Guppies and Ghost Shrimp

[GianaRocks]

I just bought a starter tank last week, but wasn't sure what fish to put in it. I had heard that guppies were good starter fish so I bought three for my 1.66 gallon aquarium. As I was buying them, I noticed that the store had put some Ghost Shrimp in the same tank so I bought a few.
Well, yesterday I found one of my Ghost Shrimp dead, and today I noticed one trying to escape the tank, so now I'm wondering if I shouldn't have bought the GS at all.

Does anyone know the radio of Ghost Shrimp to Guppy you should keep in a tank? Or if I should buy a bigger tank for my new fish family?

I've tried a few websites that *edit* did not *edit* answer any of my questions!! HELP!

 

[StiX]

Hi there Giana

First of all a 1.6 gal tank is far to small, i'm guessing u have no filteration or heating on it? Guppys and ghost shrimp are tropical fish which prefer temperatures of 72-79F , altho will be ok at room temp. I would suggest getting around a 10 gal tank (or bigger if u can) and a filter, and a heater depending on what other fish u intend on getting.

The shrimp probably died as they are sensitive to water quality, did u cycle the tank first?

 

[GianaRocks]

Thanks for your input StiX!

I cycled the tank for a 48 hours before I put my fish in, and the tank came with an "undergravel filter system." I really only plan on getting Guppies in the furture, but of course I'll have to buy a bigger tank and maybe a heater if I'm going to do that.

I'm tring insure no more Ghost Shrimp will die by donating one to my sister and her fish, but i really wanted to know a good ratio between the two. (sorry I spelled that wrong in my first post)! Although a Ghost Shrimp radio would be cool!!

 

[William]

I cycled the tank for a 48 hours before I put my fish in, and the tank came with an "undergravel filter system." I really only plan on getting Guppies in the furture, but of course I'll have to buy a bigger tank and maybe a heater if I'm going to do that.

Hi giana, you can't cycle a tank in 48 hours, the cycling process takes 4-6 weeks usually, it only starts when you add the fish because the bacteria which convert ammonia (fish waste) which is very toxic, can only live when there is fish waste for them to convert. I agree with Stix your tank just is too small I'm afraid, it really angers me that retailers sell these "starter" kits, the only thing they're good for starting is a fire and they're not even very good at that

I'd recommend a new tank- you can go 2nd hand and get some real bargains especially if you're not in a hurry and have time to look around .

 

[GianaRocks]

Thanks so much!! I really appreciate the info!!

 

[platy&guppyluver]

i would get at least a ten gallon tank as to the ratio of ghost shrimps to guppys i ussuallly get one more ghost shrimp than guppys EX: if you have 3 guppys get four or five ghost shrimp

 

[AnimalFriend]

I am new to fish. What are ghost shrimp?

 

[Pufferpack]

Hi GianaRocks Welcome to the forum ...as the others have mentioned a larger tank would work better for you, but in answer to your first question I don't think the ratio really makes too much difference other than the strain on your filtration and water quality (10 guppies will produce more waste than 10 ghost shrimp will). I think it depends more on what you are looking for in a tank. Do you prefer to see predominantly fish or shrimp? If your answer is shrimp you will probably need a lot, cuz the little fellas ar hard to see and expert hiders , but then you could try to find some of the more colorful shrimp, I've seen cherry shrimp talked about (never actually saw one yet) and hear that you can get them to breed fairly easily .

I'm tring insure no more Ghost Shrimp will die by donating one to my sister and her fish

...I hope your sister doesn't have any fish larger than your guppies...shrimp are a favorite food to many species of fish. I dropped 6 into one of my community tanks and 3 were eaten by 1 fish in about 5 minutes

AnimalFriend Posted on Jun 7 2003, 12:04 AM
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I am new to fish. What are ghost shrimp?

Hi AnimalFriend...Welcome to the friendly fish finatic forum

Ghost shrimp are a small invertabrate (about 1/2 inch) that are kept by many people as either a food source for their fish or as a helpful and inexpensive (about $0.60 each around here) little cleanup crew they(scavange small bits out of decorations and gravel in some of our tanks occasionally)...they are also pretty interresting to watch and IMO would make a great start to a small invertabrate only tank

Click on the following links if you want to see what they look like

Fish or Bust - Ghost Shrimp Profile

Ghost Shrimp Info

 

[AnimalFriend]

Thanks for the information on Ghost Shrimp, especially the pictures.