5-10 gallon shrimp stocking?

[TheCasualist]

Hi all,

here's the deal. my friend is giving me his aquarium tank and I'm picking it up tomorrow so I haven't even got the tank! But thought I'd ask first: what shrimp would be your recommendation for someone new, and what's the recommended stocking level? I'm thinking cherry shrimp and a few guppies maybe? do all shrimps need real plants?

and about 5-10 gallon... yeah, he hasn't told me the size, but it won't be bigger than a 10g, and I don't imagine it get smaller than 5g, so yeah..

I know it's not much to go on, but thanks for all your helps!

 

[fort384]

Shrimp do not need real plants. Some cover is good though, especially if you go with RCS and want them to breed. If there is no cover, the babies will get eaten by just about any fish... save maybe some microdavrios or nano rasboras.

If you do go with RCS, you can put a hundred or more in a 10 gallon tank, so no worries on stocking level there. If you go with guppies, they will breed, so be ready for that.

 

[jcolon]

If your planning on having fish .. then plants, some DW and or Rocks for cover is a must IMO for RCS. I'd personally go with live plants ... Anubias, Java Fern and Java Moss is what I have in my tank. With those plants you can basically go with stock hood lighting.
Seeing an RCS on an Anubias leaf really is a nice site.

In a 10gal you can stock dozens upon dozens of RCS ... they have a very low bio-load.
HOWEVER ... given how prolific they are at breeding, if you start of with a bunch of RCS, you could end up with hundreds in a few months to half a year. I started with 14 back at the end of September and there's got to be about 100 by now .. 60 was the highest I visually counted before losing track .. and there were a bunch out of sight. I'd say going with 20's a good start. Let them acclimate and then let nature do the rest.

 

[Nikachu0315]

Get a vampire shrimp 1 for 10 gallons but choose rcs they're fun and you can do breeding for fun or money I like fun btw

 

[TheCasualist]

Thanks for the quick reply guys! picking up the tank tonight, but the work and fun is only beginning!

ok so here's my initial plan: a dozen rcs and about 5 MALE guppies... not sure if I could / would put another shoal of fishes there(e.g. neons)

black gravel as substrate... would this be a good idea? and anyone has any specific brands / types of gravel?

anubias and java moss as the plants, and some rocks as decorations and tying the moss. sound alright you guys reckon?

 

[jcolon]

Thanks for the quick reply guys! picking up the tank tonight, but the work and fun is only beginning!

ok so here's my initial plan: a dozen rcs and about 5 MALE guppies... not sure if I could / would put another shoal of fishes there(e.g. neons)

black gravel as substrate... would this be a good idea? and anyone has any specific brands / types of gravel?

anubias and java moss as the plants, and some rocks as decorations and tying the moss. sound alright you guys reckon?

Sounds good. Neons would work with RCS .. they don't bother the adults and I've read they fairly leave baby RCS alone .. or they just don't hunt them down like tetras or barbs would. That's where the DW, rocks and plants .. particularly Java moss .... come in to provide hiding places.

I highly recommend you go with a dark substrate for RCS ... it'll help darken their red color as they try to better match the substrate color. Petco sells black sand substrate.

 

[TheCasualist]

I highly recommend you go with a dark substrate for RCS ... it'll help darken their red color as they try to better match the substrate color. Petco sells black sand substrate.

forgot to mention... I live in melbourne, Australia. We don't have petcos -_- I've heard sands are a bit tough to maintain?

 

[jcolon]

forgot to mention... I live in melbourne, Australia. We don't have petcos -_- I've heard sands are a bit tough to maintain?

Sand is not any more difficult to maintain than gravel ... the trick is to get a coarse enough sand. Pool Filter Sand's the perfect size ... small enough to give that sandy bed look, but large enough that it doesn't float around and cloud up the water.

As for you living down under ... can't help you there ... not sure what your Petco equivalent is, but if you have such a store, I figure they're bound to carry black sand. Eco-Complete's another fairly dark substrate if I remember. Another popular black sand is Black Diamond Blasting Abrasive. Chemically inert and plenty of members use it.

 

[TheCasualist]

cool - thanks for your help!

guess that puts an end to my questions until I pick up the tank and the visit to the lfs this weekend(relax, not getting the shrimps & fishes yet - just looking at and buying plants and hard materials)!

 

[TheCasualist]

update:

the tank is actually 5g... so back to the drawing board, 10 shrimps and 6 neons to start would be fine you reckon? wife likes neons over the guppies, and probably with a tank that small schooling fish is better

 

[fort384]

neons can be tough in a 5. They will work (I have done it) but most will say the tank isn't big enough.

 

[TheCasualist]

yeah I can certainly understand that reasoning.. how much water change would be required?

 

[fort384]

Usually you see 10 gallons as smallest recommended, and some would say twenty. While they are small fish with little bioload, they tend to be pretty active, so it is more about swimming space.

Personally, after keeping them in a 5, I think it is OK, but not ideal. 10 would be fine.

 

[TheCasualist]

fair enough... any thoughts on guppies then? failing that I'm now open on any fish I could keep in a 5 gal...

 

[fort384]

Guppies wouldn't really be good for a five either.

A betta would work well.

Microdevarios, or micro rasboras.

Misjinkzd and Frank both have good assortments of nano fish to give you some ideas.

http://msjinkzd.com/species/freshwater-fish/
http://www.franksaquarium.com/nanofish.htm

 

[TheCasualist]

forgot about betta! err they will eat the shrimps though won't they...

 

[fort384]

Well, yes, juvies. Not the best if you want to get a colony thriving.

 

[TheCasualist]

I don't necessarily need / want a whole colony of shrimps anyway, just adding colour on the bottom with limited options given such small tank -_- but with enough hiding places they'll survive, yea?

btw can I just say - you guys are replying so fast! thanks for that, and patiently guiding someone who is quite obviously a newbie with (as with most newbies)demanding requirements

 

[fort384]

I have seen people have success with a betta and CRS, if there is a lot of cover.

 

[TheCasualist]

then that's probably what I'll try with.

Thanks!