Breeding Journal, Species: Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata boggessi)

Last batch is 13 dph now and probably 40 of them left or so.
 
One of the adult shrimp was holding a massive batch of eggs and I decided to try something different to collect the larvae.  I put her into a 5 gallon aquarium that I plan to try using as a larvae vessel with the next batch.  Most of the eggs on the shrimp hatched lastnight, but not a one are in the aquarium so I must assume the shrimp ate them!  Dangit I forgot about that!  The shrimp is still holding some eggs that I imagine will hatch tonight so I put a piece of cross stitch mesh in the tank to hold the shrimp over to one side and I will put a light up on the other side to draw the larvae away from it.
 
Information added to the DataSheet.

Bad cannibal!  Bad!

©2013 Ryan F. Mercer -All Rights Reserved.
          === TREASURE HUNT ===

Bahahahahhahahaha!!!!!

Yeah, that new idea for collecting the larvae by putting the shrimp in the vessel was an epic fail - even when I tried to cordon the shrimp and added the light.  Didn't collect even one larva.  So...won't do that again.  Waste of a big batch too!  Argh.
 
The last larva died yesterday from the last batch.  That one made it to 15 dph.  Hmm, I'm really stuck at that mark now, but hey better than the 2 dph I was stuck at a couple months ago! 
 
I have 2 "pairs" breeding now (I had some murderous clowns, and had to relocate some shrimp).  Shrimp in tank 1 started holding yesterday.  Now the wait...

That's a shame.  I had hope for your experiment.  Honestly, I blame evolution.  Sometimes I think it isn't even trying.  Then I remember that all things have intent, and that our intentions shape the future.
 
Congrats on reaching 15 days!  I'm at 14 days today myself, with about 20% remaining.  They won't last more than another 3 days at this rate.  So we are in a similar boat.
 

©2013 Ryan F. Mercer -All Rights Reserved.
          === TREASURE HUNT ===

Well the source can't be verified and I still contend that my breeder water is the more likely culprit, but on the off chance... you were right.
 
While my kreisel has yet to prove it can settle sexies, it's now quite successful at raising hydroids.  Made it to 22dph tho, which technically puts me only 4 days away from my goal.  It must be 4 days measured in football time tho, because now I have to battle it out in overtime.
 
Was I expecting this?  Yes, I was.
 
Hydroids are beautiful in both function and form.  Mesmerizing really.  Not to mention, every good game requires a worthy adversary.
 
Success and failure don't measure events, but rather our expectations.  I expect to keep failing at this, until.  I expect to learn from and enjoy each and every "failure" until I can fail no longer.  That will be the day I settle a sexy.
 
I think you're doing great!  Just keep at it; you're right on course.  I hear there's a cabana and a lagoon, and a proffesor and a movie star --I can't wait!

©2013 Ryan F. Mercer -All Rights Reserved.
          === TREASURE HUNT ===

Hahaha, Ryan you kill me!
 
I should be collecting another batch tonight.  Since I messed up collecting the last batch I have been shrimp larvae-less for a couple weeks.  The break has been nice though.  They are so high maintenance.  Ha!

 
Yes, they are... today was the first day I haven't hatched brine shrimp both morning and night, in like nearly 2 months.  It is a bit of a relief, just don't take too long of a break, or you might not come back to it.
 
While I attempt to kill the hydroids with a heat treatment for the next few days, I've been debating whether or not to continue feeding baby brine shrimp.  Why? In part to keep the biocycle undisturbed, but also so I don't fall out of the habit.  That's really what this requires.  Just do it every day and it becomes a habit that blurs into the background, like so many dirty dishes or laundry, or breathing.
 
And also, I'm more serious than you know.
 
I got some great video to look at while you're bored.

