Today shrimp are becoming more popular with aquarists. A unique shape of the body and a diverse color makes the shrimp favorite inhabitants of the home underwater world.
Basically, aquarium shrimps come from Asia. They are no longer than 6-8 cm long. They are omnivorous and very hardy crustaceans. The optimum temperature of their existence in the aquarium is 20-26 ° C. If the water is cooler, the shrimp will become sluggish and inactive. Very warm water can cause them oxygen starvation and suffocation.
The whole body of the aquarium shrimp is divided into segments. In this case, each segment has limbs that perform certain functions. The three front segments are fused and covered with a protective chitinous shell, the front end of which is stretched and pointed. The limbs of the remaining thoracic parts of the body of the shrimp are turned into mustaches, jaws and jaws. Ventral limbs serve as shrimp for swimming and for bearing eggs in females.
Since there are many varieties of aquarium shrimps, each of them has its own, characteristic for their kind, structural changes in the structure of the body. For example, in those invertebrates that live near the current, the front walking legs turned into kind of adroit fans and hook-hooks, better developed in males. With the help of such fans, freshwater aquarium shrimps filter out the water and thus select from the water a dry fish food , small pieces of algae. And these crustaceans for collecting food can sweep the bottom of the aquarium and clean the filter. Thus, aquarium shrimps are very useful aquarium inhabitants, since they are universal filterers.
There are several varieties of aquarium shrimp, the most adapted to life in the aquarium. Among them, Amano - Japanese pond, Cherry, White Pear, BlueTiger. Interesting large aquarium shrimps: Macrobrachium, a giant shrimp Rosenberg, but keep them in large aquariums.
Reproduction of aquarium shrimps
For the reproduction of freshwater shrimps, it is necessary to have both male and female in the aquarium. Depending on their variety, at the age of one and a half to two months, these arthropods are ready to reproduce themselves. For example, a female cherry, which is ready to lay eggs, can be identified by a yellow saddle on the head and back. After laying eggs, such a female transfers the eggs to small paws and attaches them there with sticky threads. Periodically, the shrimp shakes the eggs, cleaning them in this way from dirt and supplying oxygen. After 3-4 weeks, small babies appear, similar to white fleas, and within a month or a half they themselves become ready for reproduction.
What to feed aquarium shrimp?
If you have fish and shrimp in the same aquarium, then special food for shrimp will not be needed: they feed on the remains of dry food, bloodworms, aquarium plants and green outgrowths on the walls. And in the case when shrimps live alone in the aquarium, without fish, feeding is still necessary for them. This is suitable for a branded dry food for shrimp, nettle, spinach.
Diseases of aquarium shrimps
Aquarium shrimps, like any other living organisms, are susceptible to various diseases. One of the main causes of such diseases are parasites. In addition, aquarium crustaceans are infected with fungal and viral infections. In any case, the sick shrimps should be isolated, and the water in the aquarium must be changed. And definitely watch the density of the aquarium population and periodically adjust it, as in any densely populated place disease often occurs.
Having provided proper care for aquarium shrimps, you can watch with pleasure the life of these extraordinary creatures.