Water changes in shrimp tank?

[TheresaM]

I have a 5g with ~10 RCS, sand substrate, some java fern, and lots of willow moss. This is my first shrimp tank and I have a few shrimplets as well as a female carrying eggs. How often would you suggest doing water changes in this type of setup, and how do I avoid taking babies out of the tank?

 

[Angela1108]

I know usually taking from the bottom to clean the substrate is best but I think with the baby shrimp maybe carefully pull from the top and inspect for babies before you dump the water? With our guppy tank that includes fry that's what we do. We dump water from the tank into a clear pitcher and look for fry before we dump it


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[jetajockey]

I put a sponge or filter floss in the siphon tube.

 

[TheresaM]

I put a sponge or filter floss in the siphon tube.

Great idea, thanks!

 

[Chesmok]

I cover the intake of the siphon with pantyhose or a fine mesh net


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[Mebbid]

Baby shrimp are regularly the size of the tip of pencil lead. You will never see them and you will lose a ton if you clean the substrate. The safest way I've found to do it is take an airstone and airline tubing. Start a siphon and ignore it for a while. It takes forever, but is a surefire way to prevent loss of any shrimp from water changes

 

[Coursair]

I have sponge over my filter intake.
I usually use a sponge over my suction hose as well.



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