Shrimp

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Coralocean

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
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347
Location
Chicago
I couldn't resist setting up a shrimp tank. My lfs had 1 Sakura (spelling) Red and 2 Rili left. Anyone heard of the Rili shrimp? They are red with a clear part in the middle. I lost one after a week.

I assume they are sensitive to nitrates as mine were 20+ ? ? The tank has a sponge filter which I am not used to, always had HOBs. I will get more shrimp when I am sure they can survive in my water. I bought some plants and they melted very badly and fouled the water faster than I anticipated.
 
Yes they do no like NO3.

Try and keep it <10pmm.

I wouldn't mix neo species. They will interbreed and revert back to clear / brown / ugly wild colors.

Generally you'll want a pH of 7.0-7.6
gH 6-10
kH 4-6

But the best is to try and match the water they were raised in. Once you get a successful new generation, they will adapt to pretty much any water source. The older they get, the less adaptable they become
 
It’s best if you cycle that tank BEFORE adding shrimp. In your case, you will need to keep up with water changes. Works fine with fish but could be a problem with shrimp.
Also, I’m a big proponent of a slow, lengthy drip acclimation. I usually drip the tank water into the vessel holding for about an hour before introducing them to the tank.
 
It’s best if you cycle that tank BEFORE adding shrimp. In your case, you will need to keep up with water changes. Works fine with fish but could be a problem with shrimp.
Also, I’m a big proponent of a slow, lengthy drip acclimation. I usually drip the tank water into the vessel holding for about an hour before introducing them to the tank.
The tank was cycled there has been no Ammonia or Nitrites before adding the shrimp and just a tad of Nitrates. I also drip acclimated them for an hour. I bought some guppy grass online it was very healthy but it melted completely and made a mess.
 
Yes they do no like NO3.

Try and keep it <10pmm.

I wouldn't mix neo species. They will interbreed and revert back to clear / brown / ugly wild colors.

Generally you'll want a pH of 7.0-7.6
gH 6-10
kH 4-6

But the best is to try and match the water they were raised in. Once you get a successful new generation, they will adapt to pretty much any water source. The older they get, the less adaptable they become

Thanks Z, I looked up the Rili's at the lfs (google) it said they were the same as Cherry. But I see now it's a sub-species. If it works out I will stick to the cherries. I'm trying to pull out all of the dead guppy grass:facepalm:
 
Yes they do no like NO3.

Try and keep it <10pmm.

I wouldn't mix neo species. They will interbreed and revert back to clear / brown / ugly wild colors.

Generally you'll want a pH of 7.0-7.6
gH 6-10
kH 4-6

But the best is to try and match the water they were raised in. Once you get a successful new generation, they will adapt to pretty much any water source. The older they get, the less adaptable they become

I managed to find a couple more very deep red painted shrimps at my lfs. I took the Rili out and put him in with my Amano's and Pea Puffer. He seems happier in there with the big shrimp lol. On Friday I have 10 more red painted shrimps arriving via mail. These guys are so fun to watch!

I am up to 7 tanks now and my landlord is having a whole house filter installed tomorrow. I am told it's not a water softener but some kind of filter that needs to be changed every 6 months. I asked if it was R/O and they said no so I don't know what the heck it is. It will be interesting to see how much the hardness and ph change. If it's a lot I will be back to ask for help on transitioning my fish to new water. :fish2:
 
Yes, plants melting will kill off lots of creatures.

Find out more about the type of filter being installed, so you can research it yourself. Not enough to just have some one tell you its all good. Maybe it will be lots better for the fish which would be a great surprise.
 
Shrimp Water Temperature

I am finding conflicting information online, I know shocking, what is the best temperature for health and reproduction of RCS? Some say 80F for breeding others say lower. I have mine at 74 and seem to be thriving.

The only info on the whole house filter is that it is a "charcoal filter". Landlords relative is a plumber so they don't ask too many questions. :facepalm:
 
I keep dwarf shrimp in an unheated tank year round. Winters around 65-68 and summers around 72-75.
80 is quite toasty. Will result in faster growth but shorter lifespan.
 
