RCS in my nursery tank?

[Bubbles0oO]

I would like to start up a good colony of RCS in my nursery. I have random livebearer fry of different sizes and 5 mystery snails. I have searched and searched but none of my LFS ( or petco/petsmart) have RCS . My parents wouldn't let me buy them and have them shipped. I currently have no substrate in. The tank, I have a sponge filter and assorted terracotta pots. He plants in the tank are anacharis, javamoss , and some ribbons. What would you guys reccomend? I agree the fry may eat some, but what about the snails? Sorry for rambling lol

[Bubbles0oO]

*nursery
Really should double check before posting lol

[MABJ]

Originally Posted by Bubbles0oO

I would like to start up a good colony of RCS in my nursery. I have random livebearer fry of different sizes and 5 mystery snails. I have searched and searched but none of my LFS ( or petco/petsmart) have RCS . My parents wouldn't let me buy them and have them shipped. I currently have no substrate in. The tank, I have a sponge filter and assorted terracotta pots. He plants in the tank are anacharis, javamoss , and some ribbons. What would you guys reccomend? I agree the fry may eat some, but what about the snails? Sorry for rambling lol

The snails will leave them alone.

I'd recommend a substrate, it doesn't matter which, but some of those plants benefit from being buried.

The fry may eat your babies, but not if it is well planted. A moss carpet, grass carpet or a plant overhang (like duckweed/frogbit/salvinia) will also provide cover for the babies.

If you buy from an online dealer, you usually only pay an average of 2$ per shrimp. Less than in my LFS when it rarely gets shrimp in.

Let me know if you have more questions!

[Bubbles0oO]

Here's a pic of the tank, the ribbons are planted in a pot of gravel, but are slowly melting away. Java moss is free floating as well as the anacharis

Attachment 90461

I have some washed PFS leftover from my substrate swap, should I use that? I wanted to have a sterile bottom because I didn't want to have the fry get stuck in the gravel. But now that I have sand..... Is the only way to get RCS to order online? I may ask if my LFS can special order some

[MABJ]

Originally Posted by Bubbles0oO

Here's a pic of the tank, the ribbons are planted in a pot of gravel, but are slowly melting away. Java moss is free floating as well as the anacharis

I have some washed PFS leftover from my substrate swap, should I use that? I wanted to have a sterile bottom because I didn't want to have the fry get stuck in the gravel. But now that I have sand..... Is the only way to get RCS to order online? I may ask if my LFS can special order some

Well, not to be offensive or anything, but the tank looks a little disheveled. You could make a beautiful tank with that pottery and those pretty plants. A lot of them will survive like that, but their roots take stuff from the gravel and they're missing that.

Well you can ask your LFS but I can only find them online.

About your substrate, the fry wont get stuck there, especially if you aren't moving it around. I know with sponge filters, they recommend gravel not sand. Or maybe that is an under gravel filter. But I would say your tank definitely needs the gravel.

I tried this with one of my plants that didn't have roots when I received it. I let the roots grow while it was free floating and the plant wilted. It grew enough roots that I could plant it. And now it's got new leaves forming where the old ones were falling off.

The shrimp will benefit from some substrate too. It gives them even more places to hide.

You could circumvent most of your worries by a moss type carpet. They're beautiful.

[Bubbles0oO]

The anacharis beer wants to stay down and it always died when I put it in gravel/ sand. So I let it free float and it's growing like crazy! He ribbons are there only to die off ( non aquatic) my snails enjoy eating them

[Cichlid Kid]

I had ribbons in my one tank also and did the same thing. After findin out they're nonaquatic i simply left them for the snails.
Noone in my area carrys rcs either so i ordered some thru my one local lfs.

[Coursair]

Pull the Ribbon Plants and let them be houseplants.

Sand or gravel will work. If you use a bare bottom you'll need to wipe it down. It can develop bacteria. Bare clean tank safe sponge will work.

[Bubbles0oO]

I'll just let the ribbons be snail food they all have rot on the anyway. As for the substrate I think ill put some sand down next weekend. Maybe this week if I have time I'll post pics when done.