# Tips for breeding RCS?



## blist3rX (Mar 10, 2009)

I have like 10 RCS in my 29G tank, its been 2 months now. But they're not reproducing like I planned they would. Is there something I should do to promote spawning?


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## bluekrissyspikes (Apr 16, 2009)

are they full grown adults? do they have some sort of calcium?


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## blist3rX (Mar 10, 2009)

I think they should be full grown. They're around 1" long. Some of them are redish-black. I also got this yellowish dude. Is he a sign of calcium difficiency? If so, how do I add calcium into it?


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Do you have fish in the tank, what is your ph, temp, etc. Is your tank planted. If you have fish in there they will eat the shrimplets.Also what kind of filter are you using .


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

ive heard eggshell can be placed in the aquarium for calcium.


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## bluekrissyspikes (Apr 16, 2009)

you can also use a small peice of cuttle bone. my shrimp seem to like them. 1" is full grown. their colour depends on the colours of their surroundings but i've never seen a yellow one in my tanks. calcium helps them molt and that is somehow connected to their breeding. you should cover the filter intake with either a sponge or nylon(like stalkings) to keep babies from getting sucked in. they also don't like hard water and won't breed often in it, which is the problem i've had but they still breed once in a while.


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## redclove (Feb 26, 2008)

also keep them well fed. they will get busy more ofetn.


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## blist3rX (Mar 10, 2009)

thx for the tips guys. I will try adding egg shells or cuttlefish bones (if I still got some left from my budgies) into the tank. and then i'll see if theres any luck. question about this tho, will it affect other levels (pH drop, water hardness, etc) to alter if I add eggshells? I don't hv an indicator for calcium so I don't know if too much will be bad. 

there are other fishes in the tank, which I guess is the main problem. but there should be some good cover in there. the temp is 78-80F. 

thx in advance!


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I use magnesium calcium tabs... pure dolomite.


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## Bubblez (Jun 1, 2009)

so how did it go?


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## ozi (Aug 23, 2007)

I would think your fish are eating all the baby shrimps. You know how crazy fish go for the newly hatched baby brine shrimps. Same thing in there. You gotta remove the fish if you want a shrimp farm. Then wait to see a female carrying yellow eggs on her belly & 2 weeks later you'll see the first babies.


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## blist3rX (Mar 10, 2009)

i have seen an occassional female wit eggs swimming around. but i hvnt seen any babied yet. i provided a lot of plants for hiding. maybe im just not looking hard enough.


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## jimmyjam (Nov 6, 2007)

*word*

frequent water changes..i find most shrimps are sensitive to water quality just watch their scavenging bhvr and if they just stay still and no crapp that means not happy.. and most likely bc of water quality.. also make sure the tank is well cycled... big swings in nitrate and amonia willl kill them. Also dont fert if u have a planted tank.. that pisses them off too, especially csm+b which has copper that may kill them. with that being said, RCS are the most resilient out of most of the common shrimps... crs u will have a bit harder time with in regards to water condition.. gl and get some moss.. check the buy/sell list.. lots of ppl have java... I also have some taiwan moss and errect moss if your willing to spend the coin.. my thread is under aquatic plants


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## shanexu (Jul 3, 2009)

RCS has a color morph variety in yellow, so no worries on that. also they tend to feel safe to breed in a well planted tank with Java moss at around 20-23 degrees.

if you have fish in your tank they probably ate it. also if you have alot of fauna in your tank remember to vaccum your gravel to prevent waste build up. affects their health. 

to safekeep your baby shrimps use a sponge filter or bubble filter. or if you have already got a filter that you don't want to change put stockings over them or cotten cloth. prevents the babies from getting sucked into the filter 

good luck!


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## shanexu (Jul 3, 2009)

oh yeah by the way, when you get a few generations down, you should probably get new shrimps or trade shrimps with other breeders to widen the gene pool. too small a gene pool can cause weak or deformed shrimps


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## Bubblez (Jun 1, 2009)

shanexu said:


> oh yeah by the way, when you get a few generations down, you should probably get new shrimps or trade shrimps with other breeders to widen the gene pool. too small a gene pool can cause weak or deformed shrimps


I swear almost all the RCS and CRS available locally are harshly inbred already


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## shanexu (Jul 3, 2009)

Bubblez said:


> I swear almost all the RCS and CRS available locally are harshly inbred already


thats true... i was thinking about it for my cherry shrimps. but i guess distant cousions are still better than brothers and sisters? =)


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## MichaelAngelo (Jul 6, 2009)

OK so I've had 2 RCS tanks, one 2.5G and one 5G. Guess what? The 2.5G has tonnes of babies and a few pregnant moms and the 5G... well I'm hard-pressed to find any sign of breeding.

The difference was a) I fed the 2.5G a lot more (it was in my room) and b) the 2.5G was VERY well lit (fluorescent desk lamp and sunlight). I think the proper lighting is the key.... abundant food is important too.

Java moss with air-powered bubble filters in both tanks. 

I love my 2.5G RCS tank, it's quite the nice desk decor =D

...

OH and... TIME!!! It's hard to wait, I really wanted to see breeding at first, but then I kinda forgot about the idea.... and before I knew it there were baby shrimps!! =) Patience.


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

Someone can feel free to offer research based evidence that contradicts me, but I am of the impression that many simple creatures like shrimp do not suffer from inbreeding depression in the same way mammals and birds do. 

As was stated, all RCS are quite inbred to start with. This was how their dark red color was selected for. The problem with inbreeding is the loss of genetic diversity and the propensity for deleterious genes which are also present in the deep red colored individuals to become more prevalent and even dominant in your population group. 

I think in the case of these shrimp there either are no such deleterious mutation buildups or they are not impacted by them as they are basically just a species that reproduces in vast numbers so that some will live and individual health doesn't factor in. They don't need an immune system like ours, which suffers greatly from inbreeding, so the shrimp inbreeding doesn't cause similar problems. 

Rant over. Hope someone finds this illuminating.


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

James you are completely correct there. Inbreeding doesn't affect aquatic animals like as it affects mammels. As for breeding RCS they are prolific breeders. However if you have fish in the tank with them, then you are basically providing your swimmers with a nice constant flow of protein. Such is the way of nature. If you are trying to breed them for a purpose then you shouldn't have any fish in the tank. As for eggshell or cuttlebone in the tnak. I never put any such in my 40gal pleco tank and I couldn't stop them from breeding if I tried. Yes bottom feeders are about the only fish that will not interfere with breeding shrimp in a dual species tank.


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

what is RCS stand for???


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## Bubblez (Jun 1, 2009)

red crystal shrimp.

crs stands for cherry red shrimps


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

Bubblez said:


> red crystal shrimp.
> 
> crs stands for cherry red shrimps


Actually it is the other way.

RCS are Cherry and CRS are Crystal


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