Shrimp and open-top tanks

[bluerose]

So... I am planning a tiny planted setup (my guess is the bowl is about a gallon and a half-- it's technically a candle 'vase' but it's a really gorgeous bowl shape, but flat bottomed... so should work well).

Am considering adding RCS for decoration and maintenance-- the only thing is I'm not sure if they'll jump out (my amanos have jumped before-- from the net into the tank generally).

I'm also considering having some lucky bamboo in there (as well as other aquatic plants); would they climb up the bamboo or would they stop at the water level?

A top isn't really an option.

 

[neilanh]

I've had maybe 5 RCS jump on me, out of hundreds I've had. I wouldn't worry about that.

As for the bamboo, bamboo plants only like they're feet wet. If you submerge the whole thing, it will eventually rot.

 

[marchmaxima]

I've got a bamboo plant in my planted set up that used to be in a vase. It is probably 1/2 way submerged in the tank where as before, only the very bottom of the stem and the roots were submerged. I have to say since I put it in there it has completely taken off! As long as you keep the top dry, you shouldn't have any problems.

Don't know about the shrimp climbing it though.

 

[bluerose]

I know about the bamboo-- right now I'm thinking about mainly carpet plants (dunno what yet-- suggestions?) with a few taller plants (perhaps crypts or Anubias nana) and then the bamboo curling out of the top of the bowl.

Probably some Java moss if I can find it (and a place to grow it).

I'm also poking around to find one or two veery small fish that would work-- perhaps a bumblebee goby? (Am only planning on adding creatures if I can keep the whole thing stable and safe and not until it's very well established...)

 

[neilanh]

Carpet plant is going to be hard, because in general most of them need a lot of light, CO2 and ferts.

And IIRC, bumblebee gobies are brackish, aren't they?

 

[bluerose]

Neilan-- yup, figuring that out about carpets. I don't mind dosing some ferts but CO2 is a bit much.

Interesting about the bumblebee goby: here's what Liveaquaria has on them--

...The ideal set-up is an aquarium with brackish water and plenty of plants and rocks providing the Gobies with ample hiding places. Although they do well in a community setting, they will thrive the best in the company of only their own species.

Even though they live in the brackish water, the addition of freshwater will induce spawning. ...

Ideal tank mates include: Livebearers, Tetras, Danios, Barbs, Rasboras, Gouramis, Rainbowfish, Cory cats, and Plecos

So... they're brackish, but can live in FW apparently permanently (looking at the suggested tankmates).

Odd...

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

I've had my bamboo shrimp crawl out of my tank and the next morning I found it all dried up on the carpet, but I think that was because my powerhead got shut off a day before and it try to find current and food and crawl out from my filter out of the tank. If you get a bamboo shrimp, make sure you have plenty of current in the tank for them to filter feed.

 

[neilanh]

I know nothing about gobies, I just remembered reading somewhere about them being natively brackish and wanted to mention it to you so you could check it out first. Perhaps someone here will have had experience with them.