CHERRY RED SHRIMP PROS/CONS

[MiamiFishy]

8) Hello everybody!

Im still cycling a new 29 gal tank, but after reading a few posting here I became curious about Cherry red shrimps. I think they would help with any algae and look really nice to add some movement to the bottom besides the crorys.
1. Would the shrimp be ok in a plastic plant aquarium...if no, which natural plant would be best for the shrimp.
2. Would my Betta and or Crory and Zebra danios have a meal of the shrimps??
3. Any special needs for the shrimp.. and
4. If a go for shrimp... what to look for at the LFS before taking just any of the shrimp home???
5. Would this be a good idea at all?

I have 5 Zebras, 1 Betta, 2 Crory catfish, and a few dozen not so small fry... plastic decor plants are Ambulia most.. with small grabble pebble... Penguin 350b, 300 w heater, bubble wall, ... planing on adding some Mollies and Guppys in the future... any comments or ideas will be appreciated!

Thank you again.!

 

[ringfinger]

-They don't seem to have a favorite plant. Mine actually spend most of their time cleaning algae off the driftwood.
-The Betta might be curious and attempt to eat one, but the shrimp are pretty quick and can hold their own.
-Wait until you are done cycling. Any ammonia or nitrite in the water will likely kill them. They do best in an established tank and can adapt to a variety of tank conditions. Some filters can be a danger and suck them up, though I am not familiar with the Penguin 350b. They like to clean food off the filter intake.

That's all I've got as far as answering your questions. I would say it's a great idea, but maybe just because I love my shrimp.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Thank you Ringfinder,
I could always get some mosquito mess ( plastic ) and build a small cage-like enclousure around the filter intake .... and hidde it behind some plants...

Ohh yeah, if I get the shrimps they will go in after the cycle is done and Im sure everything else is good too.... am just getting ahead of me-self!

Any special care or conditions??? light, water, salt??? I read someplace to add Iodine to the water to benefit the shrimp????...

 

[An t-iasg]

A few comments about the betta:

The betta may be very curious about the shrimp - mine was, and didn't eat the shrimp, but didn't leave it alone either. It's probably a 50-50 chance if the betta will eat the shrimp or not. The cherry shrimp that I've seen are pretty small, though, and possibly more likely to get eaten than a ghost shrimp.

Have plenty of hiding places for the shrimp. They will not mind plastic plants, but the betta's delicate fins may be torn on the plastic plants. Easy-to-grow real plants include java fern and anubias. Silk plants are another option also.

I wouldn't put guppies with a betta. The guppy's long, colorful fins may fool the betta into thinking that the guppy is another male betta, and the betta may attack the guppy.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Thank you An t-iasg,
I had thought of that possible conflict between the Betta and the guppy... I was hopping the big 29 gal would give enought territory for everone to be happy... but my betta is kindda frishky... at times he drives one of my crorys nuts!...but I think the crory likes it, one time he was peaceful, and I guess bored, so he went to the coner where the Betta was and sat down right under the bettas nose!

I have some silk plants that will be moved to the tank onces the cycling is done...

 

[An t-iasg]

It does sound like your betta is frisky, and they cory is trying to play! The betta will probably ignore the cory, for the most part, since he's a bottom dweller. 29 gallons might be big enough for the betta and guppy to have their own territory, but you never know. Personally, IMO, I would not get a guppy. I see that you only have two cories. I think I would get 2 more cories, instead of a guppy. Cories like to be in groups, and the ones you have will appreciate some new cory friends.

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Quite simply. . .

If it can fit in the mouth, a fish will eat it.

A baby cherry shrimp is certainly smaller than the brine shrimp my zebra danio loves to eat.

Even if the adult shrimp are not eaten, they will not be able to successfully reproduce in a tank with fish in it because all the baby shrimp will be eaten.

Exceptions to this rule are fish which have specialized mouths such as otos and BN plecos. Some also say that cories will not eat the shrimp babies.

I highly recommend that you set up a small shrimp-only tank to establish a breeding population. Once it gets going, then you can add adult shrimp to the fish tank and have a constant supply of them if they are slowly eaten by your fish.

 

[krap101]

could keep something like a rock with small holes or some type of moss to keep them hidden

 

[PsiPro]

I sell RCS (PM me for some, special price for AA but you need to wait in line )

Those fish will be fine with RCS (Red Cherry Shrimp/ Cherry Red Shrimp), an agressive betta can pester the shrimp to death, and they will die from the stress during molting. However it is unliky those fish will eat them. My cories however have eatten dead shrimp. The Danios will also pester the shrimp if they don't have enough to entertain them (although 5 danios would be OK).

As for the mention of the shrimp reproduction in that tank... it is highly unlikly you will see babies unless you specifically design the tank for hiding fry (example: Thick Java Moss bed or thick grass such as Micro Sword of Dwarf Hairgrass).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7754825086&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MESE:IT&rd=1
That is my current auction for RCS, my auctions tend to get prices above the other ones, but its for a good reason I think. I am special after all.

