Shrimp Tank

[lordotterby]

Me and my girlfriend are thinking about setting up a tank for just shrimp, we are thinking of getting some Amano and cherry shrimp. Just wondering if anyone on here has set one up and what you would recomend?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

The size tank you have is completely up to you- you could have a couple of shrimp even in a tank as small as 2gallons. Personally i'd recommend a 10gallon or more though as you'll be able to have a larger variety of shrimp and more space to decorate the tank and make it look nice and things (plus its easier to find tank equipment that will fit in a 10gal well than having to find equipment which is smaller enough for something like a 2gal- water quality will also be slightly more stable in a tank of more gallons too) .
For an amano and cherry shrimp tank you'll need a filter (very important) and a heater (can be missed though if the tank stays warm enough and stable enough at room temperature- heater is still good though as it'll help prevent fluctuations in temp, personally i'd recommend it).
You should fishless cycle the tank as shrimp in general are not hardier enough to cycle tanks, if you put shrimp in a cycling tank you'd have a high risk of them dying (particularly amano shrimp which are very sensitive to water quality problems like ammonia and nitrites), so i would advise and strongly recommend reading these articles on tank water quality and cycling tanks as well as how to properly do a fishless cycle;

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10099

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=73365


Basically once you have the tank set up and have finished fishless cycling it, thats hard part done. Depending on the size tank you go for, you can go for many shrimp. Amano and cherry shrimp will do well off a diet of algae wafers/tablets and catfish pelets and things etc .
edit: A once weekly water change of 30-40% with dechlorinator is also recommended with cleaning of substrate and filter (clean filter out in old water from water changes). Sand substrate is better for shrimp as its easier to clean and keep clean and they seem to enjoy picking through it scavenging for food more than gravel.

 

[lordotterby]

So would it be wise to maybe add say some cories or a plec

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

So would it be wise to maybe add say some cories or a plec

Well the majority pleco's would be too large for a 10gal, and there aren't an aweful lot of cories that can go in a 10gal either (a lot depends on the width and length of the tank). I'd definately recommend fishless cycling the tank (i.e. cycling it with no inhabitants in the tank, just pure ammonia etc) whether you go for a shrimp community or mix other animals with the shrimp like fish, snails, frogs etc.
None the less though if you are interested in pleco's as well, here is a link with 30 pleco's listed which grow under 8inches;

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=132656

Planetcatfish.com is a fantastic site for any sort of catfish you are researching whether they be corys, plecos or other types of catfish;

http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/index.php

If you are interested in catfish in general, a 20gallon long or more size tank would be a better size tank to start off with as it will give you a much greater variety of catfish you can put in such a size tank .

Petshrimp.com and shrimpcrabsandcrayfish.co.uk are also good for researching and ID'ing shrimp and other critters;

http/www.petshrimp.com/shrimpspecies.html

http/www.shrimpcrabsandcrayfish.co.uk/Sh...p.htm~mainFrame

.

 

[lordotterby]

Thank you

You have been a great help, will be doing a lot of reading up on it all before we go for it

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Thank you

You have been a great help, will be doing a lot of reading up on it all before we go for it

Glad to help . Feel free to ask anymore questions if you have them too, there are many other sections on the forum as well devoted to certain types of tanks (like marine, brackish, freshwater, planted etc) and fish too if fancy checking them out which may be very useful and helpful in deciding what sort of type of tank set up you go for and inhabitants to go in it etc .

 

[invader]

As for fishless cycling goes, you can just use mature filter media to jump start the cycle. Just thought I'd throw that in.

Good luck!

 

[colbat0]

make sure u get edible plants 4 them tell like to nibble

 

[RESGuy]

make sure u get edible plants 4 them tell like to nibble

Actually that is incorrect. Most dwarf shrimp should not be eating plants unless they are being starved. This "nibbling" you may have observed is most likely the shrimp eating algae or micro-organisms off of the plant, but not the plant itself This same behavior may be observed in fake plants Please don't post information for newbies unless you either have personal experience or a reliable soruce of information

 

[lordotterby]

we've got some in our tropical tank, and they haven't eaten any of the plants in there.