So far I have managed to count five tiny shrimplets at the same time, though I am still hopeful that there are more in there as they seem to really like to hide away and pop up and disappear all over the tank. They seem to be doing quite well, though as they are so tiny I am still struggling to get a really good photo of them, but I am considering getting a waterproof inspection type camera so I can try and get really close to them, the only worry is that I am becoming to obsessed.
 A cropped version of the photo on the left. They really are incredibly tiny. |  The round Pelia leaf plant with a tiny shrimplet sitting happily. |  Another attempt at getting a close up image of one of the shrimplets. |
Before my first batch of shrimplets were born I had been doing some reading up and found that there is a useful calculation to estimate the due date. The calculation is as follows :
63 - 1.6 x Temperature of water (in degrees celcius)
Obviously, if you raise the water temperature it reduces the time taken for the eggs to hatch, however, this causes the shrimps metabolisms to speed up and also results in much shorter lives so is not an advisable thing to do. Also, not all shrimps are able to cope with higher temperatures, so it really isn't a good idea to try.
My tank is at 22˚C though it does go up a degree during the day, but it is fairly steady. In the case of my first berried Blue Jelly, this gives 63 - 1.6 x 22 = 27.8 So, by this calculation the eggs should take about 28 days to hatch. I first noticed that she was berried on 20th February, but had not seen her for a day of two so her 'pregnancy' (I know it is not technically this but it is the easiest way to refer to it) could have started on 18th February. Using the calculation, the estimated date for her eggs to hatch ranged from 18th to 20th March. They actually hatched on either 15th or 16th March. I didn't see them hatch but did notice on the 15th that she seemed to have far less eggs and on the morning of the 16th she had shed her old shell and was happily wandering around the tank eating so I would guess that they were born on 15th. This is a few days earlier than predicted, around 23 to 25 days in total.
If I calculate the date with a tank temperature of 23˚C, we get 63 - 1.6 x 23 = 26.2 or around 26 days, so it would seem that the calculation is roughly correct but seems to be over by a few days.
With an estimated hatch time of 23-25 days I have estimated that the next set of Blue Jelly babies should be due around 27th March, and as long as the Tigers follow suit, I should expect the first batch of baby Tigers around 3rd April.
63 - 1.6 x Temperature of water (in degrees celcius)
Obviously, if you raise the water temperature it reduces the time taken for the eggs to hatch, however, this causes the shrimps metabolisms to speed up and also results in much shorter lives so is not an advisable thing to do. Also, not all shrimps are able to cope with higher temperatures, so it really isn't a good idea to try.
My tank is at 22˚C though it does go up a degree during the day, but it is fairly steady. In the case of my first berried Blue Jelly, this gives 63 - 1.6 x 22 = 27.8 So, by this calculation the eggs should take about 28 days to hatch. I first noticed that she was berried on 20th February, but had not seen her for a day of two so her 'pregnancy' (I know it is not technically this but it is the easiest way to refer to it) could have started on 18th February. Using the calculation, the estimated date for her eggs to hatch ranged from 18th to 20th March. They actually hatched on either 15th or 16th March. I didn't see them hatch but did notice on the 15th that she seemed to have far less eggs and on the morning of the 16th she had shed her old shell and was happily wandering around the tank eating so I would guess that they were born on 15th. This is a few days earlier than predicted, around 23 to 25 days in total.
If I calculate the date with a tank temperature of 23˚C, we get 63 - 1.6 x 23 = 26.2 or around 26 days, so it would seem that the calculation is roughly correct but seems to be over by a few days.
With an estimated hatch time of 23-25 days I have estimated that the next set of Blue Jelly babies should be due around 27th March, and as long as the Tigers follow suit, I should expect the first batch of baby Tigers around 3rd April.
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