Cleaner shrimp surprise

[finaddict]

So I was cleaning my sand last night and the cleaner shrimps were in there eating all the bristle worms and ripping them to shredds, then I notice the smaller one is slightly different color! She is full of EGGS. DO they automaticly change sex so there is always male/females??

So cool,I love saltwater -roll-

Edited November 18, 2005 by finaddict

[JSTR]

Hey Connie,

Yes they will switch sex back and forth, depending on who ready to create eggs.

Gives new meaning to "are you my Mommy or Daddy?"

[BT05]

I've had a pair for several months now and they have stayed the same sex. The "female" has become larger and is almost always pregnant; releasing a clutch of eggs every 2 weeks or so. At night you'll see the babies swimming around in groups, but from what I've read they are very difficult to raise and just end up as a little snack.

[finaddict]

How long till the eggs hatch then???

[Majestic_Aquariums]

Hey Connie-pretty cool eh? Good luck with it, but I wouldn't anticipate any surviviors. If you want a few pointers from someone that knows NOTHING lemme know. I tried raising a few clutches just as more an experiment than anything. Had some survive to 3 weeks, and well into their 2nd stage of development-probably more good luck than management.

I do recall reading than ONE person in the world (scientist if I recall) successfully reared them-but I think that's all that was on record..