Bamboo Charcoal Shelters

[kdklovesfish]

I have seen these all over the place online and was wondering what everyone here thinks of them in general.

I have two Plecos that get along most of the time, but sometimes chase each other around the tank and upset everyone. I was wondering if getting two Bamboo Shelter tubes large enough for the Plecos will give them each their own "cave" would help.

I also have ghost shrimp that are always carrying, but I never get babies. I read that these tubes provide a good place for other types of shrimp... Do you think it would help?

Thoughts everyone!?!

 

[Fishfur]

I'd think any cave would do. People make them out of many things, slate and rocks, PVC piping, etc. If you like the look of the bamboo tubes that have been turned into charcoal, go for it. It won't hurt and the fish will probably like them as well as any cave, so long as it's large enough for them to fit inside with a bit of room left over.

It appears they are often sold for crystal shrimp, similar to the red clay breeding tubes that have been around for awhile. I'm sure the shrimp don't care what they are made of.

You don't see baby Ghost shrimp because they have larval babies, which take a few days to morph into shrimplets, which are so tiny, they are often eaten before you'd see them. The females drop their eggs, which quickly float to the surface, and hatch there, then they take around four days to morph, depending on temps.

If there is enough food for them to eat as larvea, some will morph, and then there must be enough food for the new shrimplets. Larvae need foods less than 5 microns in size.. once they morph, they can take microworms or similarly tiny foods, maybe fry food, but they don't chase it for a few days. Only grab what comes close.

After a week or so they start swimming and move down to the bottom mostly, where they eat biofilm and likely make great snacks for the plecs.

If you want baby Ghosts, you pretty much need a small tank to raise them in. I cultured green water, single cell algaes, to feed the larvae, and then fed microworms after they morphed, then tiny bits of algae wafer or shrimp pellets.

If you want more info on raising Ghosts, let me know. I've raised a number of them successfully.