Fun fact: Hatching orphan neocaridina, can be done!

[Minanora]

Figured I should share this method of hatching.

This evening I hatched eggs from a mom who passed away. I collected her eggs and put them in a net and put them above the sponge filter in the tank.

The eggs had visible black eyes, under magnification, when I got them off of mom. It's been just under a week since then.

I got them off of mom within an hour of her passing.

I separated the eggs from her swimmerettes with my fingernails and put them in a plastic medicine measuring cap while I got all of the eggs. I made sure there was no leftover legs connected to the eggs.

About half of the eggs didn't survive the experiment.

I turned up the air on the sponge filter. They bounced around a lot.

I moved the net with eggs in it to a taco bell cup yesterday with no air and there are now tiny shrimp. Some eggs are still hatching.

I would say at this point I'll likely have saved 25% of the brood.

Eggs above sponge filter

Eggs in cup

"The swarm endures" 🦐🧡

I am a full blown broodmother! 🤣

Edited March 16, 2022 by Minanora

[PineSong]

I love this so much. You really did the most to raise those babies. May they prosper and reward you with a legion of babies!

[Minanora]

@PineSongthank you! I added Indian almond leaves (small pieces) to the cup today and ran my battery powered air pump on energy saver with a ziss air stone before I left for work today. I came home to a total of 4 itty bitty shrimp! They like the leaf piece I put in the net for them. 🧡🦐