Looking for Experiences with RCS and Bamboo Shrimp

[Fishandmusic81]

So since I've had ghost shrimp I've gotten pretty hooked with shrimp
So compared to ghost shrimp how hard are RCS to keep?
And also I know a bamboo shrimp needs a steady current but what else? And how easy or hard is it to keep it?
Thanks

 

[absolutangel04]

IME, rcs are quite easy to keep. They just need clean water, but their tiny bioloads mean that keeping the water pristine is not that difficult.

Bamboo shrimp are harder. For starters, IME they are much more sensitive than ghosties or rcs. The are obligate filter feeders and a lot of them are not kept in good conditions before they make it into your loving tank, so they are often rather unhealthy before you even get them. Also, they are essentially all wild caught and there is not real way to figure out their age, so it also happens that you will buy them near the end of their lives and they won't live more than a few months. That said, if you can find nice, healthy ones they are really fun to keep IMO. They need to be safe from nippy fish who will harass them and they often need supplemental feedings in addition to whats available in the tank, especially if its a smaller tank.

 

[siva]

RCS are as easy as ghost shrimp. Bamboo shrimp like to be with others of their own kind so I would keep atleast two. I found mine to be less reclusive once he had a buddy. They will do best in a well planted tank. I keep a pair in a 20 gal tank, which is a bit small for a pair, but I supplement regularly. You'll know if they aren't getting enough to eat because they will pick at the substrate with their fans..something you shouldn't see them doing much more than occasionally. To supplement them use microfoods for inverts such as liquid phytoplankton or zooplankton. OSI also makes a powered micro food that's good. Ground spirulina flake/wafers can be used as well.

 

[Fishandmusic81]

Ah okay thanks guys I thought so the lfs keeps the bamboos in terrible conditions all picking at the ground so RCS it is!

 

[absolutangel04]

Ah okay thanks guys I thought so the lfs keeps the bamboos in terrible conditions all picking at the ground so RCS it is!

Good idea. In general, if you see the bamboo shrimp in the store picking at the substrate it is not a good sign.

 

[siva]

Poor things. It drives me mad.

 

[shrimpbako]

Good idea. In general, if you see the bamboo shrimp in the store picking at the substrate it is not a good sign.

definitely,

Any type of "fan" shrimp will need aged tanks with plants in them.
They normally pick up substrate once in a while, but if they do it consistently means not enough bio-plankton or suspended algae to feed on.

I always subsitute feeding my fan shrimp with the Mosura Shrimpton i import.
It works very well, the one foods i found they jump out and react to right away.

It also works well with certain sulawesi shrimps also!

Another thing needed is a good perch for the fan shrimp to sit in and catch the current from the filter to catch all its food.

 

[Autumnsky]

Water quality is essential for the Bamboo shrimp. Two incidents I have had where I was on vacation and other people feeding my fish, they over fed and as a result I have lost, them. This last time it happened, being involved here I found out I could spot feed him and he got better. I think what happened was his filters were damaged, maybe because he had just molted and was in a delicate state.

He just molted again and has been out filtering, although a little shy still. I think I will get another to give him a companion. He is a pretty red color most of the time.

He is with peaceful tropical fish and three big Amano shrimp. They bump into each other on occasion, but neither gives the other any trouble. I don't have any RCS to report on, I am looking into making a shrimp tank, I was wondering if the Ghost, Amano and RCS or Cherries can get along together??? also with the Bamboo shrimp?

 

[shrimpbako]

RCS to report on, I am looking into making a shrimp tank, I was wondering if the Ghost, Amano and RCS or Cherries can get along together??? also with the Bamboo shrimp?

ghost shrimp are predatory. so be careful with undersized cherries.

 

[Autumnsky]

That is good to know.

 

[Fishandmusic81]

Yeah ghost shrimp can eat fry and their own offspring I'm sure they'd eat newborn RCS

 

[Autumnsky]

They aren't very nice are they!!!

 

[Kharrnn]

I've kept RCS and a bamboo together in a 10 with only 1 problem, the bamboo jumped out early one morning. I found him on the other side of the room, almost completely dry. I put him back in and haven't had any trouble since.

The RCS are hardy, one death since I got them about 6 months ago. They've bred and I sold off a bunch of them, and now they are ready to start a new generation. The bamboo has been moved to a 20 and he seems happier even though the tank isn't dedicated to shrimp like the 10.

In both cases they are easy to keep, at least for me.

 

[MABJ]

I've kept RCS and a bamboo together in a 10 with only 1 problem, the bamboo jumped out early one morning. I found him on the other side of the room, almost completely dry. I put him back in and haven't had any trouble since.

The RCS are hardy, one death since I got them about 6 months ago. They've bred and I sold off a bunch of them, and now they are ready to start a new generation. The bamboo has been moved to a 20 and he seems happier even though the tank isn't dedicated to shrimp like the 10.

In both cases they are easy to keep, at least for me.

20s are better for bamboos, good observation.

 

[Fishandmusic81]

I wanna get RCA more and more from seeing tanks and videos and the way that they reproduce their just so interesting lol
Could anyone send me the link for a reliable and cheap site? I've seen a lot of sites but I'd rather use a site that you guys have experience with and that's pretty cheap? Thanks!

 

[MABJ]

I wanna get RCA more and more from seeing tanks and videos and the way that they reproduce their just so interesting lol
Could anyone send me the link for a reliable and cheap site? I've seen a lot of sites but I'd rather use a site that you guys have experience with and that's pretty cheap? Thanks!

Aquabid.com has good deals, but before you do that, you might ask in the classifieds section.