# Bamboo shrimp



## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

I bought 5 of them last week, today there are 2 left  I don't know what I am doing wrong. I did a water change yesterday and 2 of them died overnight. I know they are filter feeders but how am I suppose to clean the tank and keep the shrimp alive?


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## mec102778 (Feb 17, 2011)

Interesting, I've seen these in the store and usually so big I was afraid they would bother the fish.

Bamboo shrimp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Totem44 (Mar 15, 2011)

I have 2 bamboo shrimp, I put a tall decoration near the filter outlet and I put algea wafers in the filter right at the outlet and thats where they hangout from time to time I put regular old flake food in the outlet flow. With the wafers you can only leave them in there for a couple of days or it gets a moldy look to it. I've had mine for maybe 6 months, they are a bit of work


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

If they died directly after the water change, chances are that the parms were off.

You can always do maintenance on the tank without it affecting them. You do need to maintain a good current for them. They will sit at or directly under the HOB to get the goodies.

Some things you can do are finely grind up some flakes and put them in the outflow of the filter. Lift the filter media up and down a few times. This will cause the sediment in the filter to raise and flow out for them. You definately want to have some sort of decor, rock or driftwood near the outflow.


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## DocPoppi (Mar 4, 2011)

Sorry for the loss..
Ouch! They are not cheap, and they are so cool to watch. I was currious as to others response, but I didn't see anything new to me. I've been able to keep them for about 6months. But I seem to only keep one in each tank. Although the first two lasted a while, I'm not sure why they died? Speculation. I do know the remaining two are doing great... and if there is any copper in the tank it'll kill them. As well as some other meds, so if you have treated ur tank in the past, some residual in filter and or gravel may have got them. Maybe there is alot of copper in ur water from your pipes too? Just a thought...
"Buddha in your tank"


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

I have other shrimp in my tank. I have some amano shrimp and a mystery snail and they are all healthy as can be. Maybe I just got a bad batch? who knows. But I won't be getting them again. I think they are a little too big, one was like 4 inches long!! And my son says they kind of scare him a little LOL I don't need my son having nightmares over a 4 inch shrimp LOL


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## DocPoppi (Mar 4, 2011)

Well certainly do get a Vampire shrimp... They are just like the Flower/wood/bamboo Shrimp, Lil bigger and pointy appendages. But the are filter feeders too and harmless.
In all the reading I've done on them, they live 5 or so years, and they are all live caught. None are breed and tank raised, so if you got big ones they were likely old already. But it does not seem likely for such a loss... Being a specifically adapted filter feeder, I would still say there was somthing in the tank, that is invisible to you... Not likely in the parameters of normal testing (they are pretty adaptable). 
Out of curiosity do you float a bag and then release? Or put fish in a container with the water they came in and then add your tank water, scoop out fish and add to tank. Throwing out water after?
"Buddha in your tank"


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## DocPoppi (Mar 4, 2011)

Ha... That was supposed to be, DON'T get a vampire shrimp...
But then maybe your boy may think that's cool?
My girl is 16months and all the things in our tanks fascinate her....

"Buddha in your tank"


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I'm thinking if they died directly after the water change, that there was a problem with the water parameters.

I got one of these shrimp a few weeks ago, but noticed that she would go along the bottom of the tank looking for food more often than she would filter. The LFS guy said my tank must be really clean and doesn't have enough micro-organisms for the shrimp to eat, so he recommended some bottled Phytoplankton. I put a few drops into the water current every other day, and once a week or so I crush up some veggie flakes into a fine powder and put them into the water current. She seems to be doing fine and even molted the other day! (Super cool!! *w3)

The LFS guys said that even if she is picking food up off the bottom of the tank, it's fine. They said they don't always filter. (The internet said if they pick food up off the ground they are starving), but the LFS guys disagree. I'm inclined to disagree as well, as she has done fine so far and even molted.

Try putting a sturdy plant or tall decoration near the water current so the shrimp can get it's "fans" into the current to grab the micro-foods that it eats.

I also discovered a miniature filtering shrimp, (Carribean Dwarf Filter Shrimp). Could this be an option for you since the larger ones scare you son a bit? (Pretty sure they are freshwater, but not sure how easy they are to get - or if they are available as hobby shrimp - just thought they were kinda' cute and figured I'd throw the idea out there.) 

Good luck! These are super cool shrimp to watch and I hope things go better for you! :fish5:


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

holly12 said:


> The LFS guys said that even if she is picking food up off the bottom of the tank, it's fine. They said they don't always filter. (The internet said if they pick food up off the ground they are starving), but the LFS guys disagree. I'm inclined to disagree as well, as she has done fine so far and even molted.


This actually isn't too far from the truth though. Bamboo's spend much of their life in the current where they can get the goodies easily. If they are attempting to scaveng at the bottom, it's a sign that there's nothing in the current for them and they have to find food elsewhere. Thus...they are hungry.

This is why outside of normal feeding, I will lift the filter media up a couple of times. I also try not to keep the tank topped off as that reduces the flow of the HOB. I may consider a power head angled just a bit down and see what that may bring.

And for molting...awesome in deed. One of mine just molted the other day and man was that a huge exo! Freaky looking compared to other shrimps molts.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

Well I still have the two shrimp, they seem to be doing fine now. I recently added two Gourami and they poop a lot, so I have to change the water 2xs a week instead of 1 time. The shrimps are living in the cave most of the time, right under the filter. I do see them eating with their fans quite a bit, hope Im doing things right with them.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

James0816 said:


> And for molting...awesome in deed. One of mine just molted the other day and man was that a huge exo! Freaky looking compared to other shrimps molts.


It was awesome! It's so cool how even the little 'fans' and even the long antenna/whiskers molt as well! 

I hope mine isn't starving. She filters half the time and scavenges half the time. I'm assuming if she was starving, she would be dead and wouldn't have molted...... I'd feel horrible if she was hungry! With the supplemental Phytoplankton and crushed flakes, she should be getting enough - the tank is almost a year old now, so it should have micro-organisms in it.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

holly12 said:


> I'd feel horrible if she was hungry!


You have a nice feeding routine. Just try to ensure there is some current and a place for her to perch in it.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Yep, filter is running strong, causing quite the current indeed, and there is a fairly sturdy plant we see her perched on sometimes. She likes some of the ornaments as well.


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