Advice from experienced shrimp keepers

[PJFISH]

Hi everyone, I've been trying my hand at shrimp keeping for about a year and a half now. It seems that every time I buy some and acclimate them, about 3-4 out of 10 or so after about two weeks. The shrimp that will live reproduce and seem to be okay, and even then they perish at some point. My Amano shrimp do much better and have been living for many months. I've got lots of plants, tank is well established. I feed a variety of foods, although my Endler's do get to the food even when I feed at night. I've got a prefilter as well. I'm baffled by my inability to get a really large colony going of RCS in a 30 g tank?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[TheresaM]

Endlers will eat shrimplet; the only shrimp safe fish are otos.

While more difficult to breed, Amanos do have a longer lifespan than RCS.

 

[ScotJudd]

Hi PJFISH.
What are your parameters? Temp, Ph, Kh and Gh.
RCS are tricky to establish but once they are they breed like crazy. I have over 70 Tetras in my tank and the shrimp are in the hundreds. But it took a determined effort and three attempts to get the colony off the ground. Heavy planting and moss are essential of you keep fish in a shrimp tank. Mine is a bit heavy on the planting but suits the RCS well.



Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[ScotJudd]

I keep some overspill in my QT to keep it clean and they breed despite the cardinals in there. But there is a load of moss.......



Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[PJFISH]

Hi PJFISH.
What are your parameters? Temp, Ph, Kh and Gh.
RCS are tricky to establish but once they are they breed like crazy. I have over 70 Tetras in my tank and the shrimp are in the hundreds. But it took a determined effort and three attempts to get the colony off the ground. Heavy planting and moss are essential of you keep fish in a shrimp tank. Mine is a bit heavy on the planting but suits the RCS well.
View attachment 282682


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

Thanks for the info! My temp is always at 76-78. My KH is always at 5-6 and gH is always at 8-9. Need to test for pH and nitrates, but nitrates can't be high as I just did a WC and there's virtually no fish in the tank since I've rehomed my Endlers. Hoping that was a big reason for they're and my failure! I know they're a bit particular about water parameters. I do a WC of about 40% weekly. I've got a lot of Java fern, floating water wisteria on the surface with lots of floating roots. Hoping that's enough. Thoughts?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[TheresaM]

How long has the tank been running? In addition to plants it's good to have things like Indian almond leaves, cholla wood, etc in the tank for biofilm which the shrimp love. I use mineral balls in my shrimp tanks as well as cuttlebone.

 

[PJFISH]

How long has the tank been running? In addition to plants it's good to have things like Indian almond leaves, cholla wood, etc in the tank for biofilm which the shrimp love. I use mineral balls in my shrimp tanks as well as cuttlebone.

The tank has been running for almost 3 years. I have driftwood in that holds Java fern. I'll look into the other items you mentioned. By the way, what exactly is biofilm and do almond leaves or other leaves change the pH of the water?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Laeris]

Biofilm is that slimy clear gunk that eventually covers everything in the tank. You may've felt it if you ever grabbed your heater. Numnums! I've put 2-3 leaves in my 5.5g and had no difference in pH.

 

[PJFISH]

Biofilm is that slimy clear gunk that eventually covers everything in the tank. You may've felt it if you ever grabbed your heater. Numnums! I've put 2-3 leaves in my 5.5g and had no difference in pH.

Oh yeah! That stuff is icky, but I can see why shrimp love it. Are there any almond leaves, cuttle bone or mineral
balls that are better than others? I've read that cuttle bone is sold at Walmart for birds, is that right? I've seen lots of places selling almond leaves, not sure who's are best?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Laeris]

I get my IAL from Brenna, check out the classified section and send her a PM. She also has cholla, or she can tell you when next she has it in. Mineral balls can be acquired from Han Aquatics, Amazon.com or eBay. I think Brenna said something about getting alder cones as well. I got mine from Amazon.com, Aquatic Arts and Han.

Yep! That's cuttlebone, I haven't bought the bird section version, but other people have and say it's fine. I get mine from Aquatic Arts.

 

[TheresaM]

I get my IAL, alder cones, mineral balls, cholla, and shrimp foods from Han Aquatics. Good products and decent prices.

 

[ScotJudd]

Thanks for the info! My temp is always at 76-78. My KH is always at 5-6 and gH is always at 8-9. Need to test for pH and nitrates, but nitrates can't be high as I just did a WC and there's virtually no fish in the tank since I've rehomed my Endlers. Hoping that was a big reason for they're and my failure! I know they're a bit particular about water parameters. I do a WC of about 40% weekly. I've got a lot of Java fern, floating water wisteria on the surface with lots of floating roots. Hoping that's enough. Thoughts?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Your parameters are similar to mine. My Ph is around 7, ammonia 0, nitrites 0 and nitrates less than 20 ppm.
Shrimp seem to eat anything and everything but they also need to eat continuously so feeding with food is not enough. As said above, the tank needs bio-film which comes with a tank ageing but is also on plants and moss - lots of it. My RCS go mad for algae wafers, despite my bristle nose's best efforts to keep them off, and also cat fish pellets.


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[Hunter73]

I get my IAL, alder cones, mineral balls, cholla, and shrimp foods from Han Aquatics. Good products and decent prices.

So far I've only bought from HAN as well. Exceptional all around and throws in freebies as well as discount codes. I'm sure that Brennae is awesome too.

 

[PJFISH]

I get my IAL from Brenna, check out the classified section and send her a PM. She also has cholla, or she can tell you when next she has it in. Mineral balls can be acquired from Han Aquatics, Amazon.com or eBay. I think Brenna said something about getting alder cones as well. I got mine from Amazon.com, Aquatic Arts and Han.

Yep! That's cuttlebone, I haven't bought the bird section version, but other people have and say it's fine. I get mine from Aquatic Arts.

Thanks everyone! Just ordered IAL and now on the hunt for mineral balls. Will need to look for moss ball or Java moss to help.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[PJFISH]

I get my IAL from Brenna, check out the classified section and send her a PM. She also has cholla, or she can tell you when next she has it in. Mineral balls can be acquired from Han Aquatics, Amazon.com or eBay. I think Brenna said something about getting alder cones as well. I got mine from Amazon.com, Aquatic Arts and Han.

Yep! That's cuttlebone, I haven't bought the bird section version, but other people have and say it's fine. I get mine from Aquatic Arts.

Also, how do you use the cuttlebone and IAL? I don't want to make a fatal mistake!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fresh2o]

Also, how do you use the cuttlebone and IAL? I don't want to make a fatal mistake!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

You can break off a chunk of cuttlebone and drop it into the tank or place it in the filter. It will take a few days to absorb water and sink (will float like cork at first).
For IAL, I place a whole leaf along the back of the tank, usually behind some decor. It will float at first. Some remove it when it looks like a "skeleton". I simply leave it in there and let nature take its course.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[PJFISH]

You can break off a chunk of cuttlebone and drop it into the tank or place it in the filter. It will take a few days to absorb water and sink (will float like cork at first).
For IAL, I place a whole leaf along the back of the tank, usually behind some decor. It will float at first. Some remove it when it looks like a "skeleton". I simply leave it in there and let nature take its course.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Ok, so what exactly does the cuttlebone provide, calcium? I thought that was in the mineral balls, which I just ordered? Also, do I need to prepare the IAL before placing them in the tank? Like boiling them? Do I need cholla wood if I have driftwood in the tank already?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice