Will Endler's eat my shrimp?

[PJFISH]

Hi all,
Every time I think I'm getting a good shrimp colony going, I notice that my RCS start to disappear. I think the Endler's that share the tank may be eating them! There's no trace of most of the shrimp I had for a few weeks. They were breeding as well! What's going on? Are the Endlers making a feast of them?


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[TheresaM]

Not sure if they'd be able to eat adult shrimp but definitely shrimplets!

 

[Exigenn]

I have endlers with shrimp. They dont really bother any of my shrimp and i dont notice many shrimplets missing. Bunch of rocks and moss and other plants in the tank so plenty of hiding places.

Depends of the tank really for shrimplets some will get eaten no matter what with fish most likely, adults should have no problems.

 

[Laeris]

I had some disappearing shrimp, then I fixed my gh/kh. May not be your case, considering how prolific they were.

 

[PJFISH]

I had some disappearing shrimp, then I fixed my gh/kh. May not be your case, considering how prolific they were.

What is the preferred Gh/kh levels for most ornamental shrimp? I should check on that!


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[Laeris]

For neocaridina, minimum is 7 for reliable molting-it's been consistent for me between dream blues and Mister's red cherries. Mine swung up to 10 and they were still pretty happy. Caridina can be lower, but they do fine at 7-8. They get fussy, standing on plants near the top of the water, if it gets higher. It'd be funny if it weren't so nerve wracking.

 

[PJFISH]

For neocaridina, minimum is 7 for reliable molting-it's been consistent for me between dream blues and Mister's red cherries. Mine swung up to 10 and they were still pretty happy. Caridina can be lower, but they do fine at 7-8. They get fussy, standing on plants near the top of the water, if it gets higher. It'd be funny if it weren't so nerve wracking.

Ok, so after a test this morning my tanks GH is in the 8-9 range and the KH is in the 5-6 range. I say "range" because the test kit says "bright" and what's bright to one person may not be to another. So if the desired level is 7-8, how do I adjust? I read what the box says, but not sure I understand. I'm do for a WC today, but not sure I'll be able to get to it with my schedule, usually do it every weekend. What should I do?


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[Laeris]

What kind of shrimp do you have?

 

[PJFISH]

What kind of shrimp do you have?

I believe there just red cherries, and a few Amano which do very well. There was no specific label on the tan I bought them from other than red cherry.


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[ScotJudd]

Hi. I have a community tank with a variety of Tetras, some quite big now they are adults. The tank also has a HUGE colony of RCS. I am sure that the fish eat many of the baby shrimp as otherwise I would be over-run with shrimp. However, the colony took 3 attempts to get off the ground. I started with 4 shrimp, lost them all, then another 6 shrimp and lost them too. Then I bid on an Internet site and got myself 25 juvenile shrimp. The colony took off from there.
The tank has to have an abundance of plants and moss for the young shrimp to evade the fish, who will willingly pick them off.
I have given shrimp to some friends, who have fish in their tanks, but I gave them about 30 each and a large bag of moss. Their colonies are starting to develop. So I am convinced that it's a numbers game ...... If you have fish with them.
My tanks are at Kh and Gh 6-7, temp at 78f (a little high for RCS) and nitrates kept well below 20 ppm.


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[PJFISH]

Hi. I have a community tank with a variety of Tetras, some quite big now they are adults. The tank also has a HUGE colony of RCS. I am sure that the fish eat many of the baby shrimp as otherwise I would be over-run with shrimp. However, the colony took 3 attempts to get off the ground. I started with 4 shrimp, lost them all, then another 6 shrimp and lost them too. Then I bid on an Internet site and got myself 25 juvenile shrimp. The colony took off from there.
The tank has to have an abundance of plants and moss for the young shrimp to evade the fish, who will willingly pick them off.
I have given shrimp to some friends, who have fish in their tanks, but I gave them about 30 each and a large bag of moss. Their colonies are starting to develop. So I am convinced that it's a numbers game ...... If you have fish with them.
My tanks are at Kh and Gh 6-7, temp at 78f (a little high for RCS) and nitrates kept well below 20 ppm.


Sent from my iPad in West Yorkshire, U.K.

Thanks, that's very useful! I have lots of plants, just wondering what to about Gh/Kh issue. My Gh is about 8-9 and the Kh is about 5-6, both of which are not correct for shrimp. How do I adjust it?


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[ScotJudd]

Hi again. Your Gh and Kh are top end for the RCS range but stability is most important. I would probably not adjust the Gh and Kh in your situation.


Sent from my iPad in West Yorkshire, U.K.

 

[PJFISH]

Hi again. Your Gh and Kh are top end for the RCS range but stability is most important. I would probably not adjust the Gh and Kh in your situation.


Sent from my iPad in West Yorkshire, U.K.

Really? Ok I kinda got freaked out and thought I needed to adjust ASAP.


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[Oto]

I agree it's probably not the endlers going after the adult shrimp - the endlers's mouths are tiny! I have to break up tiny betta pellets for them to eat.

 

[RackinRocky]

Yes, I also cannot imagine endlers eating adult RCS! They are way too big.

 

[ScotJudd]

Hi all,
Every time I think I'm getting a good shrimp colony going, I notice that my RCS start to disappear. I think the Endler's that share the tank may be eating them! There's no trace of most of the shrimp I had for a few weeks. They were breeding as well! What's going on? Are the Endlers making a feast of them?


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Just another point on your initial posting.
I rarely find dead shrimp as the other shrimp eat the remains. I've even seen them dragging a shrimp away into the undergrowth.
Recycling at its most gory!


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