We eat this sea creature, but what do we know about it? Today, we will tell you how to live shrimp in the depths of the sea, where it lives, what species exist and much more.

Shrimp Description

Shrimp- This is a mollusk belonging to decapod crayfish, with a body length of only 10-12 cm (some individuals reach a maximum of 30 cm) with a body weight of 20 grams. Life cycle of a shrimp varies from 1.5 to 6 years.

Did you know that the mollusk is a unique creature? These creatures are able to shed their shell, replacing it with a new one. But the most interesting thing is that the heart of a marine inhabitant and the genitals are located in the head area, where the digestive and urinary organs are also located! Like all crustaceans, and fish, shrimp breathes with the help of gills, which are located next to the walking legs, and are protected by a shell. By the way, no matter how surprising it may be, but in a normal state, the blood of a shrimp is blue! And only from a lack of oxygen, it becomes discolored. These creatures live in almost any body of water in the world, except for the Arctic and Antarctica, concentrating on the regions of the equator.

types of shrimp

Scientists identify more than 2,000 species, which they divided into subspecies:

1. Freshwater

2. Cold water

3. Warm water

4. Saltwater

SHRIMP HABITAT, BREEDING AND NUTRITION

Shrimp habitat

Did you know exactly what shrimp play an important role in the ecosystem of the seas and oceans? These small creatures clean the bottom of reservoirs from various tubifex, fish and aquatic insects. In search of food, the marine inhabitant leads a rather active lifestyle, constantly moving around water bodies. Small cleaners cleanse the body of dead brethren and small algae, sometimes attacking large fish, but only sleeping or sick.

Certainly, every species of shrimp lives in different places. Warm water, for example, live only in the southern oceans and seas, and there are about a hundred species of them. Cold water are found in the Baltic, North Sea, in the Barents Sea, near the coast of Canada and Greenland. By the way, this is one of the most common types of shrimp. You probably already understood that brackish molluscs are inhabitants of salty seas and oceans. freshwater they live in Russia, Australia, in the countries of South and Southeast Asia. Chilean inhabit the South American coasts, the Black, Baltic and Mediterranean Seas, and our favorite king prawns in the Atlantic Ocean.

What do shrimp eat


The basis of nutrition of the mollusk organic matter and endangered aquatic plants. From plants, preference is given to juicy varieties, like ceratopteris. These creatures resemble scavengers who do not disdain to feast on dead molluscs and even juvenile fish. Shrimp there are organs of touch and smell, which perfectly help in finding food - these are kind of antennas on the head. Residents closer to the equator even dig up the ground in search, running along the perimeter until they stumble upon food. Once clam found what he was looking for, he instantly and greedily pounces on food. And only blind specimens of the Black Sea eat silt with their mandibles (jaws), and cold-water ones with pure plankton.

At home, we can add to the diet animal leaves of dandelion and clover, cucumbers, boiled carrots, zucchini, walnuts, chestnuts, cherries.

Shrimp breeding

As soon as the female is ready to lay her eggs, she secretes a yellow-green mass with a specific smell, to which the males flock like bees to honey. As the couple chose each other, they begin mate that lasts no more than a minute. One female can lay 20-30 eggs, which take 10 to 30 days to develop, depending on the environment. During the moment of formation, the shrimp in the caviar changes from 9 to 12 times! First, the legs are formed, and only then the head with all the organs located there. About 10% of young animals die from predators, but in an aquarium you will be able to save 30%. And all because they are not able to get food, eating only the food they get.

VIDEO: ABOUT SHRIMP

IN THIS VIDEO, YOU CAN LEARN HOW SHRIMP IS REALLY GET FROM THE DEEP SEA

This amazing creature has many names, the most famous of which are the Rosenberg macrobrachium, a giant river and long-armed shrimp. Connoisseurs say that she has very tasty meat. And we tend to believe them. After all, it is not in vain that many farms have been built in southeast Asia, in other countries and even in southern Russia, where these arthropods are bred for sale. In addition, Macrobrachium rosenbergii can become a very interesting object for display in an aquarium. They have a rather unusual appearance and habits. For information on how to properly keep a giant freshwater shrimp in a home pond, read our article.

