Cherry Shrimp And Dwarf Cichlids

[Cú Mhara]

I'm quite set on the idea of having a colony of Cherry Shrimp in my community tank, if I can get away with it. However, I love dwarf cichlids and I will most definitely be getting some in the next few weeks. I've done some research on this matter but haven't really found a conclusive answer. From what I've read, some people say they've had success at keeping both (that the babies would get eaten but the adults would do OK). However, I've also read a lot of people saying all Bolivian Rams/Apistogramma Agassizi would eat any and all shrimp they can.

In your experience, which of the above arguments is true? If I were to do it, I'd be looking to introduce a large quantity of shrimp first, and provide a lot of cover for them with an abundance of Java Moss hides. Any types of dwarf cichlid, outside of the two I've mentioned, that you guys have had positive experiences with in this regard, would also be considered.

Thanks!

 

[dougie]

Hi.
I had 10 Amano shrimp in with two keyholes for ages with no issues at all. I'm not 100% sure but I think Amano grow a touch bigger than the cherries though.
Good luck.

 

[Zante]

I tried to have shrimps in my tank with rams, but they ended up being snacks for my blue rams.
I tried both red cherry and amano shrimps.

 

[Essjay]

My bolivian rams and apistos haven't touched my amanos but as dougie says, amanos are a lot bigger than cherry shrimp.

 

[Cú Mhara]

Thanks, guys. I think this is a bit of a pipe-dream. Oh well, it's an excuse to get another tank! I think I might try to set-up an Amano tank, and then stick some of the adults into my community tank to help keep it clean.

 

[Essjay]

Do you mean to set up an amano tank, let them breed and move them put when they are big enough? Breeding amanos is very tricky. In the wild, the adults live in freshwater streams near the sea. The eggs hatch into larvae which get washed downstream and out to sea. These larvae develop into adults which then swim back upstream into freshwater. So to breed them in a tank you need to move the newly hatched larvae into salt water of the correct salinity (or move the adults out and increase the salinity of the shrimp tank) then get the timing just right to move the developing shrimp back to freshwater. Not many (if any) people have managed to do this successfully.

 

[iluvfsh]

You now have a perfect excuse for 5 or 10 gallon tank

I have a spare 10g that I'm turning into a shrimp paradise. however, my dh is not very impressed.

 

[Cú Mhara]

Do you mean to set up an amano tank, let them breed and move them put when they are big enough? Breeding amanos is very tricky. In the wild, the adults live in freshwater streams near the sea. The eggs hatch into larvae which get washed downstream and out to sea. These larvae develop into adults which then swim back upstream into freshwater. So to breed them in a tank you need to move the newly hatched larvae into salt water of the correct salinity (or move the adults out and increase the salinity of the shrimp tank) then get the timing just right to move the developing shrimp back to freshwater. Not many (if any) people have managed to do this successfully.

Hmm... That sounds a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. Cherries it is!

 

[Suleika]

We have 3 cherry shrimp and they're fine with the Apistos!

 

[Cú Mhara]

How long have they been together, and what size (and type) are the Apistos?

 

[Suleika]

Apistogramma Agassizi and cherry shrimp, they've been together for 3 months. We don't see much of the shrimp though, they only rarely come out and usually hide in the pieces of bogwood, caves, mossballs... At first the Apistogramma tried to go for the shrimp, but these just darted away, didn't catch any.