2Ft Shrimp Tank

[NathanPrince]

Hey guys, recently aquired a 2FT tank for the bargain price of £10 so thought I'd transfer over my 3 lone Cherry shrimp to start a breeding colony. My 2 females are heavily berried and should be dropping shrimplets any time now!

Here's what I have so far scape wise:

Basically just Xmas moss on some rocks and some Crytocoryne Wendtii Tropica in there at the moment and heres the plan for the final layout:

The green at the back is Sagittaria Subulata, large shaded area I would like a Staurogyne carpet and the brow bits are Narrow leaf Java fern with maybe a small ordinary java fern thrown in for good measure.

I wanna break up some more of the rock and place it around the crypts and wood but that's as far as I've gotten with ideas and layout.


Any comments and criticisms welcomed


Thanks

 

[pablothebetta]

Looks like a good plan, I like the carpet idea. What about some height in there?

 

[NathanPrince]

That's where I'm hoping the Java Ferns will come into play, I was also toying with the idea of a select few stems. Something like Hygro Polysperma or similar?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

I like the idea and a good start there but would look better if the Staurogyne was all the way up close and round the hardscape too.

 

[NathanPrince]

Yeah that's the plan just poor Paint skills lol.

Gonna break up some rocks and put some more in and around the wood, will tie some of my small Java fern plantlets on and try to find some Narrow leaf stuff to put around the wood too.

Any ideas how much Staurogyne I'll need?


Cheers

 

[Ps3Steveo]

For a complete instant carpet about 15 pots, if your gonna trim and propagate it then go with 5, save some money and do it that way I'll prob have some narrow leaf fern plantlets soon mine grows them quite regularly so if they start sprouting I'll chuck them in the post to ya.

 

[NathanPrince]

I don't mind waiting for it to grow in, I'll have to try finding some Staurogyne. None of my LFS's seem to have any, got around 3 more to check though.

Would be excellent if you could spare a few plantlets, be much appreciated

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Ok mate, once they start shooting I'll send ya some, better off going to aqua essentials for staurogyne, cheap there and stocks are low atm.

 

[NathanPrince]

Nice one! I'll have a look on AE, need to order some more Liquid CO2 anyway.

Cheers

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Buy their own brand, it's half price of the others out there and more concentrated.

 

[NathanPrince]

Yeah I just finished off my 500ml bottle of it and my plants have been so much better since switching to it. Any experience with Plants Alive?

Found some Staurogyne on there for around £3 but don't know what sort of sizes the "portions" are, are they sold in pots over on there too?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

I'm not sure mate, I've bought a few plants from there but I'm not too pleased over all plus you should look on planted chit chat about plant warnings at the top pinned, I believe they're mentioned.

 

[NathanPrince]

Hmm may give them a miss then and just buy it from AE just to be safe.

Would you be prepared to swap a few shrimp with me once my females have given birth and they grow a bit? They aren't massively deep red though which may be a concern? Just want to introduce a new bloodline to my small colony, say around 10?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Prob wouldn't swap if they're closely related but I'd sell ya some when the next lot are up.

 

[NathanPrince]

Thats understandable, I'll see what funds I have when your next lot are up.

Think mine are having their shrimplets now, usually they are out in the open eating but they have both buried themselves into the moss on the rocks and haven't came out all day. Fingers crossed eh