The areas of its distribution in nature are India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Northern Australia, the Philippines and New Guinea. Adult shrimps can be found there most often in fresh, quiet, heavily overgrown reservoirs, the bottom of which is lined with sand and stones, littered with snags. The temperature in them, depending on the season, is from 24 to 32 ° C. When the time for spawning comes, they migrate to the lower reaches of rivers or estuaries, where the water is saltier.

What does a Rosenberg shrimp look like?

The size of these creatures is quite large, females are about 28 cm, and males are 32 cm. The weight of the latter can reach 250 g, and they also have large long coal-colored claws. Sometimes the right and left differ in size.

Equipment: filter, subdued lighting. The current should not be strong. Light day 12 hours.

Priming. At the bottom, you can put dark-colored river sand with a fraction of 2-4 mm. The surface must not be flat. Terraces and hollows are welcome.

Shelters and decor. The giant Vietnamese shrimp grows very fast and therefore sheds frequently. During this period, she is extremely defenseless and can easily be eaten by her relatives. To secure it, you need to equip a sufficient number of shelters. It can be snags, thickets, stone heaps, grottoes, ceramic pipes.

Flora. It is best not to use live aquarium plants. They will be eaten. You can try to plant "tasteless" cryptocoryne or ophiopogon, while feeding the shrimp with pre-scalded lettuce, dandelion, burdock, nettle. If this does not help, then there is only one way out - to decorate the aquarium with artificial plants. It is better to arrange them in dense groups.

Our pets adapt quite quickly and can adapt to life with other parameters. However, if these recommendations are followed, the living conditions will be as close to natural as possible, and the shrimp will live longer (4-5 years).

What to feed giant freshwater shrimp

Suitable for both animal and vegetable food. From live food, you can give tubifex, bloodworm, coretra, cyclops and large daphnia. From time to time it is desirable to treat with larvae of amphibians, molluscs, live fish. Seafood (squid, mussels, haddock, pollock, cod fillet and others) will also go into business. Of course, everything must be pre-crushed. From vegetation, it will be useful to feed with scalded nettles, spinach and burdock. Sometimes you can give artificial food for fish like Tetra and the like.

Feed is given as needed when the previous one is completely destroyed. If you leave it to stale for a long time, then the water may deteriorate.

Is it possible to get offspring in captivity

In general, this is an easy task. But! Breeding water should be brackish.

Sexual maturity occurs in 4-5-month-old individuals. Producers must be in good physical condition, active, free from injury or disease.

Preparation period. Females are deposited in a container with a temperature of 22 ° C. They are kept there for three weeks. Then the temperature is raised to 28-29 ° C for three days. Food for all shrimp is given in abundance. It is better to use live food, as well as artificial food, in which at least 30% protein (for sturgeon and salmon fish).

For breeding, a male and three or four females are placed in one container. After mating and spawning, females take care of the eggs: they ventilate it and remove the dead one.

larval stage- the most difficult in the development of shrimp. It has a very high mortality rate. It is extremely important to control all water parameters:

  • temperature 27-29 °C;
  • salinity 12% (ppm);
  • oxygen 5 g/l;
  • acidity 8-8.2 pH;
  • nitrites 0.1 g/l;
  • other nitrogen compounds 0.001 g/l;
  • illumination 4000 lux;
  • light day 12 hours.

The development of the larvae consists of 12 stages. Each lasts approximately three days and ends with a molt.

Feed is started on the second day, preferably fresh arethmia nauplii. From the fifth day, you can add the yolk of a boiled egg and minced fish.

Next comes the transformation into postlarvae. Also with fast growth and frequent molting, the number of which decreases as it grows. Postlarvae are transplanted into a container with reduced salinity (6 o/oo). They begin to lead an already benthic lifestyle. The diet can be supplemented with boiled vegetables and cereals.