Anyway for $2.00 a shrimp I send you some(Same shipping), within reasonable ammounts, but the first monday after your order you are on the bottom of the line of orders to fill, so it may get delayed one week. I will also send you a Fry Saver (if avialbe) and since you sound like you could use it I can send some extra java moss if you like. BTW this offer goes for everyone.

 

[PsiPro]

Oh ya, forgot to mention that they really arn't the best alge eaters. Amano shrimp are better for that. They will gladly ignore alge for any fishfood that falls to the bottom of your aquarium.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Thank ya all for all the good advice.
Yeah, my betta is kinda frisky, but my crory is simply crazy... or he likes been chased around by the betta. It will sit on the grabel and let the betta flash his gills ...rub the big tail fin ...then the crory shoots up down goes and sits a few inch away...and its on again.! Both crorys in my tank are nuts! Yeah maybe some extra friends are in order!!

Currently I think I have a couple of places in the 29 gal tank that could be used for hidding spots for the shrimp and my zebra danios fry!

Thank PsiPro for that generous offer and believe me I'll let you know how many and when ill be placing an order for those red cherry shrimp... question: the red cherry shrimp will have no ploblem living in the same tank with some Amano shrimp??? I could get some cherry and amano... one for color and food control and the other one for algae control LOL ?

Do I need to add anything special to the water? salt, iodine?? anything at all???
Thank you all again for all the great advice and comments ..and offers!

 

[PsiPro]

Shrimp species generally have no issues between eachother until you get into the "long-armed" shrimp. I actually keep Crawfish in my shrimp tank which houses 3 species of shrimp.

I do not add anything special to the water, however I do try to give them some extra iodine in their diet. The other option is to add iodine, but its easier to feed it to them. I belive crab pellets contain iodine.

 

[Purrbox]

The only thing to watch out for when keeping multiple species of shrimp in the same tank, is making sure that you don't have species that can interbreed in the same tank. Shouldn't be a problem with Cherry Red Shrimp and Amano Shrimp.

 

[MiamiFishy]

What problems would arise if there is interbreeding between the different species???

I had read too that it was good to give them iodine... if in the food is better that would be great, but am affraid that my other tank buddies may munch on the shrimp food... if adding iodine to the water, how much would it need to be dozed, how ofter..and where would I get the iodine???!!!?????

 

[YuccaPatrol]

No iodine necessary for freshwater shrimp.

 

[PsiPro]

Iodine is not nessary, but it will help them during their molt.

Here: http://www.azgardens.com/shrimpfactory.php There have a iodine suplement... i havn't user it and it is proably avaliable at most petstores that sell corals and saltwater fish.

Amano and Cherry Reds won't interbreed, and Amano fry take alot of special care so they wont live anyway.

The only time shrimp really interbreed is when they are close to eachother in the evolutinary line... Esenetially you will get a shrimp that could grow to the size of amano, with a Cherry Red's color... if only they could breed. The possibilities as to what you will get are up to fate...

 

[MiamiFishy]

Itssss ALIVEEEEE!.... Eureka!

Ohhh sorry, got carried away; yeah, the possibilities are endless!
Thank you all, I guess when the tank has finish cycling the store would get paid a visit from me... PsiPro would probably fill this order up.

Now if only my tank would finish cycling... am affraid I could have mess up the cycle. Its been about week 1/2 past since the levels of Nitrite and Nitrate have been off the charts and my ammonia at 2.5? Question mark because if it gets tested with AP Ammonia kit I get the result as off the charts too, but if I test with RedSea Master Kit Ammonia I get 2.5 ppm.
If all goes well, this evening there will be a new test kit for ammonia in the font line!!!

But is that a normal thing that happens?? My temp its set up at 82-84f, and my pH drops down to 6.2, KH down to 0, GH 75 (soft) and nitrite >1. ( or 10.0ppm) and nitrate >200 ppm. If I had Ammonia 10% pure, at about 1 teaspoon, the pH goes to 7.2-7.8

 

[Purrbox]

Are you using tap water for this tank? A KH of 0 is not a good thing and would help explain why your PH is bouncing all over the place. Basically it means that there is nothing buffering the water. This will need to be corrected for the health and well being of the your tank's inhabitants.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Don't worry Purrbox, the 29 gal cycling tank has no fish in it... im going the fishless way!
I haven't added any water to the tank since I got the cycling started about 4 weeks ago?!.. so far I have lost 3/4 of water to evaporation... I keep the heat at 82-84. And only turn on the lights at night, for a few hours. Im affraid to add any water, ...
Don't know, I feel am doing something wrong...just don't know for sure what it is?!! I was adding ammonia a few ml a day to keep the ammnia levels at 5.ppm, but then again my test kits were not agreen..or I didnt read them right... One (liquid & powder re-agents) tells me I have 2.5 ppm, the other one AP would go off the chart, given me a very dark dark blue... Yeap, I know, am getting myself another ammonia test kit... If only I knew if this is suppost to take that long after the nitrite spike... nitrite its at > 10. nitrate >200 !
Should I do some water change??? or just leave it alone and get a ammonia kit only