Parting 

General characteristics of shrimp. Overview of all types of freshwater aquarium shrimp. Reproduction and development

This creation nature has a rather unusual appearance. Shrimp is a resident water world, and it’s fun to watch their behavior while snorkeling, for example, in tropical waters. If you stir the lush algae, these crustaceans begin to jump out like grasshoppers from the grass.

Shrimps. Definition

This animal has optimally adapted to living conditions in sea ​​depths, which undoubtedly affected its structure. Shrimp - who is this? Crustacean from the order (there are a total of 250 genera and about 2,000 species). Caridea (as these inhabitants of the seas and oceans are scientifically called) are distributed everywhere in the oceans and seas, they are even found in some reservoirs with fresh water, the most diverse species are represented in tropical waters. They are found in abundance in the Black and Azov Seas. To the question “Is a shrimp an animal or not?” - the answer is clearly positive, since all arthropods are representatives of the animal kingdom.

Structure

The body is elongated in length and slightly flattened at the sides. It is divided into two main segments: the abdomen and cephalothorax. The second section makes up half of the entire body. At the beginning of the cephalothorax shell there is a pair of eyes that are located in special recesses. The cephalothorax is protected by a chitinous shell, hard and durable, formed from 2 plates and attached to the gills. But the lower part of the shell is soft. Dimensions various types range from 2 to 30 centimeters.

Organs of vision

The shrimp is an unusual animal that has different vision: day and night. Each of her eyes consists of a huge number of facets, and with age their number increases. The facet segments are separated by pigment spots. And each element perceives those rays that fall perpendicular to the cornea. Such vision can be called mosaic. It is characteristic that at night the pigments disperse to the base of the eyes, and oblique rays can reach the retina: the shrimp already sees objects in full, but their outlines are blurred.

Shrimp is a decapod crustacean

Despite the fact that these marine inhabitants are classified as decapods, they actually have as many as nineteen pairs of limbs. And each one is responsible for specific action. The antennae, for example, are used for touch, and the thin ones, with small claws at the end, perform a special task - with their help the animal cleans its body and gills if they are clogged. Other legs are used to move along the bottom; they are larger and longer than the others. And the limbs of the abdomen are used when the crustacean has to swim. At the end of the body there is a wide, strong fin. It bends sharply, making it possible to move in jerks. When a shrimp stops and sits down, for example, on algae, it moves its long antennae in all directions.

What do they eat?

The shrimp is an omnivore. The menu of these aquatic inhabitants consists of plankton, as well as algae, and even soil. Usually, a huge number of shrimp of some species are found near fishing nets: they eat the caught fish so quickly that if they don’t get the gear in time, the fishermen can only get naked skeletons.

Shrimp find their food using their senses of smell and touch. If antennas or eyes are lost, this time can increase significantly. In this case, the animal uses the fingers of its walking legs and the bristles of its mouth appendages - they are highly sensitive.

Reproduction

Shrimp are bisexual, but male and female corresponding glands are formed in different times. At the onset of puberty, the individual first becomes a male, and in the third year of its life it transforms into the opposite, female sex. Females glue eggs onto the hairs of the abdominal legs, and then bear offspring (in literally- carry it with them) until the hatched larvae emerge from the eggs.

Delicacies

These animals are also traditionally eaten. Recipes for culinary dishes that include these seafood as ingredients are popular among different nations, mainly living on the coasts. Like many other seafood, these crustaceans are rich in protein and calcium while containing few calories. Dishes involving shrimp - good source"correct" cholesterol and as a food, they are undoubtedly a tasty and healthy delicacy.

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

Description of shrimp

Shrimp is a mollusk belonging to the decapod crayfish, with a body length of only 10-12 cm (a maximum of some individuals reach 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 the sea dweller and the genital organs are located in the head area, where the digestive and urinary organs are also located! Like all crustaceans and fish, the shrimp is breathing 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 in good condition blood shrimp blue color! And only from a lack of oxygen does it become discolored. These creatures live in almost any body of water in the world, except for the Arctic and Antarctica, focusing on areas 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. Brackish water

HABITAT, REPRODUCTION AND NUTRITION OF SHRIMP

Shrimp habitat

Did you know what exactly shrimp play an important role in the ecosystem of seas and oceans? These small creatures clean the bottom of reservoirs from various tubifex worms, fish and aquatic insects. Looking for food sea ​​creature leads a fairly active lifestyle, constantly moving around bodies of water. Little cleaners cleanse the body of dead brothers and small algae, sometimes attacking big fish, but only on sleeping or sick people.

