Setting up a shrimp tank

[Jennet21 79]

I recently bought a small acrylic 24 litre tank initially to use for a quarantine tank, but more and more lately, my mind has turned to shrimps. I have bought a small filter see attached for the tank and am going to start running it in my 80 litre tank once I have finally managed to get rid of all snails in there.

The water in my aquarium this morning tested at KH 5 and GH 8. What medium would I need to keep in there to ensure the water parameters were acceptable to them please

I quite like the neo cherry shrimp, so would probably stick to just them, as would not like to cross if they decide to breed.

For those of you that keep shrimp, what kind of substrate do you use. I already have pea gravel (so called as it is rounded and not sharp), that I have used in my 80 litre tank. I would also put plants in there ask I like them. Also some small ornaments etc.

Filter link on to Amazon UK

Amazon.com : Pawfly Corner Sponge Filter Nano Quiet Betta Fry Shrimp and Small Fish Bio Foam Filter for Tiny Aquariums and Fish Tanks up to 40 Litre (Air Pump Not Included)

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[Essjay41 156]

I have a similar volume tank for my yellow neos. I have sand substrate in mine just because I prefer sand.

I like to use moss in shrimp tanks though I have to confess I don't have any in mine at the moment as the Java moss turned brown and died a few months ago. Now that the weather has cooled I must buy some more.

Newly hatched shrimps are tiny, less than 1mm long, and are easily sucked up during a water change. I siphon water into a bucket which I then empty with a jug checking for baby shrimps. With small tanks that doesn't take very long. My record for the number of shrimps rescued stands at 32!

 

[Whitecloudminnowguy094]

I use pool filter sand. Give it a rinse, and put it in. Ghost shrimp in community tank, PFS. Going to get some blue neos soon, for my 5g, which has just a black sand. Cannot place the brand. If you go gravel, make sure the gravel is nice and rounded, and not sharp. But personally I think sand it better.

I have sand substrate in mine just because I prefer sand.

Same here. All of my tanks have sand.

 

[gwand41 157]

I have a similar volume tank for my yellow neos. I have sand substrate in mine just because I prefer sand.

I like to use moss in shrimp tanks though I have to confess I don't have any in mine at the moment as the Java moss turned brown and died a few months ago. Now that the weather has cooled I must buy some more.

Newly hatched shrimps are tiny, less than 1mm long, and are easily sucked up during a water change. I siphon water into a bucket which I then empty with a jug checking for baby shrimps. With small tanks that doesn't take very long. My record for the number of shrimps rescued stands at 32!

I place a piece of cheese cloth over the nozzle of my siphon attached with a rubber band. This prevents sucking up fry into the siphon.

 

[MuddyWaters2]

Dang, I bet I have sucked up a ton of them. I never pay too much attention....cheese cloth is in my future.

I have kept neocaridinas with Fluval Spetrum. At the time I did it because I thought it was good plant soil (I have since learned to HATE it. I've also read that it helps keep the PH stable for shrimp tanks, but don't take that as gospel- I can't remember why or whether it was for neocaridina or caridina.

My cherry shrimp now are just in a tank with gravel. I have them in with a bunch of black bar endlers and 1 orange dwarf Mexican crawdad. The tank is full of bolbitis and guppy grass. I use Aquavito's Shrimp GH to bring the GH up to right at 9. I tried to keep neos with conditioned tap water for a while, but my tap water is way too soft.

I keep my Caridinas (Crystal Red) with tap water, but they like very soft water, so it's good for them.

Personally, I don't think the substrate matters to them. Water condition is key and your parameters (kh5 and gh8) seem about right to me.

 

[MattW41 157]

For plants with shrimp, I really recommend Süsswassertang. I feed a 5-food dry mix in my 60L, and it always gets everywhere, especially in the Süsswassertang. It basically becomes a buffet spot for all sizes of shrimp . It's spotless within the hour after feeding!

 

[Jennet21 79]

For plants with shrimp, I really recommend Süsswassertang. I feed a 5-food dry mix in my 60L, and it always gets everywhere, especially in the Süsswassertang. It basically becomes a buffet spot for all sizes of shrimp . It's spotless within the hour after feeding!

