OP
OP
BettaGal
Aquarium Advice Addict
Then I will have to discover a way to lower the temperature a little. Is there a good way to manage that one?
Ghost shrimp
- Thread starter BettaGal
- Start date
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bud29
Aquarium Advice Addict
Honestly, the only two ways I know of to lower the temperature of your tank is to either lower the temperature of your house, or buy a tank chiller which can cost hundreds of dollars.
OP
OP
BettaGal
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well, the dorm room is easy to cool down. Open the window. And most likely remove the heater. It's one that's preset to 78 degrees. It said on the box. And as for at home, that house is freezing. They won't get hot there.
bud29
Aquarium Advice Addict
OK. Don't get it too cold, tropical fish don't appreciate that, just get it down to about 75-76 and you should be fine.
OP
OP
BettaGal
Aquarium Advice Addict
That will work. The heater will be staying while at home. I doubt anyone would do well in a house that's cold enough to see your breath in. At least they won't get too hot.
If you vacuum the gunk out of the sand, or scoop out the sand that is gunky and clean the water and you should be fine! If the tank is cycled.
But the Amano shrimp are very fun. They grab food pellets away from each other, play tug of war and flutter around like shrimp water ballerinas! They clean the gravel and plants like mad!!! Java moss is awesome for them to pick at and climb around on.
Ghost shrimp can be fairly aggressive toward baby fish, and baby shrimp, so you wouldn't want to keep them together. If you aren't having babies with your fish then they are an inexpensive alternative and fun to watch too. If you start with them, understand they can die fairly easily. They can sometimes kill little snails too, so use caution if you may want Rams horn snails. They reproduce pretty quickly (snails not shrimp). Just so you know.
As for the Amanos, they run around here $2.99-3.99, although sometimes on sale for $2. Totally worth it. It is preferred to have a mature tank and biofilm, to give them food to pick at.
But the Amano shrimp are very fun. They grab food pellets away from each other, play tug of war and flutter around like shrimp water ballerinas! They clean the gravel and plants like mad!!! Java moss is awesome for them to pick at and climb around on.
Ghost shrimp can be fairly aggressive toward baby fish, and baby shrimp, so you wouldn't want to keep them together. If you aren't having babies with your fish then they are an inexpensive alternative and fun to watch too. If you start with them, understand they can die fairly easily. They can sometimes kill little snails too, so use caution if you may want Rams horn snails. They reproduce pretty quickly (snails not shrimp). Just so you know.
As for the Amanos, they run around here $2.99-3.99, although sometimes on sale for $2. Totally worth it. It is preferred to have a mature tank and biofilm, to give them food to pick at.
okapizebra
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ghost shrimp will NOT breed like RCS. So if you are expecting them to easily populate, that will not happen. It is very difficult to successfully breed ghost shrimp and having kept ghost shrimp for well over a year, I have never seen any new shrimpies form, and I've had lots and lots of berried females. They do not all have a short life span, I have many individuals over a year old still living on!
I think ghosties are lots of fun, although they are the only species of shrimp I've kept. They are excellent cleaners too.
I use a regular gravel vac when I do PWCs as well. Just gotta be careful you don't suck up a shrimp. I've done it before, lol. I just put him back into the tank, no harm done.
I think ghosties are lots of fun, although they are the only species of shrimp I've kept. They are excellent cleaners too.
I use a regular gravel vac when I do PWCs as well. Just gotta be careful you don't suck up a shrimp. I've done it before, lol. I just put him back into the tank, no harm done.
bud29
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yes, they do not breed as readily as RCS, plus, the baby ghost shrimp have a larval stage, which makes them very likely to be eaten. I was saying that their breeding behaviors may be similar to RCS.
And I do understand that some are healthy, however in some stores they are sold as feeder shrimp, so, just like feeder goldfish, they are kept in very poor conditions. Not all stores are like this, but some are.
okapizebra
Aquarium Advice Addict
They do breed a lot, but you'll never see their offspring. Their larval stage is very hard to feed, so they usually die. I just didn't want the OP thinking they would have tons because they will produce lots of offspring. It just isn't likely at all that any of their babies would survive. Yes, I agree their behaviors are probably similar, but the result from them is different.
I don't think you can really keep shrimp in poor conditions. Too much ammo and they're dead. They don't get sick or anything. Generally I don't think they are unhealthy. The feeder goldies can still survive while the ammonia is present, so they get sick, whereas the shrimp just die. Maybe their life spans are shortened from so much breeding. However I have never experienced this and I always have bought mine as feeder shrimp.
I don't think you can really keep shrimp in poor conditions. Too much ammo and they're dead. They don't get sick or anything. Generally I don't think they are unhealthy. The feeder goldies can still survive while the ammonia is present, so they get sick, whereas the shrimp just die. Maybe their life spans are shortened from so much breeding. However I have never experienced this and I always have bought mine as feeder shrimp.
OP
OP
BettaGal
Aquarium Advice Addict
To much ammonia? For shrimp, what is considered too much ammonia? I just started using Seachem Prime, but it's still telling me I have high ammonia.
okapizebra
Aquarium Advice Addict
If you have any readings of ammonia, I would not get shrimp. Inverts are much more sensitive to it. Is your tank fully cycled? If it is, your ammonia readings should be 0. Seachem prime changes ammonia to ammonium, which isn't harmful, but it only lasts 24 hours I believe. Test charts still read it as ammonia.
OP
OP
BettaGal
Aquarium Advice Addict
It is cycling. Now that I'm adding bacteria to it, it's a lot further along. And the ammonia problem is subsiding fast now that the rotting bamboo is gone. I've been getting low nitrates and some nitrites, so that's a good place to be finally. By the time I'm able to add them, the ammonia might be good.
okapizebra
Aquarium Advice Addict
They are just as sensitive to nitrites as well. So make sure you are fully cycled before adding any. The nitrite phase is usually the longest portion of the cycle.
OP
OP
BettaGal
Aquarium Advice Addict
It better not be in this thing. Ammonia took forever. My cycle would take 3+ months if that happens.
pwc and testing. And I personally think you would be in the home stretch, if things are converting the ammonia now.
Just be sure not to add lots of fish right after cycling, build gradually. So BB can build up too.
And yes 0 -.25 ammonia is ideal. Shrimp are most sensitive.
Just be sure not to add lots of fish right after cycling, build gradually. So BB can build up too.
And yes 0 -.25 ammonia is ideal. Shrimp are most sensitive.
bud29
Aquarium Advice Addict
Shrimp can in fact get sick. They can get things such as bacterial infections. Many people do not realize that their shrimp are really sick, because they die so quickly after getting sick. So it is possible.
There are always exceptions, but anything titled "feeder" is usually not very healthy. Obviously, since they are intended to be eaten they aren't cared for as well as others that are sold to live. Once again, there are always exceptions, but this is generally the case.
Don't worry; every cycle is different. In my 29 gallon's cycle, my ammo>nitrite conversion took 11 weeks, but then my nitrite>nitrate conversion took 3 weeks! Your cycle may be a weird one like mine where the nitrite conversion is shorter. Who knows.
OP
OP
BettaGal
Aquarium Advice Addict
I hope it's a weird one. Someone said it sounds like its getting close to done. Hooray!!! Can't wait!
bud29
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yup. Then ends of cycles are always exciting. 
OP
OP
BettaGal
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yup. Then ends of cycles are always exciting.
Might have throw a solo party for that one. Lol.
okapizebra
Aquarium Advice Addict
I still think ghost shrimp are pretty hardy despite the fact they are used as feeders.
The ends of cycles are the best!!
The ends of cycles are the best!!
