Everything About RCS

[redsea]

Hi all, I recently have gained an interest with Red Cherry Shrimp, and would like to learn all about them. Do you have any tips or tricks that would be helpful to me? Do they ship well? Are they hardy? What is the minimum size tank? Any breeding tips?

Thanks a lot everyone! I appreciate your time greatly!

 

[Cornstar]

I hear 10 per gallon is usually the rule of thumb.

RCS are actually sensitive from doing some research and it is important to keep ammonia and nitrate to a minimum. So it is important to add a lot of plants in the tank to do the job for you.

Never use a tank that had been dosed with medicine with copper in it because RCS are extremely sensitive to that.

I had RCS for a month or so, and only lately have I seen a lot of breeding and babies. And I am confident that is after I removed my neon tetras from the tank.If you want your shrimps to breed, do not put any fish in there.

I think they ship well, Jeta sent me 20 via priority mail and I think they all survived.

 

[redsea]

I already have another question! Do you see any problems keeping RCS with these two species of shrimp? Thank you!
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=1075+3006&pcatid=3006
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=1075+1898&pcatid=1898

 

[redsea]

I hear 10 per gallon is usually the rule of thumb.

RCS are actually sensitive from doing some research and it is important to keep ammonia and nitrate to a minimum. So it is important to add a lot of plants in the tank to do the job for you.

Never use a tank that had been dosed with medicine with copper in it because RCS are extremely sensitive to that.

I had RCS for a month or so, and only lately have I seen a lot of breeding and babies. And I am confident that is after I removed my neon tetras from the tank.If you want your shrimps to breed, do not put any fish in there.

I think they ship well, Jeta sent me 20 via priority mail and I think they all survived.

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it! If you don't mind me asking, how much were the shrimp from jetajockey? Does he ship them out on a regular basis, or just occasionally?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Cornstar]

They're both cardina species and I think they could possibly interbreed, which may lead to downgrading the red crystal shrimps' grade. So I would not advise that. I am not sure about this, but I am pretty sure.

Red Crystal Shrimps and red cherry shrimps are different breed and should not be confused since IMO Red Crystal Shrimps are a bit more difficult to sustain.

 

[Cornstar]

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it! If you don't mind me asking, how much were the shrimp from jetajockey? Does he ship them out on a regular basis, or just occasionally?

Thanks for your help!

I think I paid $25 for 20 (including priority shipping) (I might want to add that he packages really well). I've been checking the classified thread pretty often and have not seen a thread from him. So you would probably have to personally ask him.

 

[redsea]

They're both cardina species and I think they could possibly interbreed, which may lead to downgrading the red crystal shrimps' grade. So I would not advise that. I am not sure about this, but I am pretty sure.

Red Crystal Shrimps and red cherry shrimps are different breed and should not be confused since IMO Red Crystal Shrimps are a bit more difficult to sustain.

Ahhh, thanks! I am really glad that you told me that, I wouldn't want the shrimp to interbreed. The Mandarin Shrimp are harder to sustain too, correct?

Thanks!

 

[jetajockey]

I don't have many right now, I sold most of them off. Will update when my stock group builds up again, though.

 

[Cornstar]

Actually i lied about mandarin and the red crystal shrimp. They will not interbreed since one is a cardina and the other is a neocardina. But the issue of mixing them is that they usually have different standard of water requirements.

I was speaking to a shrimp breeder on AA once, and he told me that it is best to just try the easier shrimps first to see if you can handle them. Easier one includes red cherry shrimps or yellow cherry shrimps.

 

[redsea]

Another question:

What would be your definition of "mature substrate"? Liveaquaria mentions that under the care of the Red Crystal Shrimp. If I did need to create mature substrate, how would you recommend doing so? Thanks!

 

[redsea]

Actually i lied about mandarin and the red crystal shrimp. They will not interbreed since one is a cardina and the other is a neocardina. But the issue of mixing them is that they usually have different standard of water requirements.

I was speaking to a shrimp breeder on AA once, and he told me that it is best to just try the easier shrimps first to see if you can handle them. Easier one includes red cherry shrimps or yellow cherry shrimps.

Thanks for all of the advice, I really do appreciate it, it all makes a lot of sense! I never knew that there was a such thing as Yellow Cherry Shrimp. I could house those together because they are in the same family, correct?

Thanks again!

 

[jetajockey]

I've seen mandarins listed as caridinia propiquina (sp) also, though, on the wholesale lists. So who knows =_=

 

[redsea]

I don't have many right now, I sold most of them off. Will update when my stock group builds up again, though.

Okay, thank you jeta!

 

[redsea]

Thanks for all of the advice, I really do appreciate it, it all makes a lot of sense! I never knew that there was a such thing as Yellow Cherry Shrimp. I could house those together because they are in the same family, correct?

Thanks again!

Oops, sorry, I forgot!

It is better not to have shrimp of the same species together because they will interbreed, just remembered.

Do you guys think people would like Red Cherries and Yellow Cherries better? I would think Res Cherries because they seem to be more popular, but I am not sure.

Sorry for all of my questions!

 

[Cornstar]

Which color is a matter of personal taste.

I personally like yellow shrimps better. But I have red since I was unable to find yellow. If you were to get yellow, make sure you use a dark substrate like black or dark blue so they can really show their color. I have black substrate right now with my RCS and it really shows the red.

Also lot of people seem to like red because it symbolizes good luck.

 

[Cornstar]

Just took a pic of a rcs I found in my tank.

 

[redsea]

Which color is a matter of personal taste.

I personally like yellow shrimps better. But I have red since I was unable to find yellow. If you were to get yellow, make sure you use a dark substrate like black or dark blue so they can really show their color. I have black substrate right now with my RCS and it really shows the red.

Also lot of people seem to like red because it symbolizes good luck.

Thanks for the tip. I also think the Yellow ones look nice. Do they have the same care requirements as Red Cherries?

I just watched a little bit of a video of Yellow Cherries, and they seemed really vibrant, a nice bright yellow.

 

[redsea]

Just took a pic of a rcs I found in my tank.

Wow, he looks really nice. He has a lot of red. Your Shrimp looks a lot better than the stock photo on LiveAquaria.com, lol.

Thanks for posting the picture!

I like the Pleco in your new avatar by the way!

 

[Cornstar]

Thanks! I've been meaning to change it for a while. My old avatar picture was my 10g tank before I switched into black sand. The pleco is my actually my favorite fish and one of my oldest.

I believe the yellow cherry shrimps have the same requirement as red cherry shrimps.

I've heard a way to keep the future shrimps as red as possible is to remove the one that looks a bit transparent

 

[redsea]

Thanks! I've been meaning to change it for a while. My old avatar picture was my 10g tank before I switched into black sand. The pleco is my actually my favorite fish and one of my oldest.

I believe the yellow cherry shrimps have the same requirement as red cherry shrimps.

I've heard a way to keep the future shrimps as red as possible is to remove the one that looks a bit transparent

The Yellow Cherries are more expensive, right?