Trying To Keep Ghost Shrimp Alive.

[CourtneyAnn]

I have an unfiltered, live-planted 2.5 gal with sand substrate. I feed Hikari "crab cuisine" (no copper sulfate according to ingredients). I was wondering if there was anything I could get/do to decrease my mortality rate (I'm losing 1-2 every day or so, stocking 12 at a time, maybe I'm just over-stocking?)? I am keeping them as feeders for my larger fish, but I need them to stay alive, so is there maybe a small filter that won't stir up the tank so much? The tankis about 6"x12"x8". Thank you for any advice!

 

[starlitsunrise]

Ok, I want to start this off by saying I have don't have experience with shrimp but I have been doing some research on them as I want to get some soon. So I hope my suggestions help.

-  You could try building your own small sponge filter, this would ensure none of the shrimp get sucked up into it (I found one on youtube, the video is called "HOW TO: cheap and simple DIY aquarium filter" by The King of DIY).
 
-  I'm assuming since you don't have a filter you haven't cycled your tank, you can find information on that here (if you need it) 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/

-  Since you don't have a filter you should be doing a full water change every couple of days (be careful with the shrimp during this). 

-  A bubbler may help as it would add more oxygen 

-  Check your water conditioner to make sure it is safe for the shrimp

That's all I can think of, hope it helps!

 

[CourtneyAnn]

More info: 
 
I have been doing 50% water changes daily with one 100% water change on Saturdays. Yeah, It's un-cycled. I'll try the sponge filter. Would the bubbler add too much turbulence? If not I have a few spares, I can pop one in there right now. I didn't even think of the conditioner. I'm using the "cheap" one because they are just feeders, I use prime (seachem) with my fish, but I'm using "topfin water conditioner" with these guys because of the shear number of water changes. I think this one is safe, I also like that it specifically states that it removes copper, but if it's bad for them I can just use the prime there, too. Thank you for responding so quickly.

 

[starlitsunrise]

No problem I'm not sure if the bubbler would cause too much movement, you could try dispersing some of the bubbles with a plant. Also if you are going to try the sponge filter that would add more oxygen as well. If it says it removes copper then it is probably fine, you could try using the other one and see if that changes anything though. Hope you find out the cause of your problem soon!

 

[fishwarrior]

Their probably dying because the tank hasn't cycled.  Uncycled tanks kill fish, get it cycled before you add the fish, especially small fish.  A cycled tank means ammonia and nitrites are 0, anything more and your asking for problems.

 

[CourtneyAnn]

Starlitsunrise:
 
I popped the bubbler air stone under an ornament so it makes one large bubble every once in a while instead of a bunch of tiny ones. I'm working on the sponge filter, too.
 
fishwarrier:
 
Is that all cycled means? I thought it also implied a healthy bacterial presence and active filtering media of some sort. My ammonia and nitrates are pretty darn close to zero. With the water changes and whatnot I test the ammonia, nitrates, nirtrites, etc weekly right before my 100% water change (so when they are at their worst). And they never test more than minimally above zero. (Within safety limits).

 

[Essjay]

Cycled does mean having bacteria in the filter, they are what keeps the ammonia and nitrite levels at zero.
Shrimps are even more sensitive to ammonia and nitrite than fish. They should be at zero at all times, not minimally above it. You do need a cycled filter in there. As Starlit says, a sponge filter would be fine, but it still needs to cycle. You will need to keep up with the water changes for a few weeks till the filter is fully cycled. Even though there are only shrimps in the tank, you will be doing what is called a fish-in cycle.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I'd say the best way to keep shrimp and your stock up is at least a 5 gallon filtered and cycled tank.  Your small uncycled tank is always going to be a challenge and cycling a filter for it will take many weeks.... with the effort needed to cycle that filter, to be honest I'd just start cycling a bigger tank and bigger filter and move them over there... then end results will be better.

 

[CourtneyAnn]

essjay:
 
Ah, I see. I hadn't realized how sensitive they were.

Since I was just buying them as feeders, not planning on keeping them as pets or breeding or anything I haven't done all the research I should (and normally do when I get pets) have in advance. I'm definitely starting to cycle the tank. New DIY sponge filter is getting finished this afternoon and starting to cycle the tank.
 
PrairieSunflower:
 
I will keep a larger tank in mind, but for the moment I just want them to live long enough to survive until I feed them to my fish. One of these days if I plan on breeding them myself or something, then I'll move them up (or if the DIY sponge filter does not have the desired effect).

Woo hoo! Plan in action, we'll see what happens! Thank you all!

 

[starlitsunrise]

No problem! Glad we were all able to help