Current Shrimp tank set up

[Roxane1232]

I'm still waiting to add shrimp nitrates have been consistent for a week (thanks to beneficial bacteria )and after a water change. Any suggestions on anything else before I need to add before adding shrimp. I'm not planning on adding shrimp until a month and a half. The only other fish I plan on housing with them is a small school of lambchop rasboras.

 

[IHaveAquariums]

Maybe a sponge over the filter intake so none have the risk of being sucked up

 

[Fresh2o]

What kind of shrimp are you planning to add?

 

[Roxane1232]

Maybe a sponge over the filter intake so none have the risk of being sucked up

Okay I will go to Petco and grab one.

 

[Roxane1232]

What kind of shrimp are you planning to add?

Cherry shrimp, blue velvet, and a yellow cardina shrimp.

 

[coralbandit]

You may need to feed the bacteria to keep it in force if you wait a month or more ?
I might just sprinkle a little food once a week and change water when nitrates hit 40 until you plan on stocking. Then get nitrates down to 10 or so.

 

[Roxane1232]

You may need to feed the bacteria to keep it in force if you wait a month or more ?
I might just sprinkle a little food once a week and change water when nitrates hit 40 until you plan on stocking. Then get nitrates down to 10 or so.

I've already got 3 lambchop(espei Rasboras in the tank) just wanted to get the grass growing more before I added shrimp. I will probably also add some pygmy cories since they do so well with sand.

 

[kashif314]

Well your fish will eat the shrimp babies.

 

[Roxane1232]

Well your fish will eat the shrimp babies.

Actually lambchop rasboras are tiny they won't get more than an inch and a half, and I had some in with my endlers, and none of them even messed with the fry at all.
I got this particular fish after a suggestion from my lfs. The goal is to keep all inhabitants as small as the shrimp.
I have also had espies in with my ghost and amano shrimp, and had no issue with them at all.
I'm not planning on adding anything else to the tank, other than pygmy cories, the dwarf shrimp and the lambchop rasboras.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

I’m so glad to see you setting up a shrimp tank! Shrimp are wonderful to watch and so much fun.
I did, however, want to warn you about mixing different color strains of neocaridina (cherry and blue velvet). Most experienced shrimp keepers would offer you the same advice: if you mix colors, you more than likely will end up with brown offspring. Because all of the different color strains are derived from the brown “wild type” neos, crossbreeding has a tendency to throw wild types and not the lovely colorful shrimp you enjoy. If you’re lucky enough not to get all brown, you’ll get some randomly colored babies and possibly a few of the original color. Generally, if you wish to preserve the color and integrity of a strain, it’s best to keep them separate from other neos to prevent crossbreeding.
I would suggest picking one strain you like the best, or asking for all males of each color. Having all males prevents crossbreeding, and you get to keep all the colors you’d like, but the only downside is that with no breeding occuring you will have to replace them once they pass away.
Additionally, as Kashif mentioned, the fish may eat the baby shrimp. I am sure that fish that small will leave adults alone, but if you are hoping for a breeding colony, be aware that even corydoras will suck up a shrimplet if they come across one. I’d suggest adding more cover for the baby shrimp to hide in to help them have a higher survival rate. Breeding colonies can be done in tanks with other fish, so long as some of the babies have a chance to survive to adulthood.
I hope this helped, let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[Roxane1232]

I’m so glad to see you setting up a shrimp tank! Shrimp are wonderful to watch and so much fun.
I did, however, want to warn you about mixing different color strains of neocaridina (cherry and blue velvet). Most experienced shrimp keepers would offer you the same advice: if you mix colors, you more than likely will end up with brown offspring. Because all of the different color strains are derived from the brown “wild type” neos, crossbreeding has a tendency to throw wild types and not the lovely colorful shrimp you enjoy. If you’re lucky enough not to get all brown, you’ll get some randomly colored babies and possibly a few of the original color. Generally, if you wish to preserve the color and integrity of a strain, it’s best to keep them separate from other neos to prevent crossbreeding.
I would suggest picking one strain you like the best, or asking for all males of each color. Having all males prevents crossbreeding, and you get to keep all the colors you’d like, but the only downside is that with no breeding occuring you will have to replace them once they pass away.
Additionally, as Kashif mentioned, the fish may eat the baby shrimp. I am sure that fish that small will leave adults alone, but if you are hoping for a breeding colony, be aware that even corydoras will suck up a shrimplet if they come across one. I’d suggest adding more cover for the baby shrimp to hide in to help them have a higher survival rate. Breeding colonies can be done in tanks with other fish, so long as some of the babies have a chance to survive to adulthood.
I hope this helped, let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks, I'm thinking of going with some gold yellow shrimp or blue velvet. Not exactly sure yet, but am definetly trying to breed them.

 

[kashif314]

As I mentioned before if your main purpose is to breed shrimps then go for a shrimp only tank. Some fish don't touch frys during the day but after lights go off there natural hunting instinct wake up. Yes shrimps can thrive with micro fish but baby fatalities are certain with fish. I don't want to discourage you. I have so much hiding room in my tank for babies where fish can never catch them. My tank has a thick pearlgrass wall and no fish can go there. But once lights are off the baby shrimps feel its ok to come outside and hence they can be fish snacks. I had chili (mosquito) Rasboras with shrimps. There mouths are so tiny that even flake foods I need to crush so they can eat but I took them away and shifted them with fish even though they were very peaceful micro fish. I did that just to be on the safe side. In past I have seen neons trying to pick on a shrimp. They can't swallow it so they nip and kill and then eat. The best tank mates for shrimps are no tank mates. Rest is your decision. You can see how much cover and hiding places I have in my tank:

 

[Roxane1232]

I’m so glad to see you setting up a shrimp tank! Shrimp are wonderful to watch and so much fun.
I did, however, want to warn you about mixing different color strains of neocaridina (cherry and blue velvet). Most experienced shrimp keepers would offer you the same advice: if you mix colors, you more than likely will end up with brown offspring. Because all of the different color strains are derived from the brown “wild type” neos, crossbreeding has a tendency to throw wild types and not the lovely colorful shrimp you enjoy. If you’re lucky enough not to get all brown, you’ll get some randomly colored babies and possibly a few of the original color. Generally, if you wish to preserve the color and integrity of a strain, it’s best to keep them separate from other neos to prevent crossbreeding.
I would suggest picking one strain you like the best, or asking for all males of each color. Having all males prevents crossbreeding, and you get to keep all the colors you’d like, but the only downside is that with no breeding occuring you will have to replace them once they pass away.
Additionally, as Kashif mentioned, the fish may eat the baby shrimp. I am sure that fish that small will leave adults alone, but if you are hoping for a breeding colony, be aware that even corydoras will suck up a shrimplet if they come across one. I’d suggest adding more cover for the baby shrimp to hide in to help them have a higher survival rate. Breeding colonies can be done in tanks with other fish, so long as some of the babies have a chance to survive to adulthood.
I hope this helped, let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks. I just got some teddy bear Cholla wood, should get the intake sponge this week, and then I plan on doing a coconut hut as well as some rocks covered in java moss.