# does anyone know anything on keeping freshwater shrimp?



## juliakerle (Aug 7, 2011)

Hello I will be purchasing a biOrb 15lt tank and was thinking of housing shrimp as something different I have owned tropical fish and fresh water fish before but I'm completely new to shrimp. What advice could you all give me on everything about them 
Will they require heat?
How many could I house in this small tank?
What types will be suitable?
Is it recommended to let thewater settle before buying livestock?
Care, feeding, housing conditions etc?

Hope to hear back as I want todo it right


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## GuppyNGoldfish (Mar 28, 2011)

You can setup an entire colony of shrimp in a 10 gallon tank (over 100), but you only need a 1-5 gallon if you plan on only keeping 5-30 shrimp. An easy shrimp to keep is Red Cherry Shrimp (you can get some for cheap in the classifieds on this site). You have to have a cycled tank before you can add shrimp, just like you would with fish. Shrimp like Java Moss and Java Fern, they cling to it. It's very easy to grow, as long as you have a light. PH should be from 6.5-8, temp from 65-80F.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

^+1 Red cherry shrimp are brightly colored, easy to keep and easy to breed. Ghost shrimp,which are usually sold as feeders, are also easy to keep. They are not as eye catching a color and hard to breed but they are cheep and just as fun to watch.

I recommend a 'fishless cycle'. Which could be done by adding one flake of food to your tank every day for about 6 weeks so that good bacteria which keep the water clean can build up. Only after that time do you add the shrimp. Mine love java moss and marimo balls.

Is there a reason you plan on getting such a small tank? Small tanks are much harder to look after and keep healthy. A tank of about 40 liters would be much better. Personally I think small tanks are cool but the smaller it is the harder to maintain and you are very limited when it comes to stocking. If you still want a smaller tank consider 20 liters and do research. And let us know how it goes, I love shrimp!!


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## FAIRCHILD (Jun 30, 2011)

I have 6 Red Cherry Shrimp tanks. I agree with the above posters. Just make sure not to use ANY chemicals as shrimp are very fragile to chlorine, and other chemicals. No ferts for plants etc. And make sure to use a bio sponge filter as well as make sure the tank is properly cycled. I keep all my tanks at 74 degrees as this is where I have noticed the shrimp seem the most active


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## freshwater77 (May 24, 2011)

I had three ghost shrimp in a 9.4lt tank with a few fish in my dorm room. No heating, no live plants, just natural gravel, filter, a 15W bulb and a rock ornament. I got them at the beginning of the semester and they made it all the way to summer until one of my fish ate them. They were very little maintenance and really liked when I dropped in algae disks for them. To my knowledge, they're very easy to keep in just about any tank set-up and are VERY fun to watch! If your tank has a lot of uneaten food at the bottom of the tank, the shrimp won't need to be fed extra very often. If you have a pretty clean tank, I'd drop in extra food or an algae disk every two days. Happy fish tanking!


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I'm breeding Red Cherry Shrimp between three tanks and a breeder net - RCS are the only common aquarium shrimp that will breed in purely fresh water with little to no impetus (that I know of). With that being said, the baby RCS are really well suited as snack food for pretty much every type of fish or other critter you can put in an aquarium. They also die in droves being sucked into anything like a pump or filter with an unprotected inlet.

My breeder tank uses an under gravel filter and a baby feeder guppy who is both too small to eat juveniles, and is solitary so he fills up easily on both flake food and eggs and therefore leaves the majority of the population of babies untouched.

RCS do require heaters in their tank. I would advise against adding any chems besides dechlorinator, and if your tap water is high in anything like phosphates (like mine is), you might have to do your partial water changes with reverse osmosis/de-ionized (RO/DI) water.

RCS eat everything but only in very small quantities. I feed a colony of about 50 adults one algae wafer a week and it takes them 3 days to eat the entire thing. As such, they (and any other shrimp) have a VERY low bioload, and can therefore be jam-packed into a tank (as mentioned, a ten gallon can host as many as 100 RCS).

RCS also thrive in densely planted tanks. Guppy grass, Marimo Moss, Christmas Moss, Java Moss, Riccia Fluitens, and some densely planted stem plants like wisteria really help them feel safe and protected.

Hope I covered everything...


