Ghost Shrimp not eating?

[DragonGirl]

Hi, I have a 10 gallon tank with 3 cories and 8 ghost shrimp as bottom feeders. I just added the ghost shrimp a couple of days ago but it seems like during feeding times by the time the shrimp get to the food it's either controlled by the cories or about to be. I've only seen a few eat and that's just a mouthful before a cory wiggles over and knocks the shrimp away. My other fish hardly ever drop anything so there's not much as far as leftovers go. Is there a way I can make sure they're getting food? Or should I just not worry about it?

Thanks!

 

[sansouci01]

I wouldn't worry about it. Your fish can't get all the food. Little pieces you don't even see make it to the bottom where the shrimp can get it. I have a ten gallon shrimp tank and sometimes I see them dragging around what seems to be nothing but if you look close, you can see pieces of food.

 

[DragonGirl]

Thanks! I'll just keep counting them to make sure I don't lose anybody.

 

[jcolon]

As mentioned .. shrimp will find crumbs and bits you'd be hard pressed to even see. They'll find scraps of food rest assured. However, there's nothing wrong with making sure your Ghosties get a little more than just scraps. Drop in a piece of an algae wafer or some other food an hour or two when the lights go out for the evening. Shrimp never stop scavenging and the cories should be out for the night.

 

[DragonGirl]

I'll definitely try that tonight. They do seem more active at night so maybe they won't be moving quite so slowly too.

 

[phin]

when i've had ghost shrimp they were the most aggressive at getting food. They would be first to the top of the tank, get upside down, and fight to the death (litterally). If they are hungry they will get to the top and get to the food first. If they cant find anything to eat they will kill smaller and weaker ones and eat that. If you are worried about losing ghost shrimp you are worrying about too much. Usually, they hide so well you won't be able to find all of them. Also, they don't live that long and in the end always end up as food for something. There is a reason they are 20 cents a piece.

 

[DragonGirl]

These guys are very timid and basically just sit around and then get blown away when the cories wiggle over. The only aggressive thin I've seen them do is when a little one got too close to a big one and got picked up thrown backwards. No one else is remotely interested in them, even my Betta

 

[phin]

There are a few different species sold as "ghost shrimp" so perhaps we are talking about two different shrimp.