red crystal shrimp

[hippy guy]

So, in an attemp to get a few shrimp in my main tank to get a mini shrimp moss only mini tank, I bought 4 red crystal shrimp, at 1 dollar a shrimp, because they didn't know what, or how much they were, and didn't even know they were in the tank (silly I know) so right now I have them in a "lots of hiding" ten gal. There is a betta, but he's never been aggressive, and so far no scares. Any extra advice on these guys? I've read a lot, but these are my first 4 I've ever owned, and want them to multiply quickly (I also plan to put these in a 30 gal sump, so I want to have plenty ready)
These shrimp look very red on my black substrate, and love my java fern. also, what all will eat them, I've found conflictin g info with bettas at least, but mine is very non aggressive, and bothers no one

 

[tarpon]

That sounds cool can u put up pictures?

 

[siva]

What's your pH? I've had no luck keeping them alive for long at 7.0 and higher. I had a betta that was fine with ghost shrimp and then I added some CRS and she just couldn't resist. Had to seperate them. But at the price you paid it's not that big of a risk! I paid $4 a piece and was quite pleased with that. Depending on the grade, you scored quite a deal there.

 

[hippy guy]

My ph has been 6.5 ish forever, I'm not 100% if that's good or bad, but my fish all seem fine. And I've had no problem keepijg other shrimp.

 

[hippy guy]

And yeah I figured my betta would be cool, since he's super fine with everyone else. Its also a 10gal with lots of hiding, a live java fern, and a few fake plants. Ill update pics tomorow, since its my birthday, I'm too drunk to figure the camera out, my badd haha

 

[hippy guy]

On a side note, I also feed either frozen bloodworms, frozen adult brine shrimp, or flake or sinking pellets (all hikari) so I figured the betta would prolly be good with just that (rotatate every day). Is that fine that I'm doing that, or is that too much frozen?

 

[siva]

Oh you are sooo lucky..that's great for the CRS! They are more sensitive than a RCS so keep your nitrates low for best results.

It sounds like it may be too much protein for the betta. It's worth being cautious about this because they are very prone to swim bladder disease and too much protein in their diet can contribute to that. I feed my bettas Hikari betta bio-gold 3-4 days a week, frozen foods 2-3 days a week, and blanched shelled pea 1 day a week. Of course my bettas in community tanks do get a hold of some flake as well.

 

[hippy guy]

My betta won't eat those lol. I will try to ween the frozen to maybe a weekend? Like bloodworms on sat, and brine on sun? They still kill the hikari flake prety fast, but my betta is just not interestewd in the betta pellets :/

 

[hippy guy]

I've never done the pea thing, is this worth checking out? Would it hurt my neons, or my kuhlies?

 

[hippy guy]

(Will update pics tomorow night of the new shrimpies) I'm kinda nervous about my betta now though, but I've seen a 50/50 success rate online (fingers crossed)

 

[siva]

Wow my bettas far prefer their pellets to flake! I get them all use to it right off the bat though. They are stubborn little poops and are easily spoiled lol. Yeah weekends is fine for the frozen..even a third day a week is fine. I would just avoid doing more than 50% frozen.

It's worth it. Especially when the betta is in a community and is getting some extra to eat. The pea will really clean him out. At this point I feed the pea to pretty much all my tanks. Most everyone loves it. The neons and other tetras don't really eat it I don't think, but most eveyone does. Isn't there a BN in there? Do extra peas for him then! He'll be all over that. Just put the peas in a mug of water (use a new mug or really rinse out all the soap residue) in the mic for a min or two until they are soft. Pop the shells off. Give the betta a few pellet sized pieces. Also drop some to the bottom for your kuhlis and pleco. If it doesn't get eaten keep trying..they will come around.

Yes pics please! If you're feeling up to it today that is.

 

[fort384]

Are they Crystal Red Shrimp (CRS) (like the ones in my avatar photo) or Red Cherry Shrimp (RCS)? If you got CRS for $1/ea you did very well indeed!

 

[hippy guy]

I think red cherry, my bad. There are small, and mostly all red. There very bright red though (I believe that's higher on their grading scale?)

 

[siva]

OOOOOOOH I thought they were CRS oopsie! I don't think there is a grading scale for RCS..there is for CRS.

 

[hippy guy]

Eh, either way I like them, there always busy cleaning my java fern

 

[siva]

Oh RCS are awesome and they will breed like crazy.

 

[hippy guy]

That's what I'm hoping. I want to do a 5 gal moss shrimp sump basically for this ten gal, just to get into them before I go bigscale for the 60 or so gal.

 

[hippy guy]

so today I gave in to buyn moorre stuff, and got a t5 coralife 24 in double fix. For my ten gal (will move this to the bigger tank, but only 50 bux had to snatch it lol ) it came with a blue acnic, and another bulb, and it looks great. Also the shrimpies have found pletny of spots to hide (under the "man cave" and in the java fern roots. They are all looking more red, brighter, and one I realized had a pattern on his back. I also noticed the smallest of that (I think female, due to tail variation) shed her exo, so I believe at this time she will release pheremones now right, then get preggers?? That be awesome. So. What all can I not grow in a ten gal with this light?

 

[hippy guy]

Sorry for the later update, been out partying non stop, and am on my way to cincinatti as we speak for dubstepp show. Made it home just long enough to feed, and now I'm out, buutt, those are the shrimp, I noticed one had a pattrern, the rest do not... better genes, diff shrimp idk... help would be nice haha

 

[siva]

Some of them do have a weird pattern from time to time. I know zilch about lighting. You might want to post that over in planted. What's dubstepp show?