Where did you get this from please Matt and did it come with any snails?? I don't want 'visitors'

Also, do my water parameters seem about right to you? I am getting confused from what I am reading on google, so need some reassurance that I will be ok with the parameters I'm using in my aquarium.
Thanks

 

[Essjay41 156]

Your GH and KH are similar to mine and I have no problem with 'cherry shrimp' (Neocaridina davidi) in any of it's colours. Shrimps such as crystal red and crystal black need softer water, so I would stick with neos. Choose one colour as the various colours are all the same same species and you'd end up with mongrels if you mix colours.
I bought a group of mixed colours for my main tank, then moved my red shrimps in there as well and got yellow for the shrimp tank. Any not quite yellow shrimp gets moved to the big tank. You can see the various colours that I've found from this mixed group here

Shrimps

In the middle of November last year I bought some mixed colour cherry shrimps on eBay. Since fish are the main focus of my main tank I am not worried about them all being brown eventually and the mixed colours were cheaper than the same number of a single colour. I paid for 10 and there were 11...

www.fishforums.net

 

[Jennet21 79]

Your GH and KH are similar to mine and I have no problem with 'cherry shrimp' (Neocaridina davidi) in any of it's colours. Shrimps such as crystal red and crystal black need softer water, so I would stick with neos. Choose one colour as the various colours are all the same same species and you'd end up with mongrels if you mix colours.
I bought a group of mixed colours for my main tank, then moved my red shrimps in there as well and got yellow for the shrimp tank. Any not quite yellow shrimp gets moved to the big tank. You can see the various colours that I've found from this mixed group here

Shrimps

In the middle of November last year I bought some mixed colour cherry shrimps on eBay. Since fish are the main focus of my main tank I am not worried about them all being brown eventually and the mixed colours were cheaper than the same number of a single colour. I paid for 10 and there were 11...

www.fishforums.net

Thanks for that read, you have now given me a wonderful way to get rid of any remaining tiny snails and also keep it safe for shrimps should I want to put any in my larger aquarium in the future.

 

[Essjay41 156]

Something I've forgotten to mention - plants, or at least the source of plants.


Several years ago a species of apple snail was found in a river in Spain so the EU banned the import of all Pomacea snails. They also banned the import of plants from countries where Pomacea snails are endemic unless they has been treated with chemicals to kill snails. These chemicals also kill shrimps. The UK is no longer in the EU and Pomacea snails can now be imported and sold here. But do plant growers in the far east export two lots of plants, one treated and one untreated? I would be concerned that they'd sent treated plants to the UK as well as the EU.
The way to be certain is either buy plants grown by EU companies (Tropica, Dennerle, Aquafleur etc) or tissue culture plants. The former won't have any shrimp killing chemicals but could possibly have snails or snail eggs; the latter will be free of chemicals and snails.

 

[Jennet21 79]

Thanks for that. Unless I can't get what I want from reliable source above or tissue culture plants, I will ensure all plants are put in a bucket of water and put some frontline in to kill off the snails. I will then put it in a bucket of dechlorinated water with a heater in for a few days/week, and then do the same all over again in case there were any eggs left still unhatched in case it does not kill off eggs. I've learned my lesson with snails.

 

[Essjay41 156]

Be careful that anything you treat plants with is shrimp safe. So many things will kill both snails and shrimps, that's why I only buy shrimp safe plants - those from EU growers or tissue culture (aka in-vitro).
There are quite a lot of UK on-line shops which sell tissue culture plants. The ones I've used are Horizon Aquatics (in person!), Aqua Essentials and ProShrimp.

 

[Jennet21 79]

I am thinking of going with a form of black sand for my tank. I have seen some Seachem Flourite Sand and was thinking of using either this or Betta choice black gravel. Both say they are stable substances. What do you think please?

 

[MattW41 157]

Where did you get this from please Matt and did it come with any snails?? I don't want 'visitors'

I would link you to the place as its a shrimp breeder who runs it, but if you want a guarantee of no snails. In-vitro is your only option. I don't think Süsswassertang has been added to the in-vitro line of Tropica 1-2 pots yet, however. There are other options, look at this one. I haven't kept this plant before, though.