Nature did find a way...

[Magnum Man]

so, I occasionally add cherry shrimp to several of my tanks, as the numbers get too high in their 10 gallon breeder tank, but have not added any to my hillstream tank for 5-6 months, but have a couple mature large size shrimp I see daily, in this tank, that apparently are too big to eat for this tanks residents... and this morning I saw a small shrimp, just under a half inch long, in that tank, which makes me think, that they are breeding in that tank as well... I'm sure the really small ones, get eaten, and even at a 1/2 inch, ( the size on the one I saw this morning ) are probably still one the menu, for the Denison barbs, Gourami, or Panda garas... but this is exciting to me, to have a sustainable live food source in this tank... I'll continue to add more neocardia to other tanks, as their numbers get too high in their assorted breeding tanks...

 

[GaryE]

I get a lot of passing life forms in my tanks, but for them to be considered sustainable, they have to be in numbers. Cyvlops, fish fry, Daphnia, worms...It's the Daphnia conundrum. I can raise Daphnia indoors, with a lot of effort, but to raise enough to feed my fish indoors (it's not hard outdoors in summer) I would have to put more resources into the food than into the fish.
I have had Daphnia pulex established in heavily planted killie tanks, but never in numbers I could take seriously.

It's like the people who figure they'll raise livebearers to feed predatory fish, but don't take into account how many tanks they'd need to grow them to the appropriate size for their purposes.

The only time I kept shrimp was as feeders, and I was able to keep a colony of cherry shrimp going for quite some time. As it went on though, fewer and fewer adults were there to breed, and the fish would clean up with every molt when the shrimp were extra vulnerable.

 

[Magnum Man]

this is partially why I've been dabbling with the dwarf crays, is finding a source that breeds well, that adults won't harm the fish, and that the babies are easily eaten... most all my tanks have tons of cover, so then getting the right balance is key...
this is specifically why I was looking at Cambarellus diminutus... a little stockier than neocardia...

I believe @emeraldking ... mentioned he's had them, and they were prolific...

this makes me think they would be an effective and healthy addition to a fish tank..

this is the description from one of the sellers...

"The Blue Dwarf or Mini Blue Crayfish is a selectively bred form of a dwarf species native to parts of the Southeastern United States, where it is found in a wide variety of shallow water habitats. While the wild form of this crustacean is normally an unremarkable grey or brown, the blue color morph is popular in the aquarium hobby due to their color, tiny adult size, and active nature. Ideal for planted or nano aquariums, they are plant and fish safe, and unlikely to harm any tankmates. As a scavenger, they will feed readily on most frozen or prepared sinking diets. This species is hardy and adaptable but will do best and display the most vivid coloration in slightly soft, acidic water"

 

[emeraldking]

I had the, And those colors varied between bluish, greyish and brownish. Depending on the individual specimen. And yes, they were quite prolific. Newborns and youngsters were left alone by the adults. But if they're still small fish could eat them of course. Especially when they change skin. But I had them combined with endlers and those endlers weren't that interested in them as it seems, if you consider that most of the time, all youngsters were raised to adulthood.

 

[Back in the fold]

What color are these shrimp ? Soylent green ?

 

[Magnum Man]

mine were blue grey...

this is the sellers picture, so I assume like @emeraldking said, they have a range of colors...

 

[Back in the fold]

Ooohh . . . look at his little pinchers . He’ll snag something to eat with those .