No worries mate. The authors dont make it easy by stating that 28 is the best temp to grow them at, even though some of the data doesn't agree. Very contradictory.

WOW! This thread is definitely getting very scientific! Haha But nevertheless, some very interesting discussions going on.

 

I would like to just quickly clarify something: When you guys say you notice a decrease in berried females during winter, besides obvious seasonal effects, was it on account of the following:

 

A) Females are just not developing saddles or developing saddles at a much slower rate?

B) Females are not molting as frequently?

C) When saddled females have molted, they are perhaps not giving off  as much pheromones and hence the males in the tank don't go on a crazy search and end up missing the "window of opportunity"?

D) All of the above?

 

this is indeed a good question mst mugen!! perhaps ineke, newbreed or someone else who have said they experience a seasonal slowdown could shed some light on this for us?i'd love to know too!

 

love n peace

 

will

WOW! This thread is definitely getting very scientific! Haha But nevertheless, some very interesting discussions going on.

 

I would like to just quickly clarify something: When you guys say you notice a decrease in berried females during winter, besides obvious seasonal effects, was it on account of the following:

 

A) Females are just not developing saddles or developing saddles at a much slower rate?

B) Females are not molting as frequently?

C) When saddled females have molted, they are perhaps not giving off  as much pheromones and hence the males in the tank don't go on a crazy search and end up missing the "window of opportunity"?

D) All of the above?

In my experience it has been A and B - definitely related to temperature. Too high and breeding slows down, too low and breeding slows down.

I'd be interested to hear from people who maintain stable water temperatures but still get seasonal fluctuations in breeding rates.

Sorry for very slow response to this but definitely A, can't be sure of B as I very rarely witness moults in my CRS tank. Any moults are consumed pretty quick with around 150-200 shrimp in tank. The slowdown has occurred again from start of June. No change to light cycle. Water temp has been maintained the same. Will provide some bloodworm this week to see if that provides inspiration on saddling. All healthy and well, just no saddles and berries.

I find the best way to encourage the saddling and breeding is water changes. thats predominantly when i witness all my breedng activity. I maintain my temps constantly as best i can all year long to 

 Previously I have used Blackwater extract during winter with great success. I have just ordered some more as I have 1 berried shrimp out several hundred shrimp. I will let you know how it goes - I will only be using it in 5 out of 12 tanks so should be able to gauge the success of it. I also have found doing water changes of slightly colder water than the tank water seems to induce moulting and breeding activity but it shouldn't be by a huge temp difference. Apparently it is meant to simulate fresh cold water after rain. 

I have been testing the theory about using blood worm to help with saddling on the females. Over the last 6 weeks I have been feeding blood worms once a week. In conjunction with this every two days I have been using a powder mix I make to help with the bio-film and I mix it with tank water and inject it into my mosses.

I have found that not only have my females saddled up but also I have more berried females than I have ever had before. This has been tested on rilli, sunkist, Crs, Wilkensi,and ninja shrimp. All are berried.

I have also tested it in my cull tank that is inside the house (the one that I have put up on a thread) and they have only been in for a few weeks to test tank parameters. I checked this morning and found at least 4 females berried and I could see three 2mm shrimplets on the glass.