How to Breed Coral Banded Shrimp

The vivid white and red markings of coral banded shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) and their active nature make them an appealing animal to keep in home aquariums. Breeding them is not so straightforward, primarily because you have to stop the larvae from being either sucked into filtration equipment or eaten by other tank inhabitants. If you are willing to devote at least two tanks entirely to the breeding project, you may be successful, if you have extensive experience maintaining saltwater aquariums.

Things You'll Need

  • 30-gallon or larger established saltwater tank with light, heater and low-flow filter
  • Second tank with air stone and without filter
  • Rocks
  • Fish flakes
  • Live food
  • Iodine
  • Cup
  • Phytoplankton cultures
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide plenty of rocks as hiding and resting places in the tank. Also arrange them so that the output from the filter is covered. The filter, even a low-flow one, is the main hazard to shrimp larvae. Include the minimum amount of fauna to have a healthy tank and don't add invertebrates or fish that feed primarily on zooplankton.

    • 2

      Introduce one male and one female coral banded shrimp. The females are larger than the males and their blue ovaries are visible in their semi-transparent bodies. Your breeding attempt is much more likely to be successful with an already mated pair, which are occasionally available from suppliers. Since this species can be aggressive, don't keep more than two unless you have a very large tank.

    • 3

      Feed the shrimp on a combination of high quality flake food supplemented with live food such as brine shrimp. They will also eat some of the small organisms living in the tank. Iodine added to the water according to the instructions on the bottle helps with growth.

    • 4

      Watch for the shrimp larvae being released. After a female lays eggs, the eggs remain attached to her body for several weeks. When the larvae are released, turn off the filter and capture as many as you can with a cup. Transfer them to the second tank.

    • 5

      Feed the larvae on phytoplankton and newly hatched brine shrimp and other very small live food such as rotifers.

    • 6

      Conduct daily water changes of the larval tank. Without filtration, toxins build up rapidly.