Shrimp beginner help

[Punchy]

Hey,

After having total carnage adding shrimp a couple of times to my fish aquarium, I decided to start a shrimp only tank. It's just a small one to begin with, about 30L (i think about 8 gallons). I've started with 20 red and yellow cherry's 1-2cm a couple of weeks ago and from what i can see no deaths yet and have seen a molt or two every day.
I have a couple of plants and some driftwood to give height but on the ground i've added cholla, indian almond leaves and some ceramic hiding places which cover almost half of the sand and rarely see more than 2-3 shrimp out in the open at any time.
As there are no predators at all in the tank, can i remove a lot of this so that more shrimp will be visible, without compromising their health and breeding possibilities?
I know this is probably a basic question but any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[libertybelle]

How long have they been in the tank?

Generally removing hiding places just makes them try to hide more because they feel exposed. They’re prey creatures and don’t understand yet that there isn’t anything to eat them here!

Eventually they’ll learn that nothing is trying to eat them and be all over the place. Personally I would leave all the hiding places you can to make them comfortable while they get used to the tank.

 

[SteffeyJ]

Maybe add some floating plants??
It helped me to see mine out wayyyy more!
They're always 'upside down' and grazing on the floaters.. i use salvinia and pearlweed.. and I think I still have a little cabomba left.. although my one snail loves to climb on it until it starts to die and then eat it! Every time!! Lol!!
But I have lots of hiding places for my fish and shrimp and I seem to usually find mine up on the floaters or in the guppy grass..
Do you have any java moss or guppy grass?
A big clump just tossed into the tank is PERFECT for shrimp!
So my opinion would be:
1. Floating plants.. salvinia, cabomba or pearlweed or something like that.
And 2. Java moss or guppy grass.
Guppy grass grows WAYYY BETTER for me in my tank but everyone is different!!
Also, patience goes a long way. Sometimes they just have to adjust.. so give them time.
Good luck!!!

 

[Punchy]

Thanks for your suggestions. Follow up question though. Whats the best way to keep the tank clean? I have an Eheim electric gravel vac i use mid week in between my weekly water changes in my large fish tank but is there a smaller one or some other way to clean up a small tank?
Visually there doesn't look like much waste except for molted shells which i can remove, but i think a clean every few days would be healthy.
Substrate is very, very fine gravel, basically sand.
Thanks

 

[SteffeyJ]

In my small shrimp tank, I use a larger piece of tubing and I have about a half inch of smaller tubing in the one end. And I attached that end to a chopstick and I use that to poke the substrate and it's small enough to not catch any shrimp, well, not as easy to catch them anyways! Lol. I saw it on one of Rachel O'Leary's youtube videos and thought it was such a great idea! And it's worked for me ever since! good luck!

 

[Punchy]

Thanks, if not too much trouble could you send me a pic or 2 next time you do a clean? I think i know what you mean but in case I have missed something, an experienced person's help would be appreciated

 

[SteffeyJ]

Just saw this or I would of replied sooner!! I am sorry!!
I will go take a pic right now.
So the hose is off of a regular gravel vac without the 'gravel vac' piece lol. Then has a smaller piece of tubing in one end, only about a half inch maybe.
Then I attach that to a chopstick with rubber bands and stick the chopstick into the gravel and the tube sucks it up! And I always keep the tube in between my fingers so that I can pinch it if I see a baby shrimp or anything be sucked up! (Hasnt happened yet though! *knock on wood*)
I'll add 2 pics. One with chopstick and one without!
I hope it helps because it has made a WORLD of a difference for me with my smaller tanks!! Especially the shrimp and snail tanks!

 

[Punchy]

Thanks for the info and pics. I just gave it a try and it worked great! You should patent that!

 

[SteffeyJ]

Hahaha!! I am SOOOO glad to pass it along, but it definitely wasnt my idea to take!
But it truly is a wonderful tool!! And I use it soooo much more now rather than the 'mini vac' that they sell that has a half foot tube!! (That's what I tried first in my shrimp tank!! Was still too big!!) This fit all of my needs perfectly! And I am sooo happy that it was able to help you too!!! we definitely have to be EXTRA careful when shrimp and babies are involved! So gotta get creative at times lol and this is definitely one of those things lol!
So glad you enjoy it also!!