Juveniles can be kept in common aquariums with fish and other small shrimps. But when their size reaches 5 cm, it is better to deposit them, as they will become dangerous to others. It is also better to immediately separate parents from young people in order to avoid cannibalism.

It is interesting

The giant oriental Rosenberg shrimp is considered one of the most delicious, so in many countries and even in Russia they are bred for gastronomic purposes. In Thailand, this business is completely put on stream. To treat yourself to such a shrimp is not a cheap pleasure: one little thing costs about 15-20 euros. They are transported alive (in special machines or boxes with wet moss) or frozen.

In conclusion, we note that keeping, and even more so breeding giant freshwater shrimp, is not an easy task, but very interesting. That's why if you have some experience in aquarism, and most importantly - a desire, then go for it. You will definitely succeed!

Shrimps(from lat. caridea) belong to the infraorder Crustacea, a type of arthropod. They are common in the seas of almost the whole world, and some species of shrimp live in freshwater reservoirs. Different types of shrimp differ in size from each other. So, an adult can be only 2 cm in length, and can reach 30 cm.

Shrimps are low-calorie: 100 g contains only 94.5 kcal. However, they are highly nutritious due to their high protein content. Their composition is so rich and varied that to maintain good health and vigor, it is enough to eat only a handful of this seafood.

Origin

As mentioned above, shrimp are freshwater and marine, but in their origin they all come from the oceans. Most of all shrimp live in the equatorial zone, which gives reason to assume that this is where their real homeland is. The farther from the equator in both directions, the less species of shrimp and other crustaceans.

Shrimps are heterosexual creatures: females are larger, they have a wide tail and convex sides. Upon reaching sexual maturity, eggs appear under the tail of the female, the smell of their pheromones attracts males, who fertilize these eggs. After 4-6 weeks, larvae are born, which, before turning into an adult, have to go through about 12 more age stages.

The nutritional value

Shrimp is called one of the healthiest foods. The concentration of vitamins and microelements in shrimp is 50 (!) times higher than in meat, and their composition is truly diverse.

So, shrimp have a lot of potassium, calcium, zinc, iodine, sulfur, phosphorus, as well as Omega-3 polyunsaturated acid. This seafood is also rich in vitamins: E, C, PP, A, H, B vitamins. By the way, a large amount of vitamin B12 contained in shrimp promotes the production of hemoglobin and nourishes the nervous system. In addition, the use of shrimp is very important for weight loss: the product contains practically no sugar and fat, but at the same time it perfectly satisfies hunger due to its high protein content.

Application in cooking

Most often, shrimp are added to salads, soups, pastas and risotto, and this seafood is also part of some sauces. King and tiger prawns are sometimes served on the table as independent dishes: for example, in the form of skewers or simply fried in a pan. As a rule, such shrimp are not eaten boiled: their meat becomes “rubber” and almost tasteless.

Small shrimp, on the contrary, are delicious boiled. They are cooked in boiling salted water with the addition of dill, parsley, cumin, bay leaf or pepper until the shrimp float to the surface of the water (about 3-5 minutes). To make the shrimp more juicy and tasty, you can leave them for 10-15 minutes in the broth after cooking.

Application in medicine and cosmetology

Due to the content of a large number of minerals, trace elements and nutrients, shrimp help the human body grow and develop properly and fully. If you eat this product regularly, the likelihood of colds and respiratory diseases decreases, immunity increases, and the risk of allergies decreases. In addition, the use of shrimp is indicated for people with cancer.

Contraindications

Shrimps are considered such a safe product that they have practically no contraindications. This healthy seafood can be given even to children. However, do not forget about such a phenomenon as an allergy to seafood. Unfortunately, shrimp in this case is also not worth eating.

Interesting Facts
It is important to be able to choose the right shrimp. In doing so, it is necessary first of all
pay attention to their appearance. Seafood has the ability to change its color
with temperature fluctuations. Therefore, if you see pale pink shrimp in front of you
colors, it is likely that they have been thawed and refrozen.
Of course, in this case, the product loses all its useful properties.

