… We’re Parents???

[samb5590]

Sitting at my desk next to my tank, and notice something swimming in the return section of my sump. Took a closer peek and it looks like I somehow am the parent of some little shrimps?

How might this have happened? All rock was originally dry rock, everything put in was QTed. Was I just blessed by the shrimp lords? — I feed frozen mysis periodically but SURELY there’s no way they were living or had eggs?

 

[PharmrJohn]

LOL, I love mysteries! Did they hitchhike on coral maybe? BTW, you, as a parent, need to name them all!

 

[DaJMasta]

Looks like you have a little mysid shrimp colony. Beneficial to have, will usually perpetuate themselves and provide some food for the rest of the reef. They seem to benefit from having some phytoplankton, but may be able to survive in the long term without.

They hitchhike in, and it seems like they survive frequently enough to establish themselves in a bunch of aquaria.

 

[Lavey29]

Are you sure it's not amphipods? Some look like tiny shrimp.

 

[samb5590]

Are you sure it's not amphipods? Some look like tiny shrimp.

I have amphipods and copepods, but these guys are full on shrimp

 

[samb5590]

Looks like you have a little mysid shrimp colony. Beneficial to have, will usually perpetuate themselves and provide some food for the rest of the reef. They seem to benefit from having some phytoplankton, but may be able to survive in the long term without.

They hitchhike in, and it seems like they survive frequently enough to establish themselves in a bunch of aquaria.

I haven’t dosed phyto in a hot minute (or ever) so the fact they're colonizing is cool!

 

[samb5590]

LOL, I love mysteries! Did they hitchhike on coral maybe? BTW, you, as a parent, need to name them all!

Oh great, I only saw two or three but based on where they’re at I’m sure there’s more.

They could have hitchhiked on a coral, but it’s been a long time since I added one last. Could they have laid eggs on them?

 

[PharmrJohn]

Oh great, I only saw two or three but based on where they’re at I’m sure there’s more.

They could have hitchhiked on a coral, but it’s been a long time since I added one last. Could they have laid eggs on them?

Could have. Then they just dislodged and followed the yellow brick road!