©2013 Ryan F. Mercer -All Rights Reserved.
          === TREASURE HUNT ===

I had two shrimp carrying eggs; one from Mar 9th, and one from Mar 10th.  They both hatched lastnight.  I only have one larvae trap, so I only caught one batch.  Dangit.  I put the larvae into a 5 gallon tank with a heater and airstone under the heater.  I covered the sides, put the LED light on top, added frozen Cyclopeeze and here we go again! 
 
Ryan, just decap the brine shrimp eggs and you won't get hydroids!
 
Just for fun, here's a pic of today's new batch:

 
 
With all due respect, I beg to differ.  I found a lot of heady conversations regarding the inevitability of hydroids in a continues system.  I also found some skepticism from the same people regarding undecaped eggs as a likely source.  I'm not saying decaping is a bad idea.  I'm just saying that if you think decaping is a silver bullet, then you're kidding yourself.  I know just enough about hydroids to know that at least.  I also know they are likely in my display tank, just not a clinical infection.  Thus they are in my breeder.  The breeder is the source, and at the moment, I know of no way around that.  I move water from my breeder to my kreisel with every larva transfered.  Just say'n.
 
Perhaps more to the point however, are you aware of my final goal?  It's not something I'm going to accomplish without some first hand experience with hydroids.  This is in fact an important part of my over all process.  I do have a method.
 
Congrats on the hatch!  Wishing you luck.

©2013 Ryan F. Mercer -All Rights Reserved.
          === TREASURE HUNT ===

Well I can definitely say that decapping eggs hugely decreases the chances of introducing hydroids.  In a continuous system though I imagine that hydroids are inevitable.
 
I remember that you're attempting Sexy Shrimp in an effort to practice for a bigger goal, but I can't remember what the bigger goal is, sorry!

So are you both using chads snagger to catch these guys?

-Adam

 
I do, works great.

So any updates?

No, I haven't been working with them at all.  I gave up until I can get some upwellers going, but other projects have been taking precedence over that.

Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]

How's the wurdemanni and boggessi?

check out Kathy's Clowns, llc website:
http://kathysclowns.com
Captive bred clownfish and more
(Wholesale to the trade.)

 
I was waiting for some 3/4" bulkheads that were back-ordered so I could finish the last bit of plumbing on the upwellers.  I got the bulkheads last weekend, but I haven't gotten around to getting that done yet, and I have no excuses now.  I haven't tried collecting any larvae yet, but I've been watching the eggs develop on the adult shrimp. 
 
I do need some big micron mesh too, so I can flush BBS out of the upwellers without flushing the shrimp larvae out.  I use Great Salt Lake Artemia from Brine Shrimp Direct which, from hunting around, seem to be about 475 microns newly hatched.  I'm thinking 1000 micron (1 mm) mesh would be good, plus ~250 micron mesh when I'm not flushing.  I have a "Mean Green Killing Machine" UV sterilizer that I think I'm going to add to the tank too - I got it on clearance a couple years ago for $15 and I think it will help with bacteria. 
 
I bought 27, 180, and 400 micron mesh a few years ago.  If I can find a receipt and all three of them then maybe I can figure out which is which and utilize those.  The 400 should hold the NHBBS in.

Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]

Mindy,
You can determine which mesh is which by feeling it. the smaller the micron size, the smoother the mesh will feel.the 400 will feel very rough compared to the 27 and the 180 will be in between.

http://www.fishtalpropagations.com/#!home/mainPage
"Making captive breeding easier."

 
Thanks Tal!  I knew I would be able to tell them apart if I could find all three, but I wasn't sure if I only found one if I could figure out which it was!  Thankfully, I did find all three, and wrote with a Sharpie in the corners which size they are!  The 400 is definitely quite rough and stiffer feeling.  The 27 is softer.

Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]

on a plastic BRT, Uniseals work well as bulkheads...

check out Kathy's Clowns, llc website:
http://kathysclowns.com
Captive bred clownfish and more
(Wholesale to the trade.)

 
I'm using large glass vases for upwellers.  I wish I could have found them in plastic.

Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]