Where Have My Shrimp Gone? :-(

[arobinson1984]

Hi,

I put 4 amano shrimp into my 33 gal tank just an hour ago and now cant find any of them, are they likely to have been eaten?

Fish in the tank are:

2 bolivian rams
3 apistogramma cacatuoides double red
3 swordtails
1 albino rainbow shark
7 sterbai cory (3 small & 4 large)
1 BN plec

There is only one plant on wood in the tank until my plants arive next week, there is also a piece of bogwood so not many places they can be hiding that I cant see.

I hope they havent been eaten


Andy

 

[england]

how big were the shrimp?

hmm lunch served maybe, 2 bolivian rams
3 apistogramma cacatuoides double red

 

[jacko32]

lol shrimp with apisto's = lunch

 

[arobinson1984]

lol shrimp with apisto's = lunch

If I'd known this I'd have never got them, I feel awful now

The shrimp were about 1" long

Out of my 3 apisto's, the male is about 2" and the 2 females are both under an inch.

Both of my bolivians are about 2"


Andy

 

[england]

yeah id say thats whats happened, i always used to treat my fish to feeder shrimp<shops closed so cant get them anymore> hope they didnt cost too much, but dont worry about it

 

[ChilliPepper]

Aw, what a shame. I had my Amano shrimp in with my cichlids, but they grew fairly quickly and never became a snack. They are too big to fit in my Ram's mouth now, however my larger cichlids would certainly swallow them. Mine are in with my Betta, who would love to be able to but they are the same size as him = no chance

 

[karin]

But don't totally give up hope yet. When I put my amano's in they totally disappeared for 3-4 days, And then reappeared. At the moment they live with young agpisto caratuoides (however you spell that at 6:30 AM) and two angel fish in a well planted tank. The fish are pretty young. The shrimp are cruising the tank now after 4 weeks and doing the work they are known for. Yes, I know I'm taking a risk when those fish get bigger. I just couldn't help myself on the amano purchase. But certainly get more plants and places for them to hide.

 

[ChilliPepper]

Actually that reminds me. I bought 4 shrimp, and put them all in the tank but never saw the 4th one again. No idea what happened to him, it was a mystery. Maybe yours are just hiding up?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

The way forward, depending on tank size, is either adult Bamboo Shrimps (~12cm) or African Filter Shrimps (~15cm)

 

[arobinson1984]

yeah id say thats whats happened, i always used to treat my fish to feeder shrimp<shops closed so cant get them anymore> hope they didnt cost too much, but dont worry about it

They only cost £10 for the 4 nelly, so not too bad but still the most expensive meal my fish have had if they have been eaten

At the same time I've just paid £50 for 4 large sterbai corys, so if they got eaten id be a little more pee'd off lol

They could be hiding I suppose but there isnt much places to hide at the min, I've got about 30 plants coming next week so when I get the tank planted I may have a look for some larger shrimp.

Would cherry shrimp be ok in that tank? or are they still too small? I didnt want to get any massive ones as I already have the 7 corys, a BN and the rainbow shark that occupy the bottom of the tank


Andy

 

[BethK]

You're spoiling your fish for choice,when it comes to meal time Cherry shrimp are much smaller than Amano and would be gobbled up quicker than you could spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Amanos are very good at hiding, try turning your tank lights off for a while. When you turn them back on and you still don't see them, put your fishies on the naughty step

One of my LFS have recently been selling clawed shrimp. Bit bigger than Amanos,with a big claw,like mini lobsters with an attitude problem. Get a few of them,I doubt your fish would bother them.

Or get a camellian shrimp;

 

[arobinson1984]

Yay,

I've found 3 of them this morning, huddled up together between the glass and a rock, not sure if the 4th one is around somewhere or has been eaten.

I've seen a skin casing floating about but it may be from where one has shedded.


Andy

 

[mattlee]

Yay,

I've found 3 of them this morning, huddled up together between the glass and a rock, not sure if the 4th one is around somewhere or has been eaten.

I've seen a skin casing floating about but it may be from where one has shedded.


Andy

when shrimp shed/moult they will go into hiding as they are very soft until the new layer can harden, they are very easilly damaged of killed when soft.

 

[BethK]

Amano shrimp are not a helpless shrimp, they can be rather ballsy, esp in larger groups. I would ensure you have a heavily planted section on your tank, along with more hiding places, that way your Amanos will thrive and not be bothered. I would also try adding 2 more, to make the group larger, once planted.

 

[PDSimon]

Glad you found them, the bolivian rams won't bother with them too much but the other cichlid may do so keep an eye on them!