vampire shrimp!!

[hippy guy]

So my lady bought me a vampireshrimp for my birfday, so far he's completley invisble, ill post pics when he decides to show up haha

 

[siva]

Ewwww lol those creep me out. They get huuuuge! Cant wait to see pics!

 

[hippy guy]

Yeah they get big, but since there filter feeders I figured he'd help keep my water even more perfect haha. Alas, I should have taken an acclimation photo, but now he's been released to my tan, and he's still nowhere to be found lol...ill take a pic when I can find him

 

[siva]

What size tank you keeping it in?

 

[alLexX]

So my lady bought me a vampireshrimp for my birfday, so far he's completley invisble, ill post pics when he decides to show up haha

That is AWESOME ever since i read an article on those ive wanted one.

 

[hippy guy]

10 gal for now, I had read 10 was the min. But my betta simply is not happy with only 10 gal. So I'm buyn a 15 or a 20. He's also with 5 neons, 2 kuhli loaches, and a bristlenose, a bit overstocked I guess, but its a temp. Tank for a month or 2 tops

 

[hippy guy]

He's pretty cool, he was filtering madly when he was put in, but now he's hiding, there pretty cool, get 6 inches (usualy about 4 or 5) I say get one ill snap a pic when he decides to make an appearance

 

[hiltymj]

I've never heard of these guys. I am very excited to see him

 

[siva]

A 10 isnt really big enough for filter feeder that large. I keep two bamboo shrimps, which are much smaller filter feeding shrimp, in a 20 and even they require supplementation. I recommend you keep fry food on hand..either liquid or powder. If you see them using their fans to pick at the substrate or decor this is a sign they are not getting enough food since they are not designed to forage for food this way. Make sure to add fry food if you're seeing that behavior

 

[hippy guy]

Success! I finally found him and managed to finaggle him to the front, he's back in his cave though lol

 

[alLexX]

Success! I finally found him and managed to finaggle him to the front, he's back in his cave though lol

he looks pretty cool

 

[hippy guy]

Wellll like I said its a temp home till the 20 gal, but as of now he's constantly filtering the water, he did pick a small piece of bloodworm off the sand, not sure if he ate it, but I also have frozen brine on hand just to be sure

 

[hippy guy]

~ siva, everywhere I read online says 10 gal per shrimp..perhaps 20 gal plus supp. Was needed because u had 2 wood shrimp. They are much better looking imo, but this vamp. Shrimp is a boss

 

[alLexX]

~ siva, everywhere I read online says 10 gal per shrimp..perhaps 20 gal plus supp. Was needed because u had 2 wood shrimp. They are much better looking imo, but this vamp. Shrimp is a boss

a six inch filter feeder needs a lot of stuff to filter,far more than even a heavily planted very mature 20 can offer. i would go like 55+ for one of these guys,they need to eat a lot. in a 20,be prepared to supplement constantly.

 

[siva]

~ siva, everywhere I read online says 10 gal per shrimp..perhaps 20 gal plus supp. Was needed because u had 2 wood shrimp. They are much better looking imo, but this vamp. Shrimp is a boss

I disagree on 10 per shrimp. I understand this is temp, my intent was only to help you make sure it doesn't starve in the meantime, not to criticize. Filter feeders are prone to starvation when not cared for properly. I have two filter feeding shrimp much much smaller than a vamp in a 20 and they require occasional supplementation. This would indicate that one larger filter feeding shrimp in a 10 gal will as well. I think what's most important here is just to know that if you see it foraging for food with it's fans then it is unable to filter enough food and should be supplemented with fry food.

 

[hippy guy]

for sure. if thats the case, ill probobly be moving him into "the big tank" me and my better half are getting when we get out of this "no fishtanks" apartment, and into this house sneaking anything bigger than a 20 is just too tough haha! would you say baby brine shrimp would be effective for this guy? i happen to have some left over frozen ssb brine from the baby plattys.

 

[siva]

Yeah go ahead and offer them and watch him. I haven't seen my bamboos be able to successfully get any frozen foods but since he's bigger, it's possible!

 

[hippy guy]

He actually seemed to like finley crushed flake food, ill see what else he will eat. (I'm crushing the food and getting it near him with dropper

 

[siva]

He actually seemed to like finley crushed flake food, ill see what else he will eat. (I'm crushing the food and getting it near him with dropper

If he's able to filter it then that's basically the same as fry food. The fry food I use is just powdered flake. So perfect.

A couple other things I thought to mention..he's fragile after he molts so make sure he's got a good hiding spot. Also, I think these shrimp have a couple strikes against them when it comes to molting..one being that they don't have the ability to eat their old shell like most inverts do and two that they don't have the ability to eat the calcium fortified invert foods that are on the market. I break off a peice of cuttlebone (if you aren't familiar with these they are sold in the bird section) and bury it in the substrate of the tank in attempts to make sure they are getting enough calcium.

 

[hippy guy]

Cuddlebone already in use for the snails, thanks for the info )