Ridiculously hilarious shrimp question..

[Fatcatmatt]

Hey there,

I’m laughing as I type this. I hope this bring some humour and I also hope a genius can help me solve this.

So I have a heater near the top of the tank (I’m not worried about evaporation as I run an overflow sump, water levels are always high). Evaporation happens in the sump not the tank

I have 7 blue velvet shrimps which always enjoy being in the moss and hiding places in the tank but this week all they do is hide in the heater guard. GREAT. One of them is even pregnant. Probably hiding from the dwarf gourami..

So here’s the conundrum.. I’m gonna do a water change this Saturday. With each water change, the water levels ALWAYS fall below the heater.. what are my options?

1. Leave the shrimp in the heater, just drain the water and quickly fill it back up? - drying shrimps for 5 minutes - stress

2. Take out the heater and swing around so the shrimps fall out? I doubt that happens though. High chance they will just cling on the inside. - swinging shrimps - stress

3. Remove the heater and place it on the gravel while I do the water change so water levels don’t fall below the heater. Moving home shrimps - stress.

Lol this is hilarious and puzzling at the same time.
Anyone can provide an input?

I did my best to take a picture of one of them in the heater.

[TMaier]

Looks like she’s in there captaining a starship. I would lower the heater so it stays submerged.

[Fatcatmatt]

Lol. Thanks for the tip. Yes, and she has a crew of easily 4-5 along with her. In fact I just noticed a tiny shrimplet as well. All in the heater. It’s the safest place I guess. .... also cause you know. It’s so much cooler than THE ROCK I SPECIALLY PURCHASED THAT HAS A HIDING HOLE FOR SHRIMP BUT OBVIOUSLY WASNT COOL ENOUGH FOR HER AND THE BOYS.

I have a moss covered rock underneath that heater but thanks for the tip. I’ll remove that and slide the heater down during the water change.

[HannahJo]

Originally Posted by Fatcatmatt

Lol. Thanks for the tip. Yes, and she has a crew of easily 4-5 along with her. In fact I just noticed a tiny shrimplet as well. All in the heater. It’s the safest place I guess. .... also cause you know. It’s so much cooler than THE ROCK I SPECIALLY PURCHASED THAT HAS A HIDING HOLE FOR SHRIMP BUT OBVIOUSLY WASNT COOL ENOUGH FOR HER AND THE BOYS.

I have a moss covered rock underneath that heater but thanks for the tip. I’ll remove that and slide the heater down during the water change.

Ok I am dying laughing! I love this thread- appreciate your humor!! Glad you found a solution. I am definitely picturing these little shrimp in a spaceship now!

[TMaier]

Originally Posted by Fatcatmatt

Lol. Thanks for the tip. Yes, and she has a crew of easily 4-5 along with her. In fact I just noticed a tiny shrimplet as well. All in the heater. It’s the safest place I guess. .... also cause you know. It’s so much cooler than THE ROCK I SPECIALLY PURCHASED THAT HAS A HIDING HOLE FOR SHRIMP BUT OBVIOUSLY WASNT COOL ENOUGH FOR HER AND THE BOYS.

I have a moss covered rock underneath that heater but thanks for the tip. I’ll remove that and slide the heater down during the water change.

Make it so!

[Autumnsky]

I can see this too. Very funny.

Agree with TMaier 100% in all comments above lol!

Captain Shrimpa.

[Fatcatmatt]

Sooo!

I brought forward my water change. Had a small ammonia spike that went up to 0.2 and gourami was feeling grumpy.

Here’s what happened..

1. Noticed couple of shrimps under the rocks, didn’t know how to move them without potential squashing them.

2. Started draining the water slowly. As the water level fell below 1/3 of the heater... Shrimp queen and crew went ABANDON SHIP. All exited the heater and hopped to the moss below (oh wait what ?? There’s food here too? Om nom nom nom).

3. Ensured no other shrimps were in the heater. Continued drawing water, and immediately topped up. The space ship is empty now. I wonder how long it will take before the next NASA ship mission.


Also, I found a shrimplet! How cute! Thankfully I didn’t gravel vac it up. Now you have one job young Jedi, hide from the monster dwarf gourami.

[TMaier]

Mission successful.