# Beginner in cherry shrimp care (CO2 advice as well)



## shrimpkeepertom (Feb 27, 2012)

Hi everyone!
So Ive had a 40 gallon tank for about three years now but im away at college and i just bought my second tank for my new home. I purchased a 20 gallon (2x1) tank and i really want to begin a Red cherry shrimp tank. I possibly wanted to add mexican dwarf crays later but primarily the RCSs for now. Ive never had much luck with plants but ive also never had a CO2 system or proper lighting. Now that im doing a shrimp tank i really want to make the plants and the tank as a whole look really pristine and well cared for. Any advice on a low maintence, medium priced, CO2 system i could purchase? Possibly Semi-Automatic or fully? Im not sure how they really work... And also does anyone have any other words of wisdom on CO2 usage...the internet has very few articles on it. Any advice would really help!!


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## shrimpkeepertom (Feb 27, 2012)

Sorrry for asking so many questions but also if i want to breed these cherries i know the whole deal with the filter being covered and such but I was hoping i could have some schooling fish maybe like 7/8 neon tetras do u think they would eat the fry and search the ones out of the plants that they dont originally get? Id like to just add like 10 shrimp, the tetras and maybe two or three dwarf crays but id rather not if the RCS are in danger..


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

The good thing is that RCS are probably the easiest shrimps to keep.

With that said though, CO2 can cause issues if the levels get to high. CO2 will affect inverts faster than fishies. But, if you keep it in check (use a drop checker and and air stone) you should be fine. Almost all of me shrimp tanks have DIY CO2 on them.

Two options for CO2 would be DIY or a small pressurized system that incorporates CO2 paintball tanks.

As to the fishies. Most fishies will find the smaller shrimp as a tasty snack. After all, many people and stores feed brine shrimp. With a nicely planted tank, you will increase their chances of survival. Neons are small enough that they would probably go after little ones they find. I've never observed them "hunting" for shrimpies.


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## shrimpkeepertom (Feb 27, 2012)

Thanks for the advice! Do you have a particular CO2 system you could steer me in the direction of? The pressurized one perhaps?


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Check out Big Als Online.


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## shrimpkeepertom (Feb 27, 2012)

Thanks James! Any certain one that you know of that would be a good, low maintenence, begginer system?


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

I myself haven't used any of these smaller systems. Don't think I would be much help beyond that. Sry.


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