Life History Freshwater prawns, like all crustaceans, have a hard outer skeleton or shell that must be shed regularly in order for growth to occur. Because of these periodic molts, growth occurs in distinct increments, rather than continuously. Breeding Females generally become reproductively mature within 6 months. The male deposits sperm into a gelatinous mass that is held underneath the body of the female, between her fourth pair of walking legs. Eggs are laid within a few hours after mating and are fertilized by the sperm contained in the gelatinous mass attached to the outside of the female's body.
Eggs remain attached to the abdomen until they hatch.
The number of eggs produced at each spawn is directly proportional to the size of the female. The bright-orange color of newly spawned eggs gradually changes to orange, then brown, and finally gray about 2 to 3 days before hatching. Newly hatched freshwater prawns enter into a larval phase of growth and metamorphosis. After hatching, larvae are released and swim upside down and tail first. Larvae are aggressive sight feeders and feed almost continuously, primarily on small zooplankton, worms, and larval stages of other aquatic invertebrates.