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## juliakerle (Aug 7, 2011)

wow thank you for the replys reason i have such a small tank is because my partner wont let me have a bigger one (no matter how much i flatter my eyelids lol) and this one fits into the squares shelves on our tv unit (hmm working on getting another one the same coz it looks good) the tank has an under gravel filter and now has 2 moss balls and some guppys, as i heard they ok with shrimp. 
im going to get a tester kit to check that water and hope to ad 3 shrimp in a weeks time then more as time goes on im really intrested in the crystals, tigers, bee and kardinal shrimp but not show how easy they would be get hold of and if i can get only 3-5 of each. im not intending to breed but if they do then they do.
i went into one aquatic shop who was very helpful and he said it wouldnt be worth putting live plants in such a small tank? so im not shore what todo
i would love a bigger tank full of plants and shrimp but my partner isnt keen and we havent got the space with my bird and her large cage.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

How many guppies do you have? Watch out because you will become overstocked quickly in such a small tank.

I think plants are good in a small tank because they help balance the water. Does the tank have a light. Java moss will probably grow even without one.

Did you cycle the tank?


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## juliakerle (Aug 7, 2011)

it has LED lights and i have got a couple of moss balls i the tank, i havent cylced the tank and i only have three 2 girls 1 boy at the mo and they are doing well and look very happy.
the water has had water conditioner in and been left for 24hrs reccormended by several aquatic centres ive been to all told me thats what i can do, ive been testing the water every other day and will graduly add a couple of fish or shrimp every two weeks or so. 
as a end result i wish to have in all 6 guppys and maybe 5-6 shrimp no more.

and good news ive convinced my partner to let me have a corner tank not shore on size yet but i will be doing a 6 week cycle before adding live stock


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Welcome to the wonderful world of aquariums 

Be careful with your shrimp - they are very susceptible to even the slightest problem with water, much more so than guppies. And guppies should be fine with your shrimp, unless they get hungry.

I would strongly advise plants - shrimp are very timid bottom dwellers and will lose their coloring and die if they don't feel secure. Plants make awesome hiding spots and food sources (stuff growing on them, and leaves they shed).

Is the LED light one of the cheap dim ones like I have on my 3 gallon, or is it a nice one for plants? If it's the dim one, I would suggest trying to get a desk lamp in there with a compact fluorescent bulb. For a tiny tank, even indirect light from a desk lamp is enough to grow some decent plants. Your marimo moss was a great decision - I would suggest a stalk of wisteria or two as well.


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## juliakerle (Aug 7, 2011)

Gizmo said:


> Welcome to the wonderful world of aquariums
> 
> Be careful with your shrimp - they are very susceptible to even the slightest problem with water, much more so than guppies. And guppies should be fine with your shrimp, unless they get hungry.
> 
> ...


im not sore about the LED it pretty bright. ive just orded more marimo moss its great, i tested the water today and everything looks great so i bought 6 algie eating shrimp and some plastic plants, i have also got some large pbbles in the tank that have created some liitle caves and they seem to love them. id look into getting a couple of wisteria stalks thank you 

i just want to say ive been on another forum and asked the same questions and i must say everyone on here has been soo much more helpful, kind and possative. i felt really put down by the other site saying my tank is to small and all my fish will dye and i will have hundreds of guppys coz i have females and males (ive owned guppys before and know that i will only be over populated if i stop mum eatting the babys) any way i just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE 

im sorry im a really bad speller lolz


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Haha, you're fine.

One last thought - shrimp aren't just algae eaters, they are omnivores so they like a broad variety of things to eat. I feed my shrimp the same thing I feed my fish, namely flake food interspersed with frozen blood worms and brine shrimp, but I also drop algae wafers and shrimp pellets in for them too. I only feed them once a week as well - they will eat whatever the guppies don't eat in the meantime.


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## juliakerle (Aug 7, 2011)

brill i did buy mini algae waffers aswel how often should i drop one in i did put one in earlyer as i havent really got any algae in my tank but the greedy guppys have eaten most of it lol


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

28Photos said:


> No ferts for plants etc. And make sure to use a bio sponge filter


As an invert breeder, I would like to know more about the "no ferts and use a bio sponge filter'. ;o)

All my tanks are heavily planted. I dose dry ferts (both PMDD and EI methods) and also inject CO2. My filters are HOB type however, I do make use of sponge pre-filters (it's a must for shrimp keepers).

