Skeleton Shrimp with Hatched Juvelines - Amed, Bali

[afieldofblue]

Great video. I love those guys!

Thank you - yeah skeleton shrimps are really fascinating - I was planning on going back the day after shooting this, to see how things had evolved with the juveniles, but couldn't and missed the window.
I'm not sure how seasonal the mating is, but will keep an eye out
cheers
b

 

[OTF]

Here in the northeast US there are small skeleton shrimp that colonize shallow structures like docks and dirty boat hulls. They're fun to watch, even just lying on the dock peering into the water.

But whenever I clean boat hulls hundreds of skeleton shrimp attach themselves to my suit and gear. This problem is made worse by the fact that I love the little buggers and can't bring myself to let them all dry out and die, so after these dives I try really hard to wash them off and even sit there painstakingly picking them out of my drysuit one by one like a crazy person. I would love to figure out a method to keep them off me or make them let go.

 

[Searcaigh]

Excellent video, I have trouble just trying to photograph them.

 

[mattvish]

super nice clip! I really like those guys... they remind of the worm aliens in MIB...
You sometimes find fan corals with thousands of them having an ocean rave.
This is from last year Raja Ampat:

 

[afieldofblue]

Here in the northeast US there are small skeleton shrimp that colonize shallow structures like docks and dirty boat hulls. They're fun to watch, even just lying on the dock peering into the water.

But whenever I clean boat hulls hundreds of skeleton shrimp attach themselves to my suit and gear. This problem is made worse by the fact that I love the little buggers and can't bring myself to let them all dry out and die, so after these dives I try really hard to wash them off and even sit there painstakingly picking them out of my drysuit one by one like a crazy person. I would love to figure out a method to keep them off me or make them let go.

Wow, that's pretty wild! There must be something about your suit that attracts them - you should try to get some footage of that

 

[afieldofblue]

Excellent video, I have trouble just trying to photograph them.

Thanks! they're tricky as quite active and also in these parts they tend to stay on hydroids or vegetation that sways a lot in even the mildest current. But they're not that shy, so a good dose of patience goes a long way!

 

[afieldofblue]

super nice clip! I really like those guys... they remind of the worm aliens in MIB...
You sometimes find fan corals with thousands of them having an ocean rave.
This is from last year Raja Ampat: View attachment 810952View attachment 810951

Wow, that's amazing!!!! I wonder if it's mating season or just some kind of skeleton shrimp condo... I've never seen that many in one place!

Totally agree on the worm aliens filiation - really interesting little critters. I found another orange female with unhatched eggs still in the pouch - it was pulsing like something out of the orignal Aliens...
Definitely mating season here so I'll try to get more footage in the coming days
cheers

 

[Laval]

Great video and quality footage! What month has it been filmed?

 

[afieldofblue]

Great video and quality footage! What month has it been filmed?

Thanks Val - this was shot a couple of weeks ago, early November.

Skeleton shrimps very active at the moment, about a week after filming this I saw another female with unhatched eggs moving in the pouch, so it must be molting/mating season.