Of course, everyone species of shrimp lives V different places. Warm water, for example, live only in southern oceans and seas, and there are about a hundred species of them. Cold water found in the Baltic and North Seas, in the Barents Sea, near the coasts of Canada and Greenland. By the way, this is one of the most common types of shrimp. You probably already realized that brackish water mollusks are inhabitants of salty seas and oceans. Freshwater They also live in Russia, Australia, the countries of South and South East Asia. Chilean inhabit the South American coasts, the Black, Baltic and Mediterranean Seas, and our beloved king prawns in the Atlantic Ocean.

What do shrimp eat?


Basis of shellfish nutrition – organic matter and endangered aquatic plants. Among plants, preference is given to succulent varieties, such as ceratopteris. These creatures resemble scavengers who will not disdain to feast on dead shellfish and even young fish. In shrimp There are organs of touch and smell that perfectly help in finding food - these are kind of antennas on the head. Residents closer to the equator even dig up the soil in search, running around the perimeter until they stumble upon food. As soon as mollusk found what he was looking for, he instantly and greedily pounces on food. And only blind individuals 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 dandelion and clover leaves, cucumbers, boiled carrots, zucchini, walnut, chestnut, cherry.

Shrimp breeding

As soon as the female is ready to lay eggs, she secretes a yellow-green mass with a specific smell, to which the males flock like bees to honey. Once the couple has chosen each other, they begin mate, which lasts no more than a minute. One female can lay 20-30 eggs, which develop from 10 to 30 days, depending on 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 the young animals die from predators, but in the aquarium you will be able to save 30%. That's all because they are not able to obtain food, eating only the available food.

VIDEO: ABOUT PRAWNS

IN THIS VIDEO YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT HOW THEY ACTUALLY HARVEST PRAWNS FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA

This amazing creature has many names, the most famous of which are macrobrachium Rosenberg, giant river shrimp and long-armed shrimp. Experts say that her meat is very tasty. And we tend to believe them. It is not for nothing that many farms have been built in southeast Asia, in other countries and even in the south of Russia, where these arthropods are bred for sale. In addition, Macrobrachium rosenbergii can become quite interesting object and for display in an aquarium. They have quite unusual appearance and habits. Read our article about how to properly keep giant freshwater shrimp in your home pond.

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

What does a Rosenberg shrimp look like?

The sizes of these creatures are quite large, females are approximately 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 are different sizes.

Equipment: filter, dim lighting. The current should not be strong. Daylight hours are 12 hours.

Priming. You can put dark-colored river sand with a fraction of 2-4 mm on the bottom. The surface should not be flat. Terraces and depressions are welcome.

Shelters and decor. The giant Vietnamese shrimp grows very quickly and therefore sheds often. During this period, she is extremely defenseless and can easily be eaten by her relatives. To protect it, you need to arrange a sufficient number of shelters. These can be snags, thickets, stone piles, grottoes, ceramic pipes.

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

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

What to feed giant freshwater shrimp

Suitable for both animal and plant food. From live food, you can give tubifex, bloodworms, coretra, cyclops and large daphnia. From time to time it is advisable to treat amphibian larvae, mollusks, and live fish. Seafood (squid, mussels, haddock, pollock, cod fillet and others) will also be used. Of course, everything must be pre-chopped. From the vegetation it will be useful to feed scalded nettles, spinach and burdock. Sometimes you can give artificial fish food like Tetra and the like.

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

Is it possible to obtain offspring in captivity?

Overall this is not a difficult task. But! Water for breeding should be brackish.