Just curious as to your recommendations that's all.




juliakerle said:


> as time goes on im really intrested in the crystals, tigers, bee and kardinal shrimp


Now not know exactly how small this tank is, it will be hard to advise but by the sounds of it, it's pretty small. I did see where you are getting a bigger tank. Awesome! In the aquatic world, bigger is always better.

Just a heads up here, you have selected some very nice shrimpies to be interested in. All of those are higher maintenance shrimp as opposed to the Neos such as Blue Pearls, RCS, Snowballs and Yellows. Especially the Cardinals as they are Sulawesi shrimp and very difficult as well as the tank parms for them (Sulawesi shrimp) are way different than other species.


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## juliakerle (Aug 7, 2011)

> Now not know exactly how small this tank is, it will be hard to advise but by the sounds of it, it's pretty small. I did see where you are getting a bigger tank. Awesome! In the aquatic world, bigger is always better.
> 
> Just a heads up here, you have selected some very nice shrimpies to be interested in. All of those are higher maintenance shrimp as opposed to the Neos such as Blue Pearls, RCS, Snowballs and Yellows. Especially the Cardinals as they are Sulawesi shrimp and very difficult as well as the tank parms for them (Sulawesi shrimp) are way different than other species.


in what way are they harder to keep?

i should be getting a new tank in the matter of a couple of week eek so exciting im going to be getting a juwel trigon 190 aquarium second hand. would the juwel filter be ok for shrimp?
what advice could you give me for planting etc coz i wish to have it filled with plants? i have never kept plants before and please dumb it down lol i want todo it right and find out as much as i can before i get the tank.
exsample questons 
would the tank have to go through a full 4-6 wk cycle before i can add plants?
how do i plant them in the tank?
what substrate should i use?
what plants would be sutable for shrimp?
how do i keep them healthy?

would there be any books anyone could reccormed me buying?

sorry for all the questions


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## FAIRCHILD (Jun 30, 2011)

James0816 said:


> As an invert breeder, I would like to know more about the "no ferts and use a bio sponge filter'. ;o)
> 
> All my tanks are heavily planted. I dose dry ferts (both PMDD and EI methods) and also inject CO2. My filters are HOB type however, I do make use of sponge pre-filters (it's a must for shrimp keepers).
> 
> Just curious as to your recommendations that's all.


The reason ferts are not recommended is that they contain traces of copper. Copper is fatal to inverts, and even small doses may not kill the shrimp but will slow the breeding. I choose to use no ferts at all as I don't like to take chances. I started with 6 RCS and after a month I now have well over 100 babies scourging the bottom of their planted tank. I have also found that when I keep the temp as close to 74*F they seem more active and breed more frequently. Of course this is just from my observations.

As far as the biosponge goes you pretty much summed it up as the shrimp can be sucked up into the filter and you lose your precious guys. Also it really seems to help build biofilm for the shrimp-lets to get started on. All my babies go nuts in the film on my sponges.


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## jeff5347 (Aug 15, 2011)

Hey uys,
After talking to Gizmo i too was thinking of getting a few shrimp. I know when i talked to you last Gizmo i was thinking of ghost shrimps, but after reading about the rcs i remembered that the lfs had these as well. So i think im gonna get some of these guys. The question i had on that is i have no live plants, just fake. I do have rocks and stuff so i do have little hiding caves and such in the tank. Will no live plants be a negative to the rcs?

Also , what are sponge prefilters and what is the average price per each rcs? 
:fish10:


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## FAIRCHILD (Jun 30, 2011)

As far as plants go in order for RCS to feel healthy & safe live plants are a must. These also help control the nitrates that the RCS are very sensitive. Get you a few cheap plants such as java moss, java fern, guppy grass, or even hornwort or waterspite. All are pretty easy to care for and I have had great results with all of these in my tanks. 

As far as a Biofilter, I use a non mechanical air pump supported filter just like this one Plastic Aquarium Fish Tank Sponge Water Bio-filter New | eBay 

As far as RCS pricing goes usually they can be had at Aquabid for no more than $1 each, however if you are wanting 'berried" (a female with eggs ready to hatch) they usually run around the $5 range. My LFS sell baby RCS for $5 each so if your LFS is anything like mine I would look at getting them online. 

