# Mystery Shrimp Pregnancy



## Bobsidd (Dec 28, 2012)

A couple of weeks ago I put a single female cherry shrimp cull in a 5 gallon tank with my betta. On Thursday, I noticed a moult stuck to the filter intake sponge and thought to myself "what a shame there is no male in there". I took a look at the tank again today and...



Ever heard of anything like this? Can a shrimp hang on to fertilized eggs and move them to her swimmerets later? Or a false pregnancy (holding unfertilized eggs)? Or maybe a tiny male snuck in with her and grew up just in time before being eaten by the betta? Seems a little soon for that to have happened. Am I looking at the world's first self-impregnating shrimp, or a wonder of nature - red cherry betta offspring? 

Cheers,
Rob


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## Bobsidd (Dec 28, 2012)

Still holding those eggs. Still no other shrimp in sight. I am truly baffled. Narrowing the possibilities down to an alien probing or false pregnancy. I really have no idea.


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## Sayonara (Apr 13, 2013)

canèt females hold eggs while moltingÉ


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