Can't watch my shrimp!

[ZenHeathen]

I've had a tank going for a few months now with a small number of neocaridina shrimp (hopefully more soon!), but I haven't had much chance to observe them. I 'scaped the tank with lots of caves and hidey-holes, and they seem to enjoy that, I guess--I almost never see them at all. Sometimes when I turn on the light first thing in the morning, before the sun is up, I catch them suddenly scattering and zooming off to hide. Occasionally, one will be sitting out in daylight (or with the light on) and doesn't notice me, I suppose. but it's not frequent.

My eyes aren't what they used to be, so I'm not 100% certain, but I think I saw a female berried last night. I'd love to be able to observe the shrimp more often, especially at this time when I may be about to see the first babies soon.

Aside from re'scaping to eliminate the hiding spots (I certainly don't want to eliminate them all; I put them there on purpose so they'd feel comfortable), is there anything I can do to be able to see them more? Perhaps a special light by which I can see them in the dark but not spook them? Any other suggestions?

 

[Retired Viking]

I have plants like anacharis in with my shrimp and they like to climb around in it, I also have some floating so they go right up to the surface. I have moss balls which they like to climb around on. You could try putting food like wafers in during day light and out before dark to force them to come out to eat. Do you have fish in with them? I have ghost shrimp for now because I am new to shrimp too (only 5 months) I saw my first baby shrimp two weeks ago (2 babies)

 

[seangee]

Mine are out and about all the time. If you want to watch them a strategically placed algae wafer will do the trick.

 

[vanalisa]

Mine are out and about all the time. If you want to watch them a strategically placed algae wafer will do the trick.

Love your Danios and shrimp.
Are you the member with the Botia Kobutai?

 

[ZenHeathen]

Thank you both for the food suggestion; that was the only other thing I'd thought of so far, too, and I'm picking up my algae wafers order today. Good point, though, about taking the wafers out again at night.

No other fish in with them, I wanted to leave room for breeding (10gal tank, currently five red cherry neocaridinas and one nerite snail). Gravel substrate, piled big rocks, three small pieces of driftwood, two small sticks of cholla wood. An anubias nana petite that has so far remained very petite, an anubias nana langifoilia which I split into two pieces at the rhizome, a java fern that hasn't filled out much yet and a little duckweed and frogbit (which yes, they sometimes hang out under).

 

[JuiceBox52]

Does the tank have a background? That can help them feel more comfortable

 

[ZenHeathen]

Does the tank have a background? That can help them feel more comfortable

Not currently, no. Hmm. Worth thinking about. The wall is right there, and basically white. I have black bristol board handy I'd purchased for exactly that purpose. Maybe it's time to get it in place.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I have shrimp (cherry shrimp) in my 29g tank. It is heavily planted and very dense in Anacharis and java moss.

If you want to get a better look at them, but an algae water in the center of the tank. (Or in any open spot.)

They will come for food.

 

[seangee]

Love your Danios and shrimp.
Are you the member with the Botia Kobutai?

I have microdevario kubotai if that's what you mean. Different tank though

 

[seangee]

Forgot to mention, as the population grows you will see more of them when they start to feel security in numbers.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Mine are out and about all the time. If you want to watch them a strategically placed algae wafer will do the trick.

I'll have to subscribe. My channel's Lotsa Sprinkles. I'll be changing the name.
Sorry, got carried off.
OP, your shrimp would also love java fern, java/christmas moss and limnophila. They also would love anacharis. Try feeding them variety of foods on different times in a day.

 

[vanalisa]

I have microdevario kubotai if that's what you mean. Different tank though

Right, a larger one I think.
Do you have a close up you could share? My LFS has some; just curious for a better look. They have them in with other fish "Gold Tetra." I want to see if I could tell the difference.

 

[seangee]

Right, a larger one I think.
Do you have a close up you could share? My LFS has some; just curious for a better look. They have them in with other fish "Gold Tetra." I want to see if I could tell the difference.

Not close up - but here they are in the tank with a group of dwarf chain loach

 

[seangee]

Tank has filled in a bit since that vid

 

[vanalisa]

Did they look like this when you got them?