Cleaner Shrimp and eggs? Anyone know what's going on?

[SabrinaJean]

They everyone! I have two cleaner shimp that recently have eggs. One lost their eggs, but them grew some back. It's eggs looks green, which are located under it's abs, and under its flippers. The other's eggs have a clear color with little eyeballs looking around.
I was wondering how they are being fertilized? I purchesed them both a long time ago when they didn't carry eggs. Does anyone know what's going on?

 

[tetra-tag]

There is a book by a woman named April Kirkendoll which describes breeding and raising shrimps of the genus Lysmata. If I recall correctly they are hermaphrodites and take turns fertilizing one anothers' eggs. This happens immediately after the 'egg' parent molts. In order to raise the young they must be fed, brine shrimp nauplii to start I think.

http://www.lysmatapublishing.com/shrimp.html

 

[1F2FRFBF]

I had two cleaner shrimp as well, and they did eventually get around to breeding and would take turns carrying eggs. And yes, they are hermaphroditic, meaning they can fertilize eggs as well as carry them, and they do mate almost right after molting.

As the eggs mature, the green color fades, so the one with the clear eggs must be getting near time to release the little ones - and if you have a chance to see this, it's really neat to watch.

I did lose one of my shrimp about a month or two ago, and my tank has been missing out on the free food ever since. I never tried to catch the little ones and attempt to raise any - thought about it, but I didn't have the proper facilities.