When You Buy Cherry Shrimp What Do You Expect?

[marieukxx]

I bought 20 and was expecting mostly grown shrimp but instead got all teeny tiny babies and a fish I didn't even know what it was that was a baby too. Is that what most people sell like on here and ebay and stuff? I lost all my shrimp because they were so small my community fish ate the lot so I was very disappointed. I don't trust buying anymore now tbh. In my lfs they are more expensive but are proper grown shrimps. You could hardly make mine out in the bag!

 

[Rorie]

yeh its normally babies. Even the people on here that sell shrimp sell tiny babies.

I added 30 to my discus tank which all vanished in a day, and 20 to my small 90L and they all vanished too!

Now my tactic is to buy a few (from a local guy at 50p each) and put them in a breeding tank. I now have literally hundreds of babies. I am waiting until they grow, and then i will try a few in my discus tank.

If you want bigger shrimp, i'm afraid your option is to buy local so you can see what you are getting, or get a shrimp which is bigger than the cherry

 

[marieukxx]

Thanks Rorie can you let me know how you get on with that. If it works when you add the biggers ones then I'd do what you're doing. I soooo wanted shrimp

 

[StandbySetting]

The seller should have told you how big the shrimp were going to grow, or you should have asked, that is the only way you can be sure of what you're getting.

 

[Rorie]

I am not sure how well it will work in my discus tank to be honest.....my discus are pretty huge!! But i will maybe try a few and see how they get on.... wont be for a wee while though as i fatten up the others haha. If you have a small 15l tank, chuck in some java moss, a sponge filter, and get 20 cherrys and give it a go. I love seeing the smallest of shrimp all over the tank - all at different stages of growth....

 

[marieukxx]

Oh I knew what size they grow to but just thought I'd get bigger ones it's no big deal. I'll have to try what Rorie is doing.

 

[fuzzynicki]

I'm waiting for delivery of my 20 shrimp Marie. Sounds like I wont have them for very long though. I've bought them to go in with my bettas. I can put them in a one of the smaller tanks until they grown,- but they would still be in with one male betta so not sure what will happen. I'd be gutted too hun.

 

[marieukxx]

From my experience now keep em seperate till they're bigger if you can. My platys ate the lot. They were just too small.

Question: Would one of those floating fry platic thingys on ebay for a fiver have been any good? Like this

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-1-FLOATING-FISH-HATCHERY-BREEDING-AQUARIUM-FRY-/230537782384?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item35ad1f6470

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Technically I suppose you could, but tbh theres so annoying, I hate the site of them breeder boxes, especially in a display tank although I have to use it from time to time. Your best bet is to buy some young and raise them to adult, but it aint gonna happen overnight

Theyre mostly sold as babies, thats why there cheaper than the shop

 

[coldcazzie]

When I bought mine I bought from a member on here and I got a range of sizes - most were smaller, maybe a cm long, and then ranging from that right up to a full grown female holding eggs. Now I have lots of shrimp, the smallest I have seen so far was just 3mm long. But then I only have tetras/rasboras and baby BNs in my tank so no giant mouths to pick them off.

Mostly I don't trust ebay, too often people are out to make a fast profit. I trust sellers on here more, especially if you've gotten to know them a bit before you buy from them.

 

[Rorie]

as above, technically i guess the fry tank things could work, but shrimp climb all over the place, so maybe climb out. Also, in such a small tub, they may not want to say eggs. I have various caves, tubes, moss etc and they are laying eggs like crazy!! I still have my original large shrimp. No others would be able to be put into the large tanks. Though i guess they will increase in numbers exponentially when the babies get old enough to lay eggs themselves...

 

[nicolaisam]

I brought Cherry shrimps privately off a forum.Ordered 20,received about 45


Most were less than 20mm,The younger and smaller they are the better they travel.

My tetras kept picking on the shrimp,even fully grown shrimp were bullied.The shrimp didnt like it,and i think they died due to stress.This is why i have an 80 litre shrimp only tank.
Have lots of shrimp now and lots more on the way.
If i could get a photo of the Baby Crytstal blacks i would,They are about half the lenght of a grain of rice,the only reason you can see them is the little white stripes show up.

 

[fuzzynicki]

Mine arrived today Marie. I have put them into one of those fry traps within my main tank. I've added a moss ball and put some amazon frogbit in to try to put them off getting out! I've purchased one of the 10 litre shrimp starter kits on ebay and will transfer my babies to that when it arrives. No way could I put them in with any fish! I only seem to have 14 so not sure what happened to the other 6 ?! At least I know what I've got and so I'll be able to tell how many I lose.