How Many Red Cherry Shrimp Should I Start With?

[Squeegeatc]

I love the cherry shrimp.   I have 2 fake clumps of "grass" and will buy 2 real clumps of java moss tomorrow.  There are several other decos for hidey holes as well.  How many cherry shrimp should be added to a 55 gallon tank?  I'm pretty sure there is nothing currently in my tank that will eat them.  The heavy grasses will help.   I would enjoy a few baby shrimp to grow up, but don't plan on breeding them.

 

[l_l_l]

Hi there! What a great adventure to embarq on!
 
I would start with 10, to make sure you have a good ammount of female/male.
Depending on the fish you have, you might be better with 15, just in case a few go "missing".

I started with 15 in my 20 gallon, and population is slowly growing (I occasionally see my neons hunting for the babies)

 

[Squeegeatc]

Husband added 1--that was all the LFS had.   We havn't seen him since we added him on Saturday!  LOL  I don't mind the babies getting nibbled on a bit.   I just want a few to survive.

 

[thefishnoob]

I would say 10 at the least. With a 55 you have alot of space for them.

 

[l_l_l]

You could always try to get some online, lots of shops carry them!
I've dealt with http/www.alphaprobreeders.com/ in the past and the guy is great!
Should give it a try

 

[Freedom]

I got my cherry shrimp from a local aquarist who posts on craigslist now and again.  I have a 50 gallon tank, never thought to ask on here how many to get, so I have 4.  Only had them since Monday, so 4 days now.  I'll tell you, they are VERY hard to find in this size tank!  I sat down in front of the tank last night and took me half an hour to find ONE.  Then I another 15 minutes and I spotted a second one.  So I think I still have all 4 in there.

 

[Squeegeatc]

That site had good price.   I may just order from there.   I can't afford a LOT, but I know I need a lot.  If I want a decent survival rate, that is.  I think I have 2 options..  I can A) move the black skirts and set up the 10 gallon as a shrimp tank, then let 10 shrimp turn into 30 or more and move them.  or B) use the little fake, dense plants that I have as cover and try to release my 10 in the sheltered area. 
 
If Freedom put 4 in a 50 gallon and can't find them, I doubt 10 would be much better.   and at $3 a piece, they are expensive.   I really liked the ghosties too.......just wanted the color. 

 

[l_l_l]

I highly suggest googling other websites tho, as I live in Canada, it's harder for me to find a good site that will ship to my place
 
I have seen better prices elsewhere, sometimes pricing them at 1$ per shrimp
In other cases, you can always refer to craigslist, I know some people that sell them for pretty cheap!
You can also check on AQUABID, sometimes you will find them at incredible price as well
 
http/www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/search.cgi

 

[Squeegeatc]

I just saw that a 10 gallon can house over 100 RCS.  Um.......WOW.  And I want to put 12 in a 55g???  Yeah----gonna rethink this.   the 12 will get lost.   I'm going to start moving the black skirts back into the big tank.  SLOWLY.  I just got the ammonia down and fairly stable. Then the 10 gallon will be a breeding tank while the java moss gets situated in the 55g.  The LFS doesn't have any shrimp right now anyway. 

 

[Freedom]

Couldn't stand it, met with another aquarist earlier this evening, and got 30 more shrimp.  Put some in each of my 2 tanks.  NOW I can find them!

 

[Squeegeatc]

Couldn't stand it, met with another aquarist earlier this evening, and got 30 more shrimp.  Put some in each of my 2 tanks.  NOW I can find them!

HAHAHHAHAH    I couldn't either-----I ordered 15 and am moving my black skirts our of the 10 gallon.  The RCS should be here Thursday or Friday.   By that time i will have moved the other skirts.   and in a WHILE the RCS will have grown up, had a crapton of babies, and then I'll move them to the 55g.  LOL   I'm obsessed!!  

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

Haha! Good luck!  We need pics!
 
I was going to say start out with 20 and depending on stocking soon you will have more.
 
Also, would keep the tetras in the 10, shrimpies will be fine

 

[Freedom]

 
HAHAHHAHAH    I couldn't either-----I ordered 15 and am moving my black skirts our of the 10 gallon.  The RCS should be here Thursday or Friday.   By that time i will have moved the other skirts.   and in a WHILE the RCS will have grown up, had a crapton of babies, and then I'll move them to the 55g.  LOL   I'm obsessed!!  
 

 
Ha ha haaa, yep it is addictive isn't it?  Fluval makes a food especially for RCS : search: Fluval Shrimp Granules to find it.   No idea how important it is to feed this specific food.  Mine are in community tanks, not a species specific one as you are planning.
 

Haha! Good luck!  We need pics!
 

My camera is not able to pick these up well, not at all.  Here is the photo I took earlier this week (I bought 4 on Monday).  There is a shrimp on the moss ball.  Hard to tell, though in the photo. 

 

[Squeegeatc]

Haha! Good luck!  We need pics!
 
I was going to say start out with 20 and depending on stocking soon you will have more.
 
Also, would keep the tetras in the 10, shrimpies will be fine

You really don't think the Black Skirt tetras will bother the shrimp??   They are flipping MEAN to each other!!!   Honestly, I want to get rid of them.   But no one else wants the either, and I can't bring myself to kill them.   Stupid fish!  LOL

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

Lol, I think the shrimp will be fine given a few hiding spots. They may ea t the babies, though.
 
If you move them move them all at once to keep them from stressing and beating each other even more.