How to start a shrimp tank?

[Closetcreep]

I just recently started working on having an aquarium. I was gifted an 80 litre tank which I am currently cycling. At the moment it has high quality substrate (so I can add plants), flame moss and a moss ball thingy. It has an outside filter, an inside filter (because the filter hanging outside is missing the sponges, which I don't know where to purchase some yet so meanwhile I have a second filter going so bacteria can grow on that one), a heater at a high temp to encourage bacteria growth and a bubble sponge.

I was hoping to add some guppies once the tank was ready but I realized that shrimp are pretty cool too. I was thinking of having the guppies with some cherry shrimp but after browsing all the different colours and genes there are... I think I'd like to have some blue shrimp instead, since in Mallorca there are no stores that sell them I had to look online and apparently they can ship them to me from mainland spain, and they have A LOT of blue varieties (blue velvet, blue jelly, blue diamond, saphire, blue bolt...)

So now I've decided that I'd like the shrimp to be the main focus in my tank, hopefully still being able to have some guppies in there with them but mostly work on having the shrimp nice and comfy.
I've purchased online a TDS tester since I didn't have one yet and I read that its important for shrimp keeping.
I also bought some moss on wood and drift wood (should arrive next week). I'd also like to buy some plants for them, but I don't know which ones would make them feel secure (specially for the babies if they will live alongside guppies).

But that still leaves me with a lot of doubts and questions:
- Should I get some snails too?
- Will my filters suck up the shrimp? How can I prevent them (specially baby shrimp) from getting swallowed up by the filter?
- What shrimp food do you recommend?
- Do they need any special water supplements/conditions?
- Should I get a larger or a second tank if they will be breeding?
- How many shrimp should I get so they are comfy and happy in my 80 litre tank?
- Is there anything I should stay away from with these critters?

Sorry for the long post xD

 

[stevenht]

Shrimp go well with most fish except puffers.

I would run a sponge filter. Some will filter feed on sponge filters.

I used to just throw the wafers I used for Cory cats down there every once and a while.

They're pretty hardy.

It's not a matter not if they breed, it's when.

Be careful with roots tabs if you do plants. They can will shrimp.

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[TMaier]

Will osmocote plus harm shrimp?


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[Fresh2o]

- Should I get some snails too?

- Will my filters suck up the shrimp? How can I prevent them (specially baby shrimp) from getting swallowed up by the filter?

- What shrimp food do you recommend?

- Do they need any special water supplements/conditions?

- Should I get a larger or a second tank if they will be breeding?

- How many shrimp should I get so they are comfy and happy in my 80 litre tank?

- Is there anything I should stay away from with these critters?

-Snails are optional. I've had shrimp with and without them.
-Placing a sponge prefilter over the intake will save the shrimp. Fluval makes them.
-Algae pellets (mentioned above), blanched vegetables such as zucchini
-Maybe. A KH that is too low or too high and/or insufficient Calcium levels can cause problems, especially during and after molting. Indian almond leaves and cuttlebone are often added to shrimp tanks to help condition the water.
-Not necessary.
-A small tank can house a large population of shrimp. Several dozen to over a hundred perhaps
-Copper (medicines or additives that contain copper). As for fish, if a shrimp can fit in its mouth, then it may become a meal. Shrimp fry will need decent cover if fish are present.
I know you mentioned guppies. Other suitable choices include nano fish such as rasboras and small tetras.
What I would do is start with the shrimp, get a healthy colony going and then add fish.



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[Closetcreep]

Thank you!