I actually have some juveniles for sale if interested just PM me.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

28Photos said:


> The reason ferts are not recommended is that they contain traces of copper. Copper is fatal to inverts, and even small doses may not kill the shrimp but will slow the breeding. I choose to use no ferts at all as I don't like to take chances.


I get what you're saying, but even some of the invert foods have small traces of copper. If you go to one of the planted forums where the majority of the people there have hi-tech tanks (CO2, heavy dosed ferts, high light, etc), there are many, many with shrimp and some with only shrimp - other than the plants of course. There are just too many things with traces of copper to worry about them all. I don't believe any of the ferts are at the levels that affect inverts in any way or these places would have warnings all over their stuff or out of business. From a purists aspect, I can see not using ferts I guess.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

So many questions, we'll start here and go from there:



juliakerle said:


> in what way are they harder to keep?


Water parms for those guys are different and they aren't as hardy as the RCS. RCS can be a little more tolerant of water quality issues. As for the Sulawesi shrimpies, they are in a class of their own. They require a much higher pH and higher temps. Water has to be prestine for them. I would definately put the Sulawesi's in the "not for beginners" class.

Don't be discouraged though, it's not impossible to keep them, just harder.



28Photos said:


> The reason ferts are not recommended is that they contain traces of copper.


I had a feeling this was going to be what you were referring to. Rest assured though, that the amount of copper in fertilizers is very minute and does not have an impact on the inverts. That is actually one of the myths of shrimp keeping. With that though, it's all about the comfort level of the keeper. If you don't feel comfortable dosing ferts, then by all means don't.




jeff5347 said:


> The question i had on that is i have no live plants, just fake. I do have rocks and stuff so i do have little hiding caves and such in the tank. Will no live plants be a negative to the rcs?
> 
> Also , what are sponge prefilters and what is the average price per each rcs?


Live plants are not required by inverts but are definately a big plus.

A pre-filter is a piece of material (usually a sponge) that is placed over the intake of the filter. This is used as a preventative measure to keep the shrimpets from getting drawn into the filter. You can buy them already pre-fabbed or basically fab one yourself. I have found that the AC10 and 20 sponge filters seem to be the best ones to use. Their pores aren't as dense which allows for better flow and they don't clog as fast.

The average cost of an RCS is going to be anywhere from .50 - $1 online.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I have to agree - live plants are a must because by far, shrimp are the most timid critters you can have in your tank. They are also sensitive to things like nitrates, hardness, alkalinity, phosphates, and especially copper or copper sulfate.

If I were to truly go bonkers on my shrimp breeding, I would buy an RO/DI unit to strip my tap water of all contaminates, dose some nitrates, phosphates, potassium and iron in exactly the right concentrations for both shrimp and plants.

Prefilters can be made of just regular old sponge material (as in the bulk foam available from almost every pet store with an aquarium department). I know Ben (jrman) uses yellow dish sponges from the grocery store as a cheap alternative.

On a happy note, I spotted about 30 microscopic (3 mm or less) RCS babies in my ten gallon today. They are the survivors of the 6 black stripe tetras, in-tank power filter, and in-tank CO2 reactor I'm using. I've also got three berried females in my 3 gallon breeder tank, with nothing in it but live plants, an under gravel filter, and a heater


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## jeff5347 (Aug 15, 2011)

Was also wondering. im scheduled for a PWC on saturday and that was the day i was gonn get the RCS. Does it matter when i do this meaning put shrimp in then do PWC or do the change then get the shrimp. 
Also the drip acclimation. DOes that pertain to shrimp as well?


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Do your water change first then add the shrimp. As far as drip acclimating, it really depends on you. I however drip acclimate everything.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

If you want to know for sure you did everything right when adding something to your tank, drip acclimation has to be part of it. I drip acclimate everything as well. Have even done it for snails.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Same. Drip acclimation is the way to go unless you really don't care whether you shock your fish or not. And with something as delicate as RCS, I would say it's vital.

During a tank transfer of 6 black stripe tetras from my 10 gallon to my 29, even with drip acclimation when I placed the tetras in the tank they were at the surface gasping due to the higher CO2 concentration in my 29 (I use pressurized in there). However, six hours later they were swimming around and super happy.


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