80F, also agree it very much too warm.

I'd say around 75F seems to work for me. They can be fine in a home with no heater, but make sure not under an A/C unit /vent or under or over a heater vent in a nano tank.

In nature they would have a degree of temp change from sunny days to cooler nights.

Depending upon which kind of lighting they would have, there would be some additional warmth from the light when it was on too.

Usually I would have a heater set low just to make sure they didn't get too chilly.

My Tangerine Tigers and the Pure Red Line/PRL (Caridina) were more around 72-74F.

Details like are they tank raised, outdoor tub bred or imported from overseas. Some shrimp are raised in ponds in temperate regions. Some always in a certain temp in very regulated clean water. Those would be the more delicate ones to variations as they are not used to fluctuations.

Having them in parameters they came from and gently transitioning to a new experience would be ideal.
 
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Thanks for the responses. These are tank raised RCS and such a deep red color, I am very pleased with how red they are. I have fifteen of them.

My apartment is between 62F in winter and 65F in summer so I have to use heaters unfortunately.

Last question, do you all use Bacter AE?
 
Thanks for the responses. These are tank raised RCS and such a deep red color, I am very pleased with how red they are. I have fifteen of them.

My apartment is between 62F in winter and 65F in summer so I have to use heaters unfortunately.

Last question, do you all use Bacter AE?

You don't need a heater at that temp. I've heard stories of them living even when the surface slightly ices over.
 
Brrrrrrr!

I would get an adjustable heater and keep it at a low setting just to assure itCongrats on the beautiful shrimp.

Make sure you feed them a food which has astaxanthin, I will feed some sprinkles of Seaweed Extreme by Hikari for them. But what seemed to really get the shrimp happy was using some frozen food. For small number of shrimp you can slice off a tiny part of a cube. One which I really like is Cobalt Coral Food frozen in little cubes.

Also sometimes the shrimp are fed a color enhancing diet.

There are many kinds of foods available specifically for shrimp. Online a few sellers have a combo pack of a number of foods in sample sizes.

Leaf litter, like small or cut pieces of Indian Almond Leaf, Mulberry, Guava, Oak, Alder cones, etc. Cholla wood, all encourage microscopic foods to grow on them some called Aufwuchs.

As for the foods feed lightly thinking size of the eye of the shrimp as how much pellet or prepared food it needs per serving/day, with other foods like the leaves and mosses to graze on then you will not worry of over feeding. If you see saddled females then maybe increase food an extra tiny serving. Frozen foods help.

As for Bacter AE I have been using it but hard to say what it does. Just does sparingly. I haven't been using it as much as it says. Also if I use the Bacter AE, I won't really feed for that time, like as dinner uses Bacter AE no food, next day maybe a light meal. Then maybe that next night a regular amount serving.

For a clean up crew, I have a few MTS and some Red Ramshorn snails to help clean up any left overs. The big size/full grown Mystery snails I don't keep in a shrimp tank, maybe a baby size to marble, because if one full size dies in a nano tank it can ammonia kill the shrimp.

I also use the Snow food which seems to be soybean hulls. Again won't feed on that evening, like with Bacter AE.
 
Was thinking about getting Bacter AR but went with SL Aqua Magic Powder instead (based on the reviews). I use it a couple times a week in very small amounts.
Lately my shrimp have been on a kale kick. Last week it was spinach. They can devour those leaves over night. White mulberry leaves are a hit as well. Algae tabs at least once a week. Han Tran (hanaquatics) has a nice sample pack for about $12.
 
TONS of foods out there, thanks for the suggestions I will have a look at those. I was looking at Shrimp King but wow it's expensive. I have a few MTS in the tank. I have tried peas and carrots and zucchini and they pretty much ignore them. I have almond leaves in there and am ordering alder cones. Going to get some kale today. There are 2 teeny tiny baby shrimp that came with my order, want to make sure they get what they need. I'm rambling..thanks again.
 
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