So it is definitely ok to keep cherry shrimp with fish? Or no?

[piao liang yu]

I have guppies, neon tetras and red wag platies in my 60 gallon. I also have four otocinclus that I will be adding to the main 60 gallon. I have had two cherry shrimp the whole time. I just bought five more, although three are so small you can barely see them. He said they are babies, but they are what you need because the older they are when changing tanks the less likely they will be to reproduce etc. My question is will they instinctively know to dash to the moss and hide? Otherwise they will get eaten I am sure. I have two of what he said were adolescents and they are visible and most likely too big for my little fish to try to eat. Anyway, any insight on this at all?

 

[jcolon]

Are they babies (all white barely a 1mm in size) or just small juveniles? Babies aren't exactly the sharpest tools in the shed. Starting as small juveniles, RCS figure out they're near the bottom of the food chain and will hide accordingly.

 

[piao liang yu]

Are they babies (all white barely a 1mm in size) or just small juveniles? Babies aren't exactly the sharpest tools in the shed. Starting as small juveniles, RCS figure out they're near the bottom of the food chain and will hide accordingly.

They are so small you can barely see them. They are just a speck really. I could see them in the zip lock bag, but after pouring them in (guy I bought them from used RO water to fill my bag) I only see the "adolescents"

I only paid $2 each for them so no huge loss, but is it true that once shrimp change tanks they will likely not reproduce again? Unless they are very young?

 

[jcolon]

Well if you don't see them, they either were eaten or got the message and are hiding among plants, DW and or rocks. In my 75gal, I've seen baby RCS crawling up the glass! In full view of fish! I think a glare from the LED's helped hide them, but I know of at least one that only made it about a 1/3 of the way up.

 

[jcolon]

I only paid $2 each for them so no huge loss, but is it true that once shrimp change tanks they will likely not reproduce again? Unless they are very young?

No ... just give them stable clean water parameters, adequate supplemental food every few days and RCS will breed like rabbits.

Supplemental foods would be algae wafers, blanched zucchini, fish flakes or Hikari Crab pellets which contain calcium for shell regeneration of after they molt. You may need to throw in the food an hour or two after lights out, otherwise your just feeding the fish.

 

[piao liang yu]

Well if you don't see them, they either were eaten or got the message and are hiding among plants, DW and or rocks. In my 75gal, I've seen baby RCS crawling up the glass! In full view of fish! I think a glare from the LED's helped hide them, but I know of at least one that only made it about a 1/3 of the way up.

Ok, well is it true that if I bought several adolescents or even adults they would not reproduce? I have read that cherry shrimp only live a max of 12 months so they would need to reproduce to keep them around. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Psylk87]

No ... just give them stable clean water parameters, adequate supplemental food every few days and RCS will breed like rabbits.

Supplemental foods would be algae wafers, blanched zucchini, fish flakes or Hikari Crab pellets which contain calcium for shell regeneration of after they molt. You may need to throw in the food an hour or two after lights out, otherwise your just feeding the fish.

Are these two the same with different package or two different kinds? If they are different which is better?

 

[jcolon]

Are these two the same with different package or two different kinds? If they are different which is better?

I'd say they are the same, but for what it's worth, the bottom one is what I have. My RCS swarm all over it!

 

[Scottyhorse]

As long as you have plenty of plants, your shrimp should be okay.