Sexy Shrimp Mating Issue

[kitti-fish]

Hello! I was under the impression both my sexy shrimp were boys, but last night when I shined my light in to watch my snake coral, one of the shrimp releases a HUGE cluster of baby shrimp and was now twice the size of the other shrimp (I haven't seen them a lot as they host my corals and hide). I think this possibly ended the lives of all the little shrimp by spooking her and also all the coral got a snack. Is it an issue to keep the male/now female shrimp together? Tank is doing fine otherwise. No sight of any babies this morning.

 

[tzabor10]

Great news.

 

[DaJMasta]

Not an issue, spawning regularly (every molt) is a sign of good health. The babies are sort of slender and are folded up in the eggs, so a surprising looking volume comes from the half-a-grain-of-rice sized egg mass the female carries under her abdomen. I don't remember if sexy shrimp are one that could change sex - could explain two males becoming a male and a female - but at the very least, males are smaller, so a younger, less mature shrimp could just appear to be a male before it was fully grown.

 

[kitti-fish]

Not an issue, spawning regularly (every molt) is a sign of good health. The babies are sort of slender and are folded up in the eggs, so a surprising looking volume comes from the half-a-grain-of-rice sized egg mass the female carries under her abdomen. I don't remember if sexy shrimp are one that could change sex - could explain two males becoming a male and a female - but at the very least, males are smaller, so a younger, less mature shrimp could just appear to be a male before it was fully grown.

Gotcha! Yes, babies were slender folded in half but moving. I am 100% sure the coral ate the up or they got sucked into my filtration. And probably so. Since they hide I don't always see them so when I spotted her she was twice the size as the male. I guess happy wife happy life so I'll keep doing what I'm doing to keep the inverts content.