Red Cherry Shrimp Advice

[Bradley1]

Hi, so I recently purchased around 15 red cherry shrimp for my 4 gallon tank. I am worried the current from the Elite Mini Underwater filter I have is too strong for them. They seem to be a lot more active when I shut it off. When it's on, they are primarily all down on the substrate, whereas when it's off they swim everywhere. Would I be better off without the filter? The tank has a bunch of floating Salvinia Natans, about 20 leaves of Java Fern and I am growing in some Java Moss. I kind of hope that the plants can act as a natural filter as I enjoy seeing the shrimp swim around -Thank you.

 

[TheresaM]

It might be too strong. My shrimp tanks are rather heavily planted and I go either no filter or use a sponge filter.

 

[Caliban07]

It might be too strong. My shrimp tanks are rather heavily planted and I go either no filter or use a sponge filter.

What do you do about surface biofilm on your filterless tanks?


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[Bradley1]

It might be too strong. My shrimp tanks are rather heavily planted and I go either no filter or use a sponge filter.

Thanks! I think I'll try without the filter for a while. The tank has a small surface area so I think a sponge filter would ruin the look of the tank.

 

[TheresaM]

What do you do about surface biofilm on your filterless tanks?

The only tank I'm currently running without a filter is a heavily planted 10g with least killifish, otos, and RCS. It's been running for quite a while now and I've had no with surface biofilm. At one point I there was a small algae outbreak in one corner but apparently that was due to tank location.

 

[TheresaM]

Thanks! I think I'll try without the filter for a while. The tank has a small surface area so I think a sponge filter would ruin the look of the tank.

In smaller tanks I've used this type of sponge filter but I do understand.

Do you have a pic of the tank? I just enjoy seeing what other people have set up for shrimp!

 

[Bradley1]

In smaller tanks I've used this type of sponge filter but I do understand.

Do you have a pic of the tank? I just enjoy seeing what other people have set up for shrimp!

I would upload a pic but I can't figure out how

 

[TheresaM]

I would upload a pic but I can't figure out how

You can upload to a site like Photobucket or Imgur, copy the photo link, and insert into a post with the image button

 

[Bradley1]

This is what I've got for them. The ugly rocks on the bottom left is Java Moss that will hopefully grow into a nice carpet I can spread around. It didn't turn out the way I had had envisioned, but hopefully as the plants grow in it looks better

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[Autumnsky]

I would run the filter just for good measure. It is easy to over feed shrimp/not do enough pwc in a small tank. This isn't planted heavily enough imho.

You can buffer the water flow with a chunk of bulk media pad over the top or a little filter pouch pocket for, if I remember correctly Whisper filters maybe tetra too. But they allow you to add other stuff like carbon so it has a seam on 3 sides (I am not inferring you need carbon, btw). You could zip tie it to the out flow to slow the blast of water coming out and it will grow BB on it as well

 

[Autumnsky]

The only tank I'm currently running without a filter is a heavily planted 10g with least killifish, otos, and RCS. It's been running for quite a while now and I've had no with surface biofilm. At one point I there was a small algae outbreak in one corner but apparently that was due to tank location.

TheresaM's tank above - now this is the amount of plants which would work good for no filter!!!

 

[Bradley1]

I would run the filter just for good measure. It is easy to over feed shrimp/not do enough pwc in a small tank. This isn't planted heavily enough imho.

You can buffer the water flow with a chunk of bulk media pad over the top or a little filter pouch pocket for, if I remember correctly Whisper filters maybe tetra too. But they allow you to add other stuff like carbon so it has a seam on 3 sides (I am not inferring you need carbon, btw). You could zip tie it to the out flow to slow the blast of water coming out and it will grow BB on it as well

Thanks for the advice! I think I will keep the filter then and add something on the output to lower the flow of water coming out. And yes, ideally the entire or most of the bottom of the tank is supposed to be covered in Java Moss. Unfortunately, my LFS didn't sell any and I didn't want to ship it. So I'm trying to propagate what little moss hitched a ride with some other plants I purchased. I'm thinking of adding more Java Fern to the system as well, I got tons of it lol. Thanks again

 

[TheresaM]

If you have other java fern to add you might as well, can't hurt!

There was talk about lowering output in my tank thread a while back, check out this post, maybe something like that could help you.

 

[beandoo]

A good possibility is moss balls they are a good food source for the shrimp as the little particles that they eat go onto the balls and they just eat right off of it. I bought some on ebay at this excellent eBay site they arrived today and it fits nice in the tank.


Here is an article of why you should get them.

This is a site with great information on Moss Balls.

 

[brennae]

My shrimp really enjoy the giant miss balls I have in their tank too.

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[beandoo]

I actually don't have any shrimp just would like to set up my 3 gallon for a few and maybe even a 10 gallon. But, my ADFs still don't know what to think of them .

 

[Bradley1]

Ya, I was thinking of getting some. Just need to find some at one of the pet stores around me

 

[beandoo]

My ADFs are loving it and its already collecting some old food and my pond snails are then feasting on it.

 

[TheresaM]

Lots of things you can add to shrimp tanks that they'll appreciate:

Indian almond leaves or bark
Cholla wood
Alder cones
Moss balls
Cinnamon sticks
Turkish hazel

Good article: Benefits of leaf litter in shrimp tanks

 

[Bradley1]

Lots of things you can add to shrimp tanks that they'll appreciate:

Indian almond leaves or bark
Cholla wood
Alder cones
Moss balls
Cinnamon sticks
Turkish hazel

Good article: Benefits of leaf litter in shrimp tanks

Cool! Thanks for the article If I can find some, I think I'll add an Indian Almond Leaf. I'm also thinking of adding an Assassin Snail once the colony is better established to try and control the Pond Snails that came in on one of the plants XD