Behaviour
The red cherry shrimp is a non-aggressive shrimp. They are active throughout the day, and can be seen grazing on algae, aquarium décor or the sides of the tank, hunting detritus among the gravel, and sometimes even mating. Periodically a shrimp will shed its exoskeleton, leaving an empty white ghost of itself caught in the plants or drifting around the tank. This should be left in the tank, as the shrimp will eat it to recover the valuable minerals it contains.
Female pregnant cherry shrimps tend to hide in the dark. If they feel endangered by predators, they will abandon their eggs. They need an environment with wood or plants such as Java moss in which to hide themselves and their babies. When they are carrying the eggs under their bodies, they can be witnessed circulating water over the eggs with their pleopods (swimming legs) to ensure good health.
Read more about this topic: Cherry Shrimp
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