FresH2O's Shrimp Tank

[junglefowl]

The shrimps look great! I usually adding a few fire red shrimps (around 10) twice a year to improve the blood and color of the red cherry shrimps. Good thing is I have another tank with fire reds only so I can mix up.
Do you boil the zuchini before put in the tank or just out in fresh?

 

[Fresh2o]

The shrimps look great! I usually adding a few fire red shrimps (around 10) twice a year to improve the blood and color of the red cherry shrimps. Good thing is I have another tank with fire reds only so I can mix up.
Do you boil the zuchini before put in the tank or just out in fresh?

So that's your secret! I need to try that.
I sliced the zucchini and microwaved it (cannot remember for how long) until they were hot. Then I put them is a ziplock bag and placed them in the freezer for later use. Prior to use, I gave them a quick zap in the microwave (few seconds) to warm it up. They feasted on it for several hours and left no trace of it. It was the first time i have tried zucchini. I heard carrots can be used as well.

 

[captaincritical]

I just read through this thread from beginning to end. I'm really glad your shrimp are doing well!

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I'm starting a shrimp tank (just finished cycling yesterday) and will be adding them soon. I'll definitely be picking up some cuttlebone to avoid any molting issues. I wouldn't have known to do it if not for you. =)

 

[Fresh2o]

I just read through this thread from beginning to end. I'm really glad your shrimp are doing well!

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I'm starting a shrimp tank (just finished cycling yesterday) and will be adding them soon. I'll definitely be picking up some cuttlebone to avoid any molting issues. I wouldn't have known to do it if not for you. =)

Thanks! This was a learning experience for me. I like your tank/setup. Real easy to take inventory of your stock. Especially the consistent color of the substrate. The black Ecocomplete has grains of other colors in it and occasionally (at a distance) I imagine seeing the corpse of a dead shrimp. Initially I was thinking about going nano (e.g. - Fluval Spec series) but for the same cost went conventional thinking that the larger water volume would act as a buffer for any newby actions on my part.
The tank appears to be stable now. I did not have luck with the LFS RCS. Maybe because the tank was too new at the time or bad stock or all females, idk. Got a better deal from a member online. If for some reason I upgrade the lights in my planted tank, I might move the fixture to the shrimp tank to brighten things up. But ATM it is truly low maintenance; root tabs only. I really do not want to add anything the counter any algae issues (wait...I have shrimp!). But the crypts are growing the way I want them and I know they get much bigger with brighter light.
As I had mentioned, I have recently added some montmorillonite clay to help with the shrimp survival rate in this tank and to help with the MTS shells in my planted tank. I still break off a piece of cuttlebone and add it to the tank from time to time.
Good luck with your shrimp tank, Cap'n! I will be following.

 

[Fresh2o]

Long overdue update (4 months). Not much has changed. Got some shrimp from pitbully a few weeks ago. Just took these a few minutes ago:

It's pretty dark in there with the dual T5 NO bulbs. But the crypts and moss grow slowly.




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[Autumnsky]

That tank is looking good. Maturing. Shrimp look happy too.

 

[Fresh2o]

Shrimp are happy. But I don't see too many babies. At least one or two berried females per week but not too many juvees. I will try to put a fine mesh media bag over the sponge on the intake.


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[NatureFish]

What is a berried female? I'm new to all this and I'm hoping to start a ten gallon RCS tank.


NatureFish
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[Fresh2o]

Berried shrimp refers to a female shrimp carrying eggs. The eggs cling to small appendages called swimmerets located on the bottom side of the abdomen. They resemble grapes or berries, hence the name.
Good luck with your shrimp tank.


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[NatureFish]

Berried shrimp refers to a female shrimp carrying eggs. The eggs cling to small appendages called swimmerets located on the bottom side of the abdomen. They resemble grapes or berries, hence the name.
Good luck with your shrimp tank.


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Oh ok thank you! So have any of your RCS died in a while? If so why?


NatureFish
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[Fresh2o]

I believed they died early on because the calcium was too low. I've added a chunk of cuttlebone in the tank to supplement the calcium.
The tank has a heavy growth of crypts so the shrimp are not easy to see in there. So if they are dying, I'm not seeing it. What concerns me is the fact that I don't see any juvees. I see the new born shrimp and adult shrimp.


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[NatureFish]

Lol maybe the teenager shrimp are jumping out of their room to party with the others! In all seriousness though, that is very weird! Maybe your babies die before they get near that stage. Set up this experiment: do not add any shrimp to your tank but do allow the shrimp you have to breed. Count the adult shrimp and record the number, count your baby shrimp and record the number. Now take the babies and put them in a breeder box or something that will separate them from the adults. After that observe them and see what is happening to them. If they become juveniles in their own space then I would guess its the adults or the filter that was killing them before. If they die in the breeder box I think it might be your parameters or lack of a important mineral or food. Try that and tell us what happens! I'm sure everyone would want to know!


NatureFish
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[Fresh2o]

The layout of the plants and driftwood make it difficult to count the shrimp.

I was toying with the idea of removing ALL of the plants and substrate and leaving a thin layer of gravel with the driftwood and moss only. The plants are nice but that is not the objective of this tank (I already have a planted tank).
I don't add shrimp very often. Had 5 last summer. Added about 25 last October and 8 more last month. The only other thing I can try is trying a fine mesh media bag over the sponge on the HOB filter intake. Perhaps they fry are getting sucked into the filter even with the sponge (the pores are somewhat coarse).


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[NatureFish]

That's a good plan. Out of curiosity why did you chose an HOB instead of a sponge filter?


NatureFish
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[NatureFish]

Instead of all the counting u could just take about five of the babies and put them in the breeders box and see what happens.


NatureFish
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[Fresh2o]

That's a good plan. Out of curiosity why did you chose an HOB instead of a sponge filter?


NatureFish
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A sponge filter typically implies an air pump. Tank is in my bedroom about 4' from my bed. The HOB is silent. I have two of the same filters in another tank. I like the redundancy in terms of parts and maintenance.
It's a busy plan (remove plants and substrate). Not really sure if it's worth it at this time. Lots of other stuff going on. This tank is the ultimate low maintenance tank.
I do like the idea of isolating a few baby shrimp and observing them.


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[Autumnsky]

Just remember the babies benefit in the mature tank and get nutrients with the biofilm and microscopic things in the plants and moss.

 

[NatureFish]

I have a variation of a sponge filter but I haven't used it yet. If its loud will there be a way to silence it (mine is by my bed too)? If I can't get it to be quiet can shrimp go without the filter at night?


NatureFish
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[Fresh2o]

I have a variation of a sponge filter but I haven't used it yet. If its loud will there be a way to silence it (mine is by my bed too)? If I can't get it to be quiet can shrimp go without the filter at night?


NatureFish
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I suppose you could put it on a timer but personally I don't like the idea ofshutting it off every night. I think the BB in the filter and the shrimp would be fine but would rather keep the water circulating 24/7 (except for maintenance).


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[Fresh2o]

Just remember the babies benefit in the mature tank and get nutrients with the biofilm and microscopic things in the plants and moss.

Yes, good point. Probably just leave things as is for now.
If I ever decide to go with fish in this tank, it's got decent flow/filtration, low light, heavy plant cover, decent foot print for the volume.


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