amano shrimp set up house in filter..

[juantoro]

Hi all, quick question..

I recently added some amano shrimp to my 20g (2 fancy goldfish) and 10g (bunch of Platys and 3 Corys) tanks to help keep my plants clean. The thing is, the shrimp seem to want to live inside my Whisper HOB filters. I'm am assuming that the little buggers are climbing up the 'out-take' somehow as they are too big to get sucked up the intake. Don't really mind that they're in there but they're supposed to be keeping my plants clean! Have had them for about a week now and they have not cleaned a single leaf!

Just wondered if anyone else has experienced this and whether I should just let them be or should I try to keep them out somehow.. Maybe they are just frightened in their new environments? Think they will eventually move into the tanks?

Actually I guess I can't blame the two that I put in with my goldies.. I know I'm kind of taking a chance there but they have plenty of places to hide and the goldies aren't the most agile of creatures...

Also, the 10g has about 15 Platys.. I started out with 3 but they won't stop multiplying.. I thought the fry would get eaten if no steps were taken to save them but that doesn't seem to be the case 8O.. planning to give them away soon and get something a little less prolific. Maybe the high numbers of fish darting around are spooking the shrimps?

 

[zacusmaximus]

Maybe they're after the goodies stuck to the filter pad?

 

[theotheragentm]

I would think the shrimp may be adjusting and will eventually come out, but Goldfish are coldwater fish. The shrimp are tropical and need warmer water. While they can survive in the overlap of temperature, neither should be kept in that temperature. The water the Amano should be in should be much warmer than the Goldfish.

 

[juantoro]

thanks both for the reply..

I think they are munching at the stuff on the filter pads.. maybe once they clean them off they will start work on the plants..

As for the temp issue with the goldfish I won't have to worry about that till winter hits... and even then it rarely gets much below 70 in the tanks.. I know the goldfish like cooler water but I've had these guys for about 4 years now and have received no complaints (except for a bigger tank and more worms, but they'll have to wait till after I get a condo this fall for that).. Plus, apart from putting the tank in the refridgerator there's not much I can do about it... In winter it'll get into the mid 60's sometimes.. we'll see.

Just thought that the shrimp would be scurrying around on my plants munching on the algae like the ones in the LFS, not hiding out in my filter...

 

[zacusmaximus]

If they're true Amano shrimp (caridina japonica) they'll be perfectly fine in cold water tanks. In fact, amano shrimp are extremely flexible, capable of living in temperatures ranging from ~45F to ~83F, pH from 6 to 8, and in hard or soft water. There are a good number of freshwater shrimp that are just as flexible as amanos. They are, however, sensitive to ammonia, but what isn't? Though I've never seen a shrimp climb in a HOB, my money would be on the filter pad buffet.

 

[Lance M.]

I'd worry about the goldfish eating the amano shrimp. Amanao shrimp here are $5 each so that's an expensive snack. And in my experience goldfish and plants dont mix.

 

[juantoro]

Thanks for the replies..

Nothing but the best for my boys! Hehe, actually I do know that I am taking chance with the goldfish but figured I would give it a try this once. Maybe I'll get lucky and they will all be friends... if not, then oh well, they get a nice treat (just don't tell the guys over on the petshrimp website )!

As for the plants, yes, it has definitely been an uphill battle. But I have made it my mission to keep live plants in with these fish and have made some good progress.

I think that the trick may be to distract the fish with a little bunch of tasty plants that I am not interested in growing. I am not sure of the names but I have found certain plants to be tastier than others, so I keep a little bunch of them in the tank for them to snack on. This way they don't bother the other, not so tasty plants... Seems to be working so far.. but it has been the algae that inevitably ends up killing the good plants, which is why I got the shrimps.. We'll see how it goes. If I can get a hold of my friends digital camera I'll send a picture..