Pay attention to the color of the shrimp heads. Green heads should not cause concern:
this color only indicates that the shrimp fed on plankton. Here are the black shades
shrimp heads should make you wary: most likely, this is a low-quality
goods that have been defrosted for a long time.

scientific classification International scientific name

Caridea Dana, 1852

Shrimps, or real shrimp(lat. caridea) - infraorder of crustaceans from the order of decapods ( Decapoda). Widespread in the seas of the whole world, many species have mastered fresh water. The size of adult individuals of different representatives varies from 2 to 30 cm. In the seas of the Russian Far East, the shrimp fauna includes more than 100 species. Many representatives of this group are objects of industrial fishing.

Although one of the existing types of aquaculture is called " shrimp farm ", crayfish of the family Penaeidae according to modern ideas, they do not belong to real shrimp, but to another group of decapods - Dendrobranchiata.

Reproduction and development

Like all other representatives of the Pleocyemata suborder, a stage with a complete set of segments emerges from under the egg shells, and their number does not increase in the course of further development. Many species of shrimp are characterized by protandrous hermaphroditism, that is, in the course of life they naturally change sex from male to female.

Eating

Shrimp recipes are popular in many cultures. In Judaism, shrimp, like all marine arthropods, are prohibited for food. In Islam, there is disagreement regarding the permissibility of their use.

Taxonomy

List of superfamilies of true shrimp:

Some representatives

  • comb chilim ( Pandalus hypsinotus);
  • Amano shrimp ( Caridina multidentata).
  • herbal chilim ( Pandalus latirostris);
  • Spiky Shrims Bear ( Sclerocrangon salebrosa);
  • Northern shrimp ( Pandalus borealis)

In art

The renowned Chinese artist Qi Baishi was a recognized master of shrimp painting.

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Notes

Literature

  • Westheide W., Rieger R. From arthropods to echinoderms and chordates // Invertebrate Zoology. = Spezielle Zoology. Teil 1: Einzeller und Wirbellose Tiere / transl. with him. O. N. Belling, S. M. Lyapkova, A. V. Mikheev, O. G. Manylov, A. A. Oskolsky, A. V. Filippova, A. V. Chesunov; ed. A. V. Chesunova. - M .: Association of scientific publications KMK, 2008. - V. 2. - iv + 513-935 + iii p. - 1000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-87317-495-9.
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Shrimps are an infraorder of crustaceans from the decapod order. Widespread in the seas of the whole world, many species have mastered fresh waters.

The size of adults of different representatives varies from 2 to 30 cm.

Most of the colorful species on the market come from China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India. A large number of families and countless genera of shrimp live in the sea, some genera also inhabit fresh water. The desire to get more colorful forms of shrimp resulted in numerous breeding attempts and the search for new, brightly colored species. In turn, interspecific crossings and selection work have led to the fact that now in pet stores you can find extremely brightly colored shrimp for sale.

Representatives

Structure

They have a rather complex structure, especially expressed in a large number of legs, which in shrimp perform a wide variety of functions, from movement to breathing. The body of the shrimp is divided into two main parts: the cephalothorax, on which the compound eyes and most of the limbs, including antennae and walking legs, are located, and the abdominal part, on which the auxiliary limbs are located, which help the shrimp when swimming and bearing young.

In these animals, three anterior thoracic segments are fused with the head, five pairs of hind legs are used for movement, the forelimbs are turned into mandibles, with which they carry food to the mouth. The head and chest are protected by a carapace, the gills are hidden under its edges. The limbs of the last segment of the abdomen have changed into wide plates that form a tail fan, thanks to which the shrimp can make sharp jerky swimming movements. The oral apparatus is a well-developed jaw (mandibles), which serve to grind food. The blade, located on the jaws, provides the movement of water in the gills. The anterior end of the carapace is extended into a sharp styloid rostrum (beak or nose). The abdominal legs (pleopods) are used for swimming, and in females for bearing offspring. In males, the first pair of abdominal legs has been transformed into a copulatory organ.

