Shrimp tale – Episode Seven -INDIAN NATIVE SHRIMPS
We have discussed a lot about Neocaridina Shrimps which are a native species of Taiwan. They have become popular in the hobby because they have been selectively bred over the past decades to get the colours they have today – red, yellow, green, blue, black, orange etc. The most poupular amon them being Red Cherry Shrimps.
So today we will look into the Indian Native Shrimps and their Care. Most of us Know little about them even the Trade Names are confusing and overlapping. There will be more posts regarding these species as we move on because many of them are still being bred in captivity and researched upon.
#Episode_Seven #Shrimp_tale
Topic: INDIAN NATIVE SHRIMPS
If you love colors you’ll adore Caridina babaulti. This relatively uncommon dwarf shrimp comes in red, brown, green, yellow and even zebra stripes! Their hardiness makes these a great beginner option, although they can be a little more shy than many other species. It has another name – Green Midget shrimp, which is translated from English as “green algae shrimp.” It was found during an expedition to the “English” India by M. Babault (expedition 1914-18) and was first described in 1918 (Bouvier). It was this shrimp that became the original species that underwent mutation and thus produced numerous subspecies and various color forms.
In nature, babaulti shrimp inhabit the rivers, ponds, and lakes of India, preferring water bodies densely overgrown with vegetation. The species is quite new in aquariums, introduced only a few years ago, all individuals (not counting those obtained in captivity by aquarists) are mainly imported from India.
Species found on sale by collectors: Zebra shrimp or striped shrimp – Caridina babaulti “Stripes”, green “Green” Shrimp shape, green neon “Green Neon” Shrimp shape, blue “Blue” Shrimp shape, Malaya Shrimp shape.
Common names: Babaulti shrimp, green Babaulti shrimp, zebra Babaulti shrimp, etc.Scientific name: Caridina cf. babaultiDifficulty level: EasyOrigin: Mainly India, possibly other regions in Asia
Description:
As mentioned in the intro, Caridina babaulti is one colorful dwarf shrimp species. The most common variety is green, which makes this a great alternative to green Neocaridina shrimp.You can tell Caridina babaulti apart from other dwarf shrimp by its slightly longer rostrum and the strongly visible backstripe on most specimens. The color of Indian Shrimp Zebras is changeable, which is characteristic of all babaulti, and is very dependent on the mood of the shrimp and the environment. The only thing is that the presence of stripes does not depend on either internal or external factors – the dark stripes are constant and can reach black shades in their color, for which the shrimp actually got its name – Zebra.The main body tone of the Caridina babaulti “Stripes” shrimp is transparent, with various shades (most often the dominant colors are blue, orange, or brown, there is no green shade as such, just the transparent body of the animal perfectly conveys the color of the environment and when the animal grazes in green thickets, colors can vary from pale olive to intense green). In males, the stripes are usually dark brown, in females – black, the width and sharpness of the stripes for this species is not precisely determined, the only thing that can be said is that the stripes are drawn rather than formed using a chaotic pattern of spots.
Green shrimps have a bright green body. Green shrimp babaulti are notable for a remarkable feature: they are able to change the color of their hull, becoming either green, then light brown or red. Color depends on the mood in which the animal is, how it eats, and in what conditions it lives.
Once you’ve got your tank, all you need is a filter. The filter allows your aquarium to cycle. Do make sure you get a shrimp-safe type: anything without a sponge intake might suck up and shred small shrimp. A sponge filter should work well. Caridina babaulti can be a little more reclusive than many of its ‘cousins’ and will appreciate plenty of hiding places in the aquarium. They’re not picky about hides and anything that provides cover will work well. Try live plants with plenty of texture like Java moss, shrimp tubes, rocks and driftwood.When it comes to water quality, Caridina babaulti is pretty versatile, although as always your aquarium should be fully cycled before you can introduce any shrimp. Ammonia and nitrite are deadly to all aquatic creatures and should be at 0. Nitrates are less damaging but should preferably still be under 10. Do regular aquarium maintenance and water changes to keep your water quality high and your Caridina babaulti shrimp happy.
Keep in mind that Caridina babaulti is not the most common shrimp. Hobbyists don’t always seem to agree on the preferred water values yet, so the numbers listed below are not set in stone. It’s recommended to stay in this general range, but other than that you can feel free to experiment a little to find the optimal breeding conditions.
Caridina babaulti shrimp diet:
Like most dwarf shrimp, Caridina babaulti are omnivores with a preference for detritus. Their natural diet consists of things like decaying plant matter, biofilm and algae. In fact, some aquarists report these shrimp are more interested in dead plant bits than actual shrimp foods!
That being said, you should still supplement their diet with a high quality food. You can also add variety by offering all sorts of “snacks” like leaf litter, fresh blanched veggies or frozen foods.
Breeding:
Propagation Young individuals become sexually mature by approximately three months of age. Under good conditions, they can breed several times a year. A sexually mature female is recognized (as mentioned above) by the cervical spot, and soon you can see green eggs (in individuals of blue or brown color, the eggs are usually darker) under her stomach, which develops from three to four weeks. Fry is completely independent from the first days and is able to get its own food, but additional feeding is necessary if you want to save most of the offspring.
Parents are not inclined to eat babies, so there is no need to put them in a different tank. During shrimp growth, water changes are needed twice a week by 1/5. This stimulates molting and, accordingly, the growth of shrimp.
Babaulti shrimp can bring about 25 eggs per month. For successful reproduction, it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature in the aquarium – 26 degrees Celsius.
Interestingly, the dark green babaulti shrimp (Caridina babaulti “Dark Green Shrimp”) brings the offspring immediately painted in dark green color and it does not change throughout the life of the animal, and the offspring of the babaulti green shrimp (Caridina babaulti “Green Shrimp”) changes color, has a lighter shade and grows much slower, even if the water changes regularly and often.
In addition, young green shrimp often have marks and strokes on their backs, which are never found in dark green individuals.
Care Sheet:
Size 2.4-4 cm or 1-1,5 inches
Tank size small 20+ liters or 4+ gallons.
Life span around 2 years
Temperature 22-27 C. or 64-82 °F
pH 6.5 – 8.0
kH 3-8
Color green, red, brown, blue, yellow
Food omnivores
Breeding very easy
Temperament Peaceful
Maturity 3 months
Shrimp eggs green, takes 23-27 days to hatch.