Feeding bamboo shrimp

[fishb0ne]

I've had a pair of bamboo shrimp in my 10g planted for 2 months now and I'm looking to make

their existence more comfortable. The planted tank houses 6 neon tetras, 2 fancy guppies, a handful of ghost shrimp and a load of mts. The trouble is, my bamboo shrimp don't seem to be getting enough food. I say this because of 2 reasons:
-I sometimes see them scavenging for food instead of filter feeding
-they have yet to turn that nice dark red color with the white stripe down their back. They're still a pale shade of brown with a whitish line down their back
-absence of any noticeable quantity of bamboo shrimp poop

What I've tried:
-dropping half of an algae wafer at night into the water
- propping up a quarter of a sinking pellet for bottom feeders between the filter media right in the path of the water current

Yes, there is enough of a current on one side of the tank, underneath which there's a rock on which the shrimp climb up to feed on a regular basis.

Any ideas?

[TwoHobbies]

If you have had them 2 months, they're eating something. Mine also forage for food on the bottom sometimes. I'f seen light brown, dark brown, orange and red color from mine and don't think it has much to do with how full they are. Have you seen them shed yet?

I don't think you are doing wrong, the problem is the exta food lying on the bottom is going to cause a MTS explosion!

[fishb0ne]

Yep, I do have a MTS explosion but that's alright, I'll wait until the tiny ones grow larger and then I'm going to start dropping them off in my brackish crabitat. So basically I want them to proliferate, that way I'll have a nice steady supply.

The bamboo shrimp have each moulted at least twice now. I always thought that:
-not being dark red with a white stripe down their back
-no visible signs of poop
were two immediate giveaways they may be starving

[Lance M.]

I've had two bamboo shrimp (one for two years, one for a year and a half) and two vampire shrimp (both for two years) and I just feed them flakes and they scavange anything on the gravel.

[aquariumnoob]

I put 1/2 algae wafer and 3 shrimp pellets in at night, and then maybe a little more during the day mainly for my 3 cories and 3 otos. However, there seems to be enough left for my bamboo shrimp because he is ALWAYS a nice red color except for when I first got him, and when I start trying to net him out for moving (I live in a dorm room during the school year). Try shrimp pellets also?

[Michael]

I feed mine frozen BBS. You can put a cube in a cup to thaw and feed a little twice a day. Cover the cup and put in the fridge for the next day. Your other fish will also love the BBS.

They are not algea eaters so algea wafers are not the best food. You can crush your flakes til it's almost a powder and feed, great for the other shrimp plus easy for the little fish to eat.

[TwoHobbies]

Now that you mention it, I don't believe I've seen my poop either, and 90% of the time they are tan. As long as the tank is planted they will eat leaf liter.

If you are really worried , maybe move one to another tank if you can. Otherwise I think you're fine.

[Lance M.]

Originally Posted by aquariumnoob

, and when I start trying to net him out for moving (I live in a dorm room during the school year).

I've always been able to get the shrimp to stay in my palm and just close up hand and thats how I moved them

I agree the brine shrimp is a good idea. I use to culture them for my sw tanks and I'd put some live brine shrimp in my fw and the fish would love them. Be sure if you culture them though to get a brine shrimp net and rinse them off so you dont get any salt in the tank. Also with the frozen foods it's best to rinse them off so you dont get any extra phosphates in the tank from the water that they are frozen in.

[fishb0ne]

Not algae eaters, eh? That might explain a thing or two.
I'm fairly a beginner, never done the live/frozen food thing but I guess there's always a start. I'll get some shrimp pellets.

Anyone have any info on what these guys actually eat? I wasn't able to get anything more than the typical "scavengers" on the internet.

Also, can any of you recommend some nice "grow your own brine shrimp" kits, or are all pretty much the same?