Ghost shrimp vs red cherry shrimp?

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giffmastaflex

Aquarium Advice Freak
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I'm setting up a 20 gallon and I wanted to make it a "food" tank for my other tank. What shrimp would multiply fast and be safe/ nutritional for my other fish? Or can I do both type of shrimp? Like 10 or 20 of each? Or if you know of other shrimp that would work, and I'm looking for shrimp/ fish that look colorful and not plain and boring. I also want to add a few guppies or tetras as feeders as well so any suggestions to those?
 
Ghost shrimp larvae need brackish water to live so I would recommend the rcs. As for feeder fish I would say guppies they reproduce much faster
 
Is the tank cycled? You are planning on using them as food? If so I'd say 20-25 to start within a month you'll probably have babies and your numbers will sky rocket
 
Also make sure to have some plants real or fake don't think it makes a difference and also a few places for them to hide and feel safe so they will breed
 
I have a sponge filter in my 55 getting some BB then ill put it in the 20 how long should I have the sponge filter in the 55 for? And with fish in the tank too won't bother the shrimp?
 
I have a sponge filter in my 55 getting some BB then ill put it in the 20 how long should I have the sponge filter in the 55 for? And with fish in the tank too won't bother the shrimp?

I would say at least 2-3 weeks before putting it into the 20. I would then run it and add some food to make sure you are cycled and test the water. The shrimp need a stable healthy tank to thrive. (I'm not an expert on cycling but I do know quite a bit, my theory is test test and then test again) do you have a test kit? I would and most people here recommend the API master kit. Do not use the strips they are not accurate at all

The guppies should not be too bad that's why I said make sure there are plants and places for the shrimp to hide. They might eat some babies tho
 
Ghost shrimp larvae need brackish water to live so I would recommend the rcs. As for feeder fish I would say guppies they reproduce much faster

Thats not true for all types of ghost shrimp. I've had plenty breed in the past in freshwater. Ghost shrimp and glass shrimp are generic names given to different types of clear shrimp. While it's true that most need brackish water to successfully breed, the specific type I got were able to breed in freshwater. Only problem is, it's pretty hard to tell which ones will breed since every pet store will sell them as "ghost shrimp" so like everyone else is saying, go for RCS.
 
Thats not true for all types of ghost shrimp. I've had plenty breed in the past in freshwater. Ghost shrimp and glass shrimp are generic names given to different types of clear shrimp. While it's true that most need brackish water to successfully breed, the specific type I got were able to breed in freshwater. Only problem is, it's pretty hard to tell which ones will breed since every pet store will sell them as "ghost shrimp" so like everyone else is saying, go for RCS.

I stand corrected, I've always been under the assumption they all needed brackish. That's why I love this forum learn new things all the time
 
I think it will be fine to feed to your fish but don't feed to often they are very high in protein. I think once a week max
 
Dont add guppies or tetras in the tank, they will eat all your baby shrimps. Then you would not have any to "feed" your other tanks.
 
I stand corrected, I've always been under the assumption they all needed brackish. That's why I love this forum learn new things all the time

Crazy isn't it? I had no idea until I was cleaning out my HOB and I realized that a ton of them got sucked up through the intake. You're basically right though since I'm pretty sure I only know of one LFS in my area that sells that variety of ghost shrimp and they look EXACTLY the same as the ones that require brackish water to successfully breed.
 
Crazy isn't it? I had no idea until I was cleaning out my HOB and I realized that a ton of them got sucked up through the intake. You're basically right though since I'm pretty sure I only know of one LFS in my area that sells that variety of ghost shrimp and they look EXACTLY the same as the ones that require brackish water to successfully breed.

That's crazy we're they alive? Since I heard I've been looking online and at all the lfs and can't find any that breed in fresh water. Would love to I find with my current stocks the rcs don't last more then a couple days before they get eaten, while at least 50-60% of the ghost shrimp survive
 
That's crazy we're they alive? Since I heard I've been looking online and at all the lfs and can't find any that breed in fresh water. Would love to I find with my current stocks the rcs don't last more then a couple days before they get eaten, while at least 50-60% of the ghost shrimp survive

Yeah some survived to adulthood. I had ghost shrimp in a community tank so when I found the tiny ones, I moved them to my RCS tank and when they got big enough, I gave them to my brother who still has them to this very day. I forgot where but I remember a couple people who sold ghost shrimp that breed in freshwater.
 
people sell any type of clear shrimp as ghost shrimps and alot of times they are mislabeled and is not actually ghost shrimp at all. Actual ghost shrimp needs brackish for the larvae to develop.
 
You could add the guppies and the RCS. I'd suggest stuffing the tank with java moss and upgrade the lighting, the fry from the guppies and shrimp will feast of the micro organisms on the moss so don't worry about feeding them unless you have hundreds. Also, the RCS will unlikely get eaten if java moss is bought.
 
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