Sexual maturity occurs at 4-5 months of age. Manufacturers must be in good physical condition, active, without damage or disease.

Preparatory period. Females are placed in a container with a temperature of 22 °C. They are kept there for three weeks. Next, the temperature is increased to 28-29 °C for three days. All shrimp are given food in abundance. It is better to use live food, as well as artificial food, which contains at least 30% protein (for sturgeon and salmon).

For reproduction, a male and three to four females are placed in one container. After mating and spawning, the females take care of the eggs: ventilate them and remove dead ones.

Larval stage– the most difficult in the development of shrimp. It is characterized by 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;
  • daylight hours 12 hours.

Larval development consists of 12 stages. Each lasts approximately three days and ends with a moult.

Feeding begins on the second day, preferably fresh nauplii of arrhythmia. From the fifth day you can add the yolk of a boiled egg and minced fish.

Next comes the transformation into postlarvae. Also with rapid growth and frequent molts, the number of which decreases as they grow. Postlarvae are transplanted into a container with reduced salinity (6 o/oo). They begin to lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. The diet can be supplemented with boiled vegetables and cereals.

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

This is interesting

The giant oriental Rosenberg shrimp is considered one of the most delicious, which is why in many countries and even in Russia they are bred for gastronomic purposes. In Thailand, this matter is completely on stream. Treating yourself to such a shrimp is not a cheap pleasure: one piece 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– the matter is not entirely simple, but very interesting. That’s why if you have some experience in aquarium keeping, and most importantly, a desire, then go for it. You will definitely succeed!

Shrimps- this is one of the seafood, which is considered a delicacy in many countries of the world remote from the sea. Shrimp are a subspecies of marine crustacean creatures and can reach sizes of up to thirty centimeters. On average, the size of a shrimp is about ten to twelve centimeters (see photo). There are also about a hundred different types of shrimp, which differ mainly in size. Shrimp are caught in the seas, but sometimes they can be raised in farms.

An interesting fact is that at birth shrimp are hermaphrodites, and throughout life path change gender from male to female in order to bear offspring.

Shrimp are often sold in stores in fresh-frozen, frozen and boiled-frozen forms. Can be sold both in packages and by weight. Fresh shrimp are dark green or pinkish-transparent in color, while cooked shrimp are bright pink or red.

If you go to the store and want to buy shrimp, then you should know how to choose them correctly so that they bring you only positive emotions.

The highest quality shrimp are those that have been frozen fresh, as they contain greatest number useful elements.

Varieties of shrimp

Today, there are about a hundred varieties of shrimp that are sold in stores and markets, however, the most popular of them are:

  • royal;
  • brindle;
  • northern (Chilims).

King prawns, which are caught in the seas, are significantly different from their counterparts, which are grown on special farms. Shrimp not grown in wild conditions They are capable of reaching sizes of up to twenty-five centimeters in one year, while they have a much more massive rear part relative to the head, which makes them more tasty. Most often coloring king prawns It can be greenish or even bluish. This type of shrimp is most often sold fresh frozen or boiled-frozen.

Tiger prawns are especially distinguished large sizes, as well as characteristic dark stripes on the shell, which is why they got their name. Tiger shrimp can reach up to forty centimeters in length, in addition, they contain much more meat than other types of shrimp. This type of crustacean can be both caught in the seas and bred on farms, so there is always an abundance of these shrimp on the shelves.

Several types of tiger shrimp are available for sale: frozen, fresh-frozen, chilled, boiled-frozen, and canned.

Northern shrimps, otherwise called chilims, are the most minor representatives of its own kind. Maximum size such shrimps usually do not exceed eleven centimeters. Northern shrimp are caught or farmed in the Atlantic completely legally. An interesting fact is that, unlike their relatives, only northern shrimp carry eggs under their abdomen. Other types of shrimp throw it directly into the water.

On the shelves you can only find boiled and frozen types of northern shrimp, since only this method of transportation allows them to be kept as fresh and juicy as possible.

How to clean and cook?

Before I tell you how to cook properly different types shrimp, it is necessary to clarify that they can be cooked both in the shell and without it. If you want to cook shrimp without the shell, then you need to know how to peel it. In our article we will tell you in detail how this can be done.

