Breeding Timeline Calculator
Track your berried females and predict when babies will arrive with a visual development timeline.
Understanding the Breeding Cycle
Event Types Explained
The saddle is unfertilized eggs visible through the female's shell. After her next molt, she'll release pheromones that attract males and become berried within 1-2 days.
The female is carrying fertilized eggs under her tail. She'll fan them constantly to keep them oxygenated until they hatch.
Females release pheromones right after molting. If males are present, she'll likely become berried within 24 hours.
Gestation Periods
Baseline at 72F (22C). Higher temps = faster development.
Baseline at 70F (21C). Longer range due to species variation.
Baseline at 80F (27C). Shorter gestation but smaller broods.
Temperature Effect: Approximately 1 day faster development for every 2F (1C) above baseline temperature.
What to Expect During Development
Day 1-3: Fresh Eggs
Eggs are usually greenish-yellow and clearly visible. The female will constantly fan them with her swimmerets.
Day 14-21: Eyes Visible
Eggs start to darken as embryos develop. You may see tiny black dots - those are the babies' eyes developing!
Hatching Day: Babies Released
Babies are fully formed miniature shrimp. They're independent from birth and will immediately start grazing on biofilm.
Day 2-3 Post-Hatch: Visible Juveniles
You should start seeing the tiny shrimp exploring the tank. They're often found on mosses and plants with biofilm.
Pro Tip
Don't do water changes when you expect hatching. The babies are extremely sensitive to parameter swings. Wait 2-3 days after hatching before resuming normal maintenance.
Related Calculators
Never Miss a Hatch Date
The ShrimpKeeper app has a built-in berried female tracker with countdown timers and notifications. Log each berried shrimp and get alerted when babies are due.
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