Raising ornamental shrimp - a fascinating and elaborate hobby
(Baonghean.vn) - With their tiny size, rich colors, and diverse species, ornamental shrimp are increasingly popular. However, this expensive hobby requires a lot of effort and is not easy to master.
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| Ornamental shrimp or aquatic shrimp is a general term for many types of shrimp. Ornamental shrimp often live in water areas with dense vegetation. Most of the popular ornamental shrimp in Vietnam originate from Japan, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Photo: Contributor |
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| Shrimp are capable of reproduction when they are 3.5 to 5 months old. Adult shrimp are 2-4cm in size (including antennae) and have a wide range of body colors. It is not easy to distinguish the sexes of shrimp because they look quite similar. Photo: Contributor |
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| After mating, the mother shrimp has the task of carrying the eggs with her (from 10-20 eggs). During this stage, if the mother shrimp is shocked by the environment or panics, they will release (abandon) the eggs. In the photo, a mother shrimp is turning the eggs to prepare for birth. Photo: DT |
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| Baby shrimp will find food and grow after each molt. Their growth depends on the amount of food and the number of water changes. Photo: DT |
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| Not only for landscaping, aquatic plants also create an ideal ecosystem for shrimp to hide and find food. Some popular and easy-to-care-for plants are Taiwan mini moss, wepping moss, flame moss, and ferns. Photo: DT |
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| Ornamental shrimp are omnivorous, absorbing both vegetable and animal protein, but have a mild personality. Breeders can feed shrimp boiled vegetables, tubers, mulberry leaves... cooled. In addition, breeders can also supplement some specialized foods for shrimp sold on the market. Photo: DT |
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| Ornamental shrimp are very sensitive, so water quality is an extremely important factor. Water must always ensure the PH, water hardness (TDS) and temperature suitable for each type of shrimp. To ensure this, ornamental shrimp players can invest in some additional support tools such as filtration systems, lighting, substrate, cooling fans, PH meters, thermometers... at a not small cost. Photo: DT |
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| All types of ornamental shrimp are very fond of cool temperatures. For some types of cold shrimp, in addition to changing the water regularly, breeders should use a water cooler (chiller) or place the tank in an air-conditioned room. In Nghe An, shrimp breeders will have a hard time maintaining the ideal temperature for shrimp in the summer. Lighting is also a necessary factor to help shrimp grow, have beautiful colors and help breeders easily observe the tank. Photo: Contributor |
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| In soft water and weak acidity, ornamental shrimp will molt frequently to grow, and their color will also be lighter. In hard water and weak acidity, the shell color will be darker, but the shrimp will grow more slowly, have difficulty molting, and may die. Photo: Archive. |
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| Some popular and easy-to-raise shrimp varieties are: RC, SRC, Firered, Blue Dream, Rili, Socola... The price of shrimp depends on the type, pattern, color on the shell and its rarity. Normally, their prices range from a few tens, a few hundred thousand to even a few million VND per shrimp. In particular, there are hybrid shrimp and mutated shrimp that are priced at tens of millions of VND. Photo: DT |
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| “Life in a shrimp tank is like a miniature ecosystem, bustling and lively. Observing and taking care of ornamental shrimp helps me have moments of relaxation after a stressful day at work,” said Mr. Hoang Chinh, a shrimp player in Vinh City. He has invested a large amount of money in this passion and currently owns 3 ornamental shrimp tanks with more than 8,000 shrimp. Photo: DT |
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| Although raising ornamental shrimp is not easy, requiring players to invest and persevere, this hobby is still chosen by many people. On aquatic forums, the number of members interested in and looking to buy ornamental shrimp is increasing. Photo: DT |