  1. The first step is to defrost the shrimp. To do this, it is best to place them on a plate and place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator so that they thaw gradually. If you are in a hurry, you can put the shrimp bag in the water room temperature, changing it as it cools.
  2. When the shrimp are defrosted, place them on a wooden board and then sprinkle them thoroughly with salt. This way they will be salted, and it will also be much easier to remove the shell.
  3. Now you should take the shrimp in your hands, in one of which you should hold the head, and in the other the tail. After this, you need to carefully unscrew the head, and then tear off the legs.
  4. Then, starting from the head, gently pull the scales of the shell up, thus removing the entire shell. The tip of the tail should be carefully removed by pulling it towards you.
  5. If you see a dark line along the back, it will need to be removed as it is the esophagus.
  6. After you clean the shrimp, you will need to rinse them thoroughly under running water and then start cooking.

Now that you know how to properly peel shrimp, you can move on to the cooking process. First, let's look at the method by which you need to cook boiled-frozen shrimp. However, it is not necessary to clean them. The first step is to defrost them. For boiled frozen shrimp, the boiling water method is suitable: they need to be placed in a colander and doused with water from a just boiled kettle. After this, you should transfer the shrimp to a saucepan and pour boiling water over them so that it completely covers the shrimp. You can add herbs, dried cloves, salt and black pepper to the water to taste. The shrimp should be cooked in this way for about two minutes, after which they can be placed on a plate and served.

If you are going to cook raw shrimp, then you should know that they need to be cooked much longer, and it doesn’t matter whether they are peeled or not. To cook raw shrimp, you need to wait until they defrost on their own. After this, pour water into the pan, add salt, bay leaf and lemon juice and wait until it boils. Now you can put the shrimp in there. They should be cooked for at least 10 minutes, but the time may vary in each case. You can tell when the shrimp are ready when they float to the surface and turn pink. After this, you can turn off the water and transfer the shrimp to a plate.

How to cook?

As you know, shrimp can be cooked not only by boiling. In many restaurants around the world, shrimp are fried and baked, which only makes their taste even brighter.

If you want to boil shrimp, then you can add herbs and various spices to the water for them, which can make the taste of the shrimp richer and the aroma stronger. Boiled shrimp are perfect for seafood salads; you can make sandwiches, canapés with them, or eat them just like a snack.

Fried and baked shrimp have a great taste, but if they are not fried olive oil, they will not act as a dietary product. But they are wonderful for sandwiches and cream soups. In addition, you can prepare such an amazing dish as shrimp pasta. There are a huge number of recipes for preparing and using shrimp on our website; you can always choose what you like, and also see photos of ready-made dishes.

Benefits and harms

The benefits of shrimp are undeniable, since they, like many other seafood, contain a huge amount of useful elements. Shrimps has long been used as a powerful aphrodisiac, which increased the libido of both men and women.

Shrimp are a very low-calorie product, so they can serve as a dietary dish. At the same time, shrimp contain a whole range of vitamins, which is undoubtedly a plus for those who are forced to deny themselves high-calorie foods.

Regular consumption of shrimp helps eliminate allergenic cells, thereby reducing the risk of allergic reactions to any products. Shrimp also contains large number antioxidants, which is why their regular use helps destroy cancer cells.

If we talk about whether eating shrimp can be harmful, the answer is clear: it can. But only in two cases: in the case of excessively frequent consumption of shrimp, and also in the event that they were caught in bodies of water contaminated by radiation.

Composition of shrimp

The chemical composition of shrimp is very diverse. The most important thing is that they contain a large amount of protein, which supplies the body with energy. Shrimp also contains beneficial Omega acids, which have positive influence on the condition of human blood vessels, as well as on the elasticity of the heart muscle. Shrimp also contains a large number of useful microelements that fill the body and take care of it: manganese, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, iodine, and many others. There are also plenty of vitamins in shrimp, and they are especially rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, E and D.

Thus, one small shrimp can rightfully be considered a storehouse of useful components.