75 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 11

      Provide care until the larvae grow into juvenile Peppermint Shrimp. Continue maintaining the tank and feeding them. Larger brine shrimp can be provided as they grow, but if there is a constant addition of new larvae to the tank, baby brine shrimp and flakes are ideal. The larvae will molt several times. At approximately 5 weeks, they are considered to be juvenile Peppermint Shrimp.