Pregnant cleaner shrimp?

[Chibils]

About a month ago, I picked up a companion cleaner (Lystama amboinensis) for my large one who has been in the tank for about nine months. The small one took to him (her, I suppose?) immediately, and they cavort around the tank together. The large one is 2.375", the smaller one is [now] 1.75". Today when I got home from work, I noticed my big "male" (affectionately named "Pedro") swollen in the abdomen, which had a sickly green color. I'd call it a healthy puce.

However, after some observation, I thought that maybe Pedro was pregnant? "He" fans his pleopods constantly, though I'm not sure if it's to oxygenate the eggs or maintain his position on the side of the glass.


Any opinions on this? If he is pregnant, how long do I have until he pops? And how do I raise the cleaners?!

 

[philter4]

He is pregnant, and he is still a he sort of. They are hermaphrodites, but they need two to breed. As the other one gets older they will egg trade, where each will lay and fertilize each others eggs so they will both be pregnant at the same time.

As for raising the babies it is increadably difficult, they require very small foods and lots of clean space which makes it very hard to provide. After the eggs are ready they will hatch almost always after dark and if you are not ready the other animals in your tank and your filters will take care of them.

 

[Chibils]

Is it worth transferring them to a 5.5 or 10G tank when they're ready to hatch? Or is there no real chance I'll get lucky?

 

[philter4]

No one has raised them commercially, but a few have gotten them to a size they should be able to survive. I have Lysmata garbhami which is a close relative and I've gotten larvae to almost 1/2 inch with out seperating mine in my lg reef, but most get eaten or filtered out.

 

[SabrinaJean]

look up my forum , someone recommended a book for taking care of the process