A Beginner's Shrimp Journal

[Nells250]

Added 2 red and 2 blue today. I think the blue/black one may have had her babies, too. I see at least one small one in there again.

 

[gwand]

UPS delivered 20 orange pumpkin neocaridina today at 5:15pm. I’m now performing a 3 hour drip acclimation. These guys and gals will join a tank with 30 other orange shrimp and numerous livebearers. This is my second purchase from Shrimpy Business. They have beautiful neocaridina and take care in shipping.

 

[Nells250]

I don't quite understand it, but it seems that the nice adults I have bought end up dead during or after pregnancy! That sorta stinks, as they brighten up the tanks. I still like to look at their offspring, but GEESH what a waste of money...

I feed them both Hikari shrimp pellets and algae wafers... I want to add one of those calcium shells but can't find any in shops.

 

[MaloK]

As long as there's offspring there's hope.

Try to feed them a little baby oriented food. Many startup colonies goes near extinction before bouncing back and flourishing... Some time too much and crashes. One way or another, the time it stabilize is not always a positive experience.

 

[Nells250]

Try to feed them a little baby oriented food

What I've been doing is crushing the Hikari pellets into a powder. The first batch of babies did OK so now that I spotted TWO NEW LITTLE ONES I fed them the same this morning.

 

[Nells250]

Yesterday I placed an order for some blue shrimp via an Ebay seller. I liked the info in their description, so I took a chance. Cost per shrimp comes out to half of what I'd pay at the only shop I know that sells good ones. So I am giving them a try. Stay tuned...

 

[Nells250]

They're doing it again, attacking a nice new bucephalandra!!!

 

[gwand]

Good looking shrimp!

 

[Nells250]

Believe it or not, I tried an Ebay seller and at least one of those blue ones is from them. I did a lot of searching before I chose the seller.

 

[Essjay]

I have bought shrimps from eBay as well - not only do I check the sellers' feedback I also check their location. I won't buy from sellers who live in places with significantly different water from mine. That's easy in a small place like the UK where I can quickly find out hardness etc.

 

[Nells250]

Some sellers do seem to care, and share the water parameters their breeding tanks have. I was short one shrimp, and the seller refunded me for it, since we didn't know if he had missed one or it had been eaten. One more died the next day, but so far the rest still seem to be OK. One tank is almost impossible to see them all in!

 

[Nells250]

Noticed more baby shrimp on the way in both test tanks! Accidently sucked up 2 when doing partial water change, but was able to put them back in the tank. Need to try and get pics of some of the younger ones, because their colors are interesting!

 

[Essjay]

It is very easy to suck up baby shrimps, this is why I always check the bucket before throwing the old water away

 

[Nells250]

Not the best photo of one of the young shrimp that hatched in Tank #3. It is a sort of orange-red-coral color. Assuming Mom was one of the red adults that have since gone to The Big Tank in the Sky. I've spotted one tiny blue, and possibly another tiny red. Time will tell what they become.

 

[Nells250]

Baby shrimp keep showing up, even though I rarely see the adult females!

I managed to take a few decent pics just now. Bleepity algae on the glass usually gets in the way...