Cleaner shrimp eggs

[LxHowler]

So I was feeding my tank earlier and noticed one of my cleaner shrimp looks like it has eggs attached to it, I was wondering is there a way to tell if they are fertile or if they will survive.
Also if they hatch how likely are they to survive. I believe one of them has just molted so it might also be something to do with that. cleaner

 

[Greg Goby]

Our cleaner shrimp would have a new set of eggs after each time it molted. It was pretty exciting but we only have one cleaner so it could be observed eventually plucking one egg out at a time and tossing them into water column. My other fish quickly consumed them. Our cleaner shrimp probably did this 6-8 times but has not within the last few months.

From what I have read, white eggs are non fertilized. Yellow eggs have been fertilized and will be held on to by the parent until their birth at which point they will need special considerations to be raised to adulthood.

 

[LxHowler]

Our cleaner shrimp would have a new set of eggs after each time it molted. It was pretty exciting but we only have one cleaner so it could be observed eventually plucking one egg out at a time and tossing them into water column. My other fish quickly consumed them. Our cleaner shrimp probably did this 6-8 times but has not within the last few months.

From what I have read, white eggs are non fertilized. Yellow eggs have been fertilized and will be held on to by the parent until their birth at which point they will need special considerations to be raised to adulthood.

Thanks for the response. I have a pair of cleaners but I don't think I will be able to care for them if they do hatch which is a shame as the eggs are a dark yellow colour making believe they may be fertile

 

[Greg Goby]

No problem, my LFS was shipped a batch of cleaner shrimp and one of them produced about a hundred babies the size of a BB or smaller. He removed all the adult shrimp and left them in a tank with just a bunch of BTA's but didn't attempt to feed the brood. I observed them over a couple of months and although they grew a little bit, they never really seemed to get to their next stage. One day when I returned they were all gone and he said they just fizzled out.

They would require a specific diet, especially when very young as well as a tank environment that is suitable to tiny lifeforms to scuttle around and do what they do without fear of being gobbled up. I think if he had tried a little harder he could have pulled it off and had a sizable amount of shrimp to sell for awhile. Good luck whatever happens for you and your shrimp!

 

[Krully]

Are you sure about the white eggs? Because I've seen yellow/orange eggs once on my cleaner and it was the only cleaner in the tank for a few months unless they can self fertilise later?

 

[Greg Goby]

Definitely not sure, just what I recall from reading about when I first noticed the eggs on mine. I never got a chance to see fertilized eggs in person so I still am not quite sure what to look for. Maybe the OP can post a picture of his shrimp?