pleopods. However, the Halocaridina Rubra shrimp has such a small body size that it is determined between males and females by placing it under a microscope.
There is a skinny line of difference between the male and female pleopods or the limbs used for swimming. You can spot these on both the exoskeletons and the live shrimp.
But, not everyone owns a microscope or is well-aware of the sophisticated scientific methods of sexing your pet red shrimp. In such a case, how can the volcano shrimp be classified as male or female? Let’s have a look at the specific features of the shrimp that are indicative of its sex.
Adult females have broader abdomens to facilitate the carrying of eggs. On the other hand, the males have slimmer abdomens, and their undersides are pretty straight.
Besides, the female Hawaiian shrimp has a brighter, more vibrant red color than a male anchialine shrimp. Just a look at the saddle and clutch of eggs will quickly tell you the sex of this shrimp.
The Feeding Styles of the Opae Ula Shrimp
Let’s look at the style that the opae ula follows at the time of consuming foods.
Plucking/Scraping/Grasping
The shrimps use this eating style by applying both pairs of chelipeds. While doing so, they keep their palms facing the downward direction to the substrate of the aquarium. Then, they lift their palms and reapply in fast succession.
Filter Feeding
This is another method by which the Opae Ula shrimp hold its chelipeds so that the fans of setae are kept exposed, and then these are positioned anteriorly. When it swims through the water in the tank, the fans filter out the small particles from the tank or pools water.
This mode of feeding is most fervently used by stream-dwelling shrimp such as Vampire shrimp and Bamboo Shrimp. The only difference in their habit is that the fans stay oriented to the water current and their bodies remain stationary.
Usually, the Hawaiian shrimp prefer the first scraping method while feeding on algae, bacteria, diatoms, etc. They use the style of filter-feeding only in pool waters, where the phytoplanktons are available in large numbers.
Feeding Opae Ula Shrimp
While dwelling in a tank, this anchialine shrimp will prefer to eat algae and biofilm. But, you may also feed these little red creatures fish food, flakes of shrimp, and slightly blanched veggies. Make sure to include in its diet the supplement of Spirulina.
The best part about the maintenance and feeding of the red shrimp is that if you keep the fish tank under indirect sunlight, you have to feed it only after 2 to 3 weeks or one month.
This is because algae and biofilm form naturally on the water’s surface, as sunlight will be available in abundance. This shrimp also loves to feed on small insects that float at the water surface.
If the shrimp don’t get access to algae, you can feed them shrimp pellets every one week or one month as an alternative to algae.
Ensure not to feed the shrimp after one month or two because they will have access to algae, biofilms, and bacteria during that period, leading to overfeeding. Algae alone are enough to give the proper shrimp nutrition, and they can survive perfectly without facing any trouble.
What Happens If You Overfeed Opae Ula Shrimp?
As an Opae Ula shrimp owner, you always need to remember that underfeeding it is still better than overfeeding it.
Even if you go on a trip and there is no one to feed the shrimp at home, it is alright. It can go without food even for two months, as it will continue to have algae from the water surface.
If you have a 5 to 10-gallon tank with hundreds of red shrimp living inside, you will need only a single, tiny pellet to feed all of them. And, guess what? This single pellet will be adequate to provide all of them with nutrition.
Since Opae Ula has a slow metabolism, it doesn’t feel the need to eat much. To ensure that a healthy environment is maintained inside the tank, remove the bits and pieces of uneaten food to prevent the water system in the tank from getting polluted.
Mating Opae Ula Shrimp
Let’s look at the conditions to be fulfilled to make the mating of opae ula shrimp successful.
- Mating can be done only after the opae ula has reached the stage of sexual maturity, which is attained almost one year after hatching. Since the red shrimp are sold off when they are still juveniles, you need to wait for about 3 to 8 months after introducing them to the tank.
- Specific water conditions are to be present in the aquarium to make mating possible. To support breeding, the water pH has to be between 8.0 to 8.4. The levels of nitrates and ammonia in the water need to be at zero. The tank has to be a large one as much space has to be given to the shrimp for breeding.
Make sure that the water temperature stays warm and in the range of 21 to 24 degrees Celsius. It must not be too salty. The salinity levels can be kept between 1.010 to 1.013 specific gravity.
- Create some dark, hidden structures in the tank so that the male and female shrimp can mate with each other. Once the adult female red shrimp discharges pheromones, the male shrimp get alerted. This marks the beginning of the mating process.
Breeding Opae Ula Shrimp
Unlike Caridina shrimp, the Opae Ula shrimp tend to breed less often. The female shrimp possess the ability to breed only a few times a year. After the fertilization process is over, the females bear the eggs on their abdomens, and this phase is known as “berried.”
The mature female red shrimp carry about 14 to 18 eggs in their bellies in total, each measuring approximately 1 mm for almost 27 to 38 days.
The larvae are released over 1 to 5 days, and these float at the tank’s surface. The yolk sacs pass through 4 zoeal stages and one mysis stage before final settlement.
Do note that you won’t have to feed the larvae at all. Once the larvae cross the last stage of development known as megalopa, they reach their juvenile stage, and that is when they can be easily distinguished from the adult red shrimps in terms of their body sizes.
Opae Ula Shrimp and Suitable Tankmates
Opae Ula Shrimp-Fish Compatibility
It is not a good idea at all to keep the opae ula shrimp with fish. A majority of the fishes will feed upon the red shrimp if kept in the same tank. If the number of predators in the tank increases, the red shrimp of Hawaii will become inactive. They will try to hide out of the fear of being eaten by the fishes. That is why fishes are not at all compatible with red shrimp.
Opae Ula Shrimp-Hermit Crab Compatibility
The Hawaii dwarf hermit crabs are highly compatible with opae ula shrimp. These crabs have a size of less than 1 inch, and they won’t bother the shrimp. So, you can consider keeping them together.
Opae Ula Shrimp-Snail Compatibility
Keeping snails with opae ula shrimp becomes a problem because of their contrasting feeding habits. Snails require a lot of food, and when you are supplying food to them, you are indirectly feeding the shrimp, too, as both of them live in the same tank.
In such a case, you have to add proper filtration to the tank- a condition unnecessary for the opae ula shrimp.
Some expert aquarists often keep Malaysian Trumpet Snails with the red shrimp. In such a case, you have to give the snails a small amount of food not to populate the tank. Pipipi and Nerite snails can be kept with the opae ula shrimp.
To be honest, it is better to keep the red shrimp in a “species only” tank.
If you own a blue velvet shrimp then you need to check out this article Blue Velvet Shrimp – Care Guide
FAQ
Can Opae Ula live in freshwater?
Opae ula needs brackish or salty water for survival. If you keep them in freshwater, they won’t survive for an extended period and become unable to reproduce.
What does Opae Ula eat?
Opae ula eats algae, blanched plants or veggies, and diatoms.
How often do you feed opae ula?
You can feed opae ula once every two weeks or one month.
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