Shrimp being mean (possibly) to other shrimp?

[dragon14]

We have two Amano shrimps that we've had for about a week now, and we have noticed, basically from day one and two, that we have an outgoing shrimp and a timid shrimp.

Timid shrimp mostly stays on or right next to our fake rock bridge type decoration (that is both shrimps favorite place) while outgoing shrimp glides around the tank and goes about his/her business.

Sometimes I see behavior from outgoing shrimp walking towards timid shrimp and timid shrimp backs up. It doesn't happen daily but maybe every other day or every two days (at least that we've seen, who knows what happens when we aren't around/asleep), and it has us concerned that outgoing shrimp could be bullying timid shrimp. I don't think outgoing shrimp is hurting or attacking timid shrimp, just chasing him/her a little bit.

Has anyone noticed behavior like this from their shrimp before? Do shrimp bully each other? Or is this just normal behavior? Or maybe it could be a male female dominance?

 

[NatureFish]

I have never had shrimp so I'm no expert but have you sexed them? If outgoing shrimp is male he may be trying to mate with timid shrimp. Timid shrimp is going to get stressed out if you don't get a third shrimp to break it up. I could be wrong but as you may know one female and one male can sometimes be too much to handle for a single female. Unfortunately I don't think you can order pre-sexed shrimp so your best bet IMO would be to go to your LFS (if the sell Amano shrimp) and sex the shrimp they have yourself and buy what you think is a female.


NatureFish
????

 

[dragon14]

You could be right

I'm not sure how to tell the difference or if there is one. I'll see if I can found out.

Since this post, they've been better!! Timid shrimp is exploring more and they both seem good

We're not sure if we want to add a third shrimp since we have 11 Pygmy catfish and two guppy fry and the two shrimp. The shrimp seem better though, so maybe it was just because they were still adjusting, I'm not sure. I'm not sure if they have any more of these guys either.

Shrimp are so fun!!!

Thank you

 

[Autumnsky]

Sounds like possible mating behavior. Female can actually carry eggs and they can even hatch but they need brackish water to live in the beginning of life. Just get a couple/few more.

 

[dragon14]

Sounds like possible mating behavior. Female can actually carry eggs and they can even hatch but they need brackish water to live in the beginning of life. Just get a couple/few more.

Possibly, thak you for replying! I don't thikn we want anymore, unless it would be better for hte existing two shrimp. We have a pretty active little tank already with 11 pygmy catfish, 2 guppy fry that came accidentally with our last two pygmys (they've been living in our tank since 12/2, and they're still alive!), and 2 shrimp.

They seem to have mellowed out now some.

 

[NatureFish]

Is miss beta in there too? Wow, 11 pygmy cats?! That's a lot! Don't be surprised if you get Cory cat fry! The guppies reproduce like crazy too. (Just a warning since you were worried about the shrimp reproducing I thought you might not want more fish either) I'd love to see a video of the tank! Unfortunately it requires you to have a YouTube account so if you don't I can PM you my email and you can send it there. Hope everything goes well for your tank! It sounds like a beautiful tank!


NatureFish
????

 

[dragon14]

She was removed from the 10g a couple weeks ago. She was snacking on our catfish, and three died as a result We didn't realize it was her until we found one with no tail but alive (he died the next day, so sad). We floated her in a cup in the tank since we didn't have a heater (BAD idea, even with daily 75% water changes in a cup with about 10 oz of water in it, the ammonia got up to 2ppm after just 4 days with daily water changes, and I changed it twice a day a couple times. Horrible!) Thankfully she seems fine after that ordeal.

So we bought a heater, and she was in the little 2g tank for a week or so until this morning when we put her into her brand new 5g Fluval Chi tank we got for her.

Anyway! So yes, 11 pygmy catfish, 2 amano shrimp, and 2 guppy fry because they got netted on accident with the last 3 pygmy catfish we bought. They've been with us since Tuesday, we figure they're a week or so old. Very cute. We're hoping they make it I know guppys can reproduce rapidly.... hoping they're both male or both female lol. Hate to say it but if it turns out there's a male and a female, we'll either feed the fry if we get any to our betta or bring em to the lfs if they'll take them, seeing how they gave them to us for free! If we have one female and one male, we'll probably see if we can bring the female back. Don't want tons of fry lol.

We had to float Miss Betta in the tank in a cup today temporarily to keep her warm while we switched tanks over, she saw the fry and was lunging in the cup at them.... so we took her out LOL. She can't be with any other fish. Nope nope!

We love our little catfish, but we are hoping no fry out of them! I heard they're hard to breed, so, hopefully they don't

 

[Mebbid]

The funniest thing I've ever seen in my tanks was my 2 ghost shrimp going at it in a slap fight when they came across each other in the tank. Shrimp can be territorial, but it's unlikely any lasting damage would be done.

 

[dragon14]

The funniest thing I've ever seen in my tanks was my 2 ghost shrimp going at it in a slap fight when they came across each other in the tank. Shrimp can be territorial, but it's unlikely any lasting damage would be done.

LOL!

Good to know

 

[Autumnsky]

More Amano shrimps are not necessary.

 

[dragon14]

Plus not sure if they have any more at the moment. I feel our tank is complete

 

[jim532]

I have 5 Amanos and when I first put them in, they got bullied by the cherry shrimp for about an hour till the cherries lost interest.


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