The eyes of shrimp are stalked and can turn in different directions, which provides a wide view. In search of food and shelter, shrimp use not so much sight as smell, touch and "chemical sense". These functions are performed by antennae. At the base of the antennae is the organ of balance - statocysts.

Conditions of detention

Shrimp molt regularly. At this time (two or three days before molting and one or two days after it), they do not feed. Released from the old shell, shrimp take refuge in thickets of plants, under stones or in other shelters. After molting, their covers are soft, and for some time, until the shell becomes hard, the animals are defenseless. The shell is often eaten by shrimps - it contains minerals necessary for a new chitinous cover. After molting, damaged and lost limbs are restored in shrimp. In young people, this happens faster, in adults - gradually, in two or three molts.

freshwater shrimp

Freshwater aquarium shrimp are becoming more and more popular among aquarists due to their interesting behavior and peaceful disposition. Small shrimp can be kept in small aquariums in the company of small fish.

Shrimps are very sensitive to oxygen deficiency, so the water must be aerated. They can live at temperatures from 15 to 30 °C. At 26-30 ° C they are active, at 18 ° C and below they become lethargic. Sharp fluctuations in water temperature in the aquarium are unacceptable.

A part of the aquarium that is densely overgrown with plants will serve as a refuge for the shrimp, and they will gladly clean the driftwood, which is usually home to many tiny organisms. The bottom soil in a shrimp aquarium should be composed of gravel with a particle size of 3 to 5 mm, which allows a slight flow of water to penetrate into the soil and, accordingly, ensures good plant growth. It is good if there is a lot of moss in the aquarium, especially Javanese. Moss provides the shrimps with a large surface from which they can eat microorganisms, and the silt that accumulates under the moss serves as an additional source of food.

Since shrimp lead a secretive lifestyle, for observation and breeding, you can start a separate aquarium - [[shrimp].

sea ​​shrimp

Saltwater shrimp are also cleaners in marine aquariums. They are not very aggressive. The maximum aggression they are capable of is to fight on mustache swords with the same shrimp. Many owners of a reef aquarium, having caught a shrimp dissecting the corpse of a dead fish or invertebrate, place all the blame on it, but this is nothing more than a delusion. Shrimp are aquarium orderlies, not killers.

Behavior

Shrimp are ideal for the aquarium. Small shrimps do not prey on fish and do not damage plants, so they can be kept together with small peaceful fish species. Large fish regard small shrimp as a pleasant addition to dinner. When shrimp and fish are kept together, it is usually difficult to preserve any juvenile shrimp after the larval stage, including for species breeding in fresh water, since even the smallest fish are very willing to eat larvae.

In addition to small freshwater shrimp, large shrimp are also sold in stores. For example, Nigerian shrimp is a large filter feeder. But even such large shrimp have a peaceful disposition. However, there are exceptions, such as the rosenberg shrimp and the chameleon shrimp.

Food

Shrimps feed on a variety of food: dying aquatic plants and other organic remains, aquatic insects, polychaetes, tubifex, bloodworms, daphnia, coretra. They also eat plants, preferring soft-leaved ones (such as ceratopteris). They eagerly eat dead fish, snails and other animals, and do not refuse dry food.

reproduction

The breeding process of shrimp is very interesting. As noted, in the male, the anterior pleopods were transformed into a special organ - the gonopodium. Having found a female by smell, which sheds before mating, he attaches spermatophores (sacs with sexual fluid) at her genital opening with the help of a gonopodia. A young male up to 8-10 mm in size can fertilize five females, while large older individuals (15-20 mm) - only one. The time interval between mating and laying eggs is from several days to two weeks. The eggs remain hanging on the pleopods of the female until the larvae hatch. At this time, she hides in a shelter.

For the breeding season, it is better to place shrimp in a separate jig tank, where the female calmly breeds her offspring. In a community tank, it will be eaten by fish and other shrimp. Juveniles are very different from adults. It is very sensitive to adverse conditions and often dies.

Crossbreeding of shrimp is possible in some cases: see shrimp species compatibility table.