Bamboo Shrimp

[aquariumnoob]

Petsmart had them for 11.99, on sale for $6. The lady told me they HAD to have aquarium salt (1tbsp. per 10 gal). I can't find much information on them (except for what is on petshrimp.com). Any ideas or opinions?

 

[rich311k]

bamboo info it does not look like they need salt. they prefer soft water.

 

[aquariumnoob]

. . . . .my room mates boyfriend is being a bit of jerk and insisting that ALL fish and ALL living things need salt, and that i should have salt in my tank...is this true? (aquarium salt). the back of the box says to keep 1 tbsp per 5 gallons in the tank for good health, the intake of oxygen, and color. they also are trying to make money. i have a betta, 3 cories, 3 otos, and a bamboo shrimp. do i need salt?

 

[black hills tj]

I've never heard of adding salt to help the intake of oxygen and color in fw fish...

 

[rich311k]

There is no need to add salt. I have never added salt to a freshwater aquarium. My fish are healthy and happy.

 

[aquariumnoob]

When Not To Use Salt
Live plants - If you have a tank with live plants, avoid using salt. Plants can be damaged with a relatively low dosage of salt, which is one reason its best to treat sick fish in a hospital tank rather than your regular tank.
Scaleless fish – Scaleless fish, particularly cordydoras, are very sensitive to salt. Even a small amount could harm them. Tetras are also fairly sensitive to salt. Contrary to popular view, it is not advisable to add salt to your aquarium on an ongoing basis unless the fish require brackish water conditions.

from a website. two reasons for me NOT to use it, and no definite ones for me to.

 

[zao]

bamboo info it does not look like they need salt. they prefer soft water.

I remember reading something that aquarium salt, is for gill promotions. I have two black fin sharks, in my 30g. I read ever where that they need a mixture of salt, and I seen them in brackish tanks at the store. But I never added any salt to that aquarium and they are just fine.

 

[kaz]

When Not To Use Salt
Live plants - If you have a tank with live plants, avoid using salt. Plants can be damaged with a relatively low dosage of salt, which is one reason its best to treat sick fish in a hospital tank rather than your regular tank.
Scaleless fish – Scaleless fish, particularly cordydoras, are very sensitive to salt. Even a small amount could harm them. Tetras are also fairly sensitive to salt. Contrary to popular view, it is not advisable to add salt to your aquarium on an ongoing basis unless the fish require brackish water conditions.

from a website. two reasons for me NOT to use it, and no definite ones for me to.

this just says the opposite of your roomate, if loaches, cories and tetras are unsalted fish then that means where they habit from rivers etc are with no salt thus telling him that all aquariums, living thing, fish etc do not need salt in the way he says they do.

 

[Toirtis]

It is true, apparently, that bamboo shrimp do requite brackish water (the travel between fresh and brackish environments) to successfully spawn. My bamboos (all 12 of them) are thriving in a freshwater planted tank.

 

[aquariumnoob]

Thanks for the answers. I feel more confident now that my shrimp will do fine in my non-salted tank. I have a shark decoration that is almost directly under the filter current, which was good, because then when I first added him to the tank he could safely hide under the shark for comfort and he stuck his little filter feeders out and was able to feed from the current. Another question, the first shrimp she got me, I noticed had no filters...I was concerned that maybe a fish had eaten them, and then that the shrimp wouldn't be able to eat so I asked for a different one. First the other lady said only the males have the filters, the females you can't see (I haven't read this ANYWHERE). She also told me that they only come out when there is food in the water, and I asked if they needed to be fed specifically (out side of other fish feedings) and she said 'OF COURSE THEY HAVE TO EAT' so then I asked what I needed to buy to feed them, and she asked me didn't I feed my other fish??, they just eat the leftovers.....Isn't that what I had thought in the first place?? Well anyways I got a 'male' that had the filters. I really appreciate the help guys.

 

[majolo]

I have 3 and they hang out in the current all day usually, catching whatever micro-stuff they can find. Judging by their waste, they're finding enough. As far as the missing filter claws, first of all, they can fold them up pretty tight under their "chin" so they're hard to see. My shrimp do that after they molt, or if a fish is hassling it. If the claws are missing, I have heard that they will regenerate them when they molt.

 

[hc8719]

When Not To Use Salt

Scaleless fish – Scaleless fish, particularly cordydoras, are very sensitive to salt. Even a small amount could harm them. Tetras are also fairly sensitive to salt. Contrary to popular view, it is not advisable to add salt to your aquarium on an ongoing basis unless the fish require brackish water conditions.

This I know is true, I don't use aquarium salt because of my BGK and loaches. Aquarium salt may be useful to some extent to some fish, though not needed. A lot of people believe that shrimp require aquarium salt, now they do need iodine to help with molting, though if you feed your fish enough regularly, the water will already have enough iodine in it.

About Bamboo Shrimp, I believe that they come from pure freshwater, not brackish or any kind.

And about Brackish water, aquarium salt will NOT make water brackish, you need Marine Salt for that

 

[aquariumnoob]

I knew that you needed marine salt for brackish water, thats why I asked the lady working there, aquarium salt right? not marine? because it's not brackish? just to make sure.