Experience with Sulawesi shrimp

[MABJ]

Does anybody have experience with any of these shrimp?

Especially with breeding them..

 

[jetajockey]

I've not kept them but I know someone who imports them. He says that the Sulawesi inverts like cardinals are best in alkaline setups. Hope that's a good starting point.

 

[shrimpbako]

experience

Does anybody have experience with any of these shrimp?

Especially with breeding them..

Out of all the sulawesi shrimp that i've dealt with during imports,
the easiest to take care and breed are the

cardinal shrimp and red or white orchid shrimp.

I have successfully bred and raised cardinal shrimp babies before.

It is just very touch, when to be shipped cause they require very warm waters to survive. It also depends where you live. We've had batches die cause it was just too cold when they came in.

 

[MABJ]

Oh wow. Those are beautiful.

You raised them yourself?

I must say cardinal shrimp are the most beautiful shrimp I've ever seen.

Is there a way to perfect your water alkalinity for them?

I've got pristine water.. Thank you plants and low stocking.

What kind of housing do they enjoy?

I'd LOVE to raise some. Maybe get a small stock of my own to breed and raise for other AAers.

 

[MABJ]

If I could, I'd thank you both. Next time I'm on the PC I will lol.

 

[shrimpbako]

cardinal baby

Oh wow. Those are beautiful.

You raised them yourself?

I must say cardinal shrimp are the most beautiful shrimp I've ever seen.

Is there a way to perfect your water alkalinity for them?

I've got pristine water.. Thank you plants and low stocking.

What kind of housing do they enjoy?

I'd LOVE to raise some. Maybe get a small stock of my own to breed and raise for other AAers.

yeah, i raised them myself. I was even surprised they lived. haha. perfecting? uhh not really, just age the water like wine. a long time.
and use some crushed coral to help buffer water. Good filtration, and I had 0 plants in there. I used a lot of starter cultures to jump start the tank.

ph is about 7.4-7.8
gh 10-14
kh 3-7
tds 150-250

TDS is really important.
Not sure why.

 

[MABJ]

yeah, i raised them myself. I was even surprised they lived. haha. perfecting? uhh not really, just age the water like wine. a long time.
and use some crushed coral to help buffer water. Good filtration, and I had 0 plants in there. I used a lot of starter cultures to jump start the tank.

ph is about 7.4-7.8
gh 10-14
kh 3-7
tds 150-250

TDS is really important.
Not sure why.

I know a lot about shrimp and other inverts.

I don't know a lot about chemistry.

Could you fill me in on the meanings of GH, KH and TDS, their importance and the way to keep in check?

 

[Sake]

Gh=General hardness, KH=Carbonate hardness TDS= total dissovled solids. I'll let shrimpfever fill you in on why they are important for cardinal shrimp seeing as I dunno lol.

 

[MABJ]

Let me guess, you check for these with another 40.00 dollar API kit lol.

 

[shrimpbako]

Let me guess, you check for these with another 40.00 dollar API kit lol.

Yep, I'm lowtech. I can't afford expensive pens.

That only checks, No2, No3, Ammonia, high ph, low ph.

It doesnt check gh/kh thats another separate kit.

Then for TDS you have to get a Pen for that one. I got one for 20 bucks

at my local home depot/home hardware kinda store.

investment. That's all it is

 

[shrimpbako]

Gh=General hardness, KH=Carbonate hardness TDS= total dissovled solids. I'll let shrimpfever fill you in on why they are important for cardinal shrimp seeing as I dunno lol.

these elements are important for keeping ALL shrimps.

 

[MABJ]

>_< how do you test GH and KH? TDS is a pen at home depot, fine.

 

[shrimpbako]

>_< how do you test GH and KH? TDS is a pen at home depot, fine.

op sorry
forgot about that. Just buy a test kit at your local fish store. I use API REGENT TEST KITS, I highly recommend it or another brand you can find nearest you. Make sure it is suitable for ranges of 6-7.8.

I highly DO NOT recommend the test strips, as right after open they are exposed to moisture in the air or where ever and overtime the accuracy of the test can be affected. Easy as they are, but expensive too.

 

[MABJ]

Mmk. Thanks for all the info.

Are there things you can do/not do to maintain them without regularly checking? I can't imagine adding that to my tank to do list lol.

 

[Coursair]

You can also get a TDS meter off EBay http://shop.mobileweb.ebay.com/searchresults?cmd=SKW&pg=1&kw=tds+meter
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002C0A7ZY

GH/KH Test http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003SNCHMA?qid=1334810740&sr=8-1

 

[MABJ]

Nice! That's a decent price for both. The API maste test kit is so darn expensive. I'll eventually buy it all.

 

[shrimpbako]

Mmk. Thanks for all the info.

Are there things you can do/not do to maintain them without regularly checking? I can't imagine adding that to my tank to do list lol.

I only check about once a week/bi-weekly.

And I check the water for gh that i aged to top up or use for water change so i know that is in range.

Usually, once your tank is setup and established. The kh in a sulawesi tank is a good buffer so you do not regularly have to check. Cause in shrimp tanks I barely change water, maybe once a month. Or whenever I drip new shrimp and whatever i lost i consider my water change.

 

[MABJ]

I only check about once a week/bi-weekly.

And I check the water for gh that i aged to top up or use for water change so i know that is in range.

Usually, once your tank is setup and established. The kh in a sulawesi tank is a good buffer so you do not regularly have to check. Cause in shrimp tanks I barely change water, maybe once a month. Or whenever I drip new shrimp and whatever i lost i consider my water change.

Say the numbers are low/high. What do you do to fix it?

 

[shrimpbako]

Low high? U mean they get too high?

Then I change approx a certain percentage depending how high with
Straight RO water.

That's it

 

[MABJ]

Low or high, two different situations. I kinda figured the high part .

I do appreciate all the explanations.