Beavertail Fairy Shrimp

There are only two of beavertail fairy shrimp species found in USA. They are usually 20-35mm long and fatter than other fairy shrimp species. They have 22 oar type legs and female shrimps have long oar type antennas near the mouth, unlikely with other shrimps. Usually male fairy shrimps keep the antennas folded near their mouth, and stratch those out only during mating to grasp female shrimp. The typical body color is white and the tail is red, the body color can be changed to red or dark red by the environment, and sometimes all white from the head to the tail. When the beavertail fairy shrimps stay alive longer than 10 weeks, then grow up to 50mm. Their life span is about 14 weeks.

Beavertail fairy shrimps are fastest growing species among fairy shrimps, when compared by the weight. But, they are slow at the reproducing because they have to grow up at least 20mm to reproduce, and it takes about 2 weeks. They hatch out in 20 hours after submerged, and they grow up to almost the double every day in the first 4 days, and the body is twice fatter than other fairy shrimps. After the first 4 days, they grow up slightly slower until a few days before start reproducing. The growth stops a few days before start reproducing, then they grow up faster and reach to 25mm long, and start to reproduce. Right picture showing the approximate size of beavertail fairy shrimp and others.

One female shrimp produces about 250 eggs per week. Eggs are developed inside of female shrimp's body like other shrimps, and they move to the brood sack before developed well. The eggs become bigger and get thick membrane in the brood sack before release. Eggs are 200-250 micrometer in diameter, it is slightly smaller than Triops's eggs. Haching rate is 40%-70% by the water temperature, the rate become lower if the temperature drops below 65F degrees.

A male beavertail fairy shrimp in aquarium	A couple of beavertail fairy shrimps in aquarium
Beavertail Fairy Shrimp's eggs