Bamboo Shrimp As Centrepiece

[3l3ctric]

My 7.9 gallon tank is primarily a shrimp tank (with some peaceful kuhli loaches), but I was hoping for something to make the middle level a little more interesting. In another area, I had asked about getting some micro rasboras or celestial pearl danios, but I am still a little nervous about them making me overstocked.

So, while trying to think of a solution, I remembered the bamboo shrimp. When I worked at a pet store, I used to love these guys, but never had a good tank at home for them. Now, I'm wondering if I could get one to fill the centrepiece void. I know that, as a general rule, the bigger the tank the better, and I also know that they need to be able to sit in the current to use their fans to get food. My tank is 7.9 gallons, but the filter gives it a pretty good current and I have a spray bar that I could aim into the tank a bit more (right now it points mostly across the top). I also recently bought the best piece of wood I have ever seen, which will have branches through the majority of the tank (so I'm sure he could find a good spot). It's also fairly well planted with anubias and moss balls (soon to also have lots of java moss). The tank gets fed (depending on the day), sinking algae wafers, sinking pellets (for loaches), sinking pellets (food for shrimp), and sometimes freeze dried bloodworm.

I currently have 5 yellow shrimp, 1 amano shrimp, and 5 kuhli or kuhli-type loaches. I am also going to be getting 5 dark green shrimp and 2 sunkist orange shrimp soon.

What do you guys think?

 

[Caprichoso]

My 7.9 gallon tank is primarily a shrimp tank (with some peaceful kuhli loaches), but I was hoping for something to make the middle level a little more interesting. In another area, I had asked about getting some micro rasboras or celestial pearl danios, but I am still a little nervous about them making me overstocked.

So, while trying to think of a solution, I remembered the bamboo shrimp. When I worked at a pet store, I used to love these guys, but never had a good tank at home for them. Now, I'm wondering if I could get one to fill the centrepiece void. I know that, as a general rule, the bigger the tank the better, and I also know that they need to be able to sit in the current to use their fans to get food. My tank is 7.9 gallons, but the filter gives it a pretty good current and I have a spray bar that I could aim into the tank a bit more (right now it points mostly across the top). I also recently bought the best piece of wood I have ever seen, which will have branches through the majority of the tank (so I'm sure he could find a good spot). It's also fairly well planted with anubias and moss balls (soon to also have lots of java moss). The tank gets fed (depending on the day), sinking algae wafers, sinking pellets (for loaches), sinking pellets (food for shrimp), and sometimes freeze dried bloodworm.

I currently have 5 yellow shrimp, 1 amano shrimp, and 5 kuhli or kuhli-type loaches. I am also going to be getting 5 dark green shrimp and 2 sunkist orange shrimp soon.

What do you guys think?

They are lovely shrimp but I think your tank is a bit small for a Bamboo shrimp. Mine are all about 3.5 inches long. Your tank is much better for dwarf shrimp. Also, do you know what species your other shrimp are and the ones you want to get? (the green, yellow and orange ones). All of the shrimp from the Neocaridina species will breed with each other. There is a chart on the website called Planet Inverts if you need to know what shrimp can be kept together. If you have different colours of the same species, you will get undesirable shrimp stock. They should not be kept together if so. The best way to keep many types of shrimps together is to keep only the types that need salt water to hatch their eggs.

 

[3l3ctric]

They are lovely shrimp but I think your tank is a bit small for a Bamboo shrimp. Mine are all about 3.5 inches long. Your tank is much better for dwarf shrimp. Also, do you know what species your other shrimp are and the ones you want to get? (the green, yellow and orange ones). All of the shrimp from the Neocaridina species will breed with each other. There is a chart on the website called Planet Inverts if you need to know what shrimp can be kept together. If you have different colours of the same species, you will get undesirable shrimp stock. They should not be kept together if so. The best way to keep many types of shrimps together is to keep only the types that need salt water to hatch their eggs.

I've checked into which species will and will not breed together (I even have an earlier post about this on here) so I don't expect any problems in this area. The oranges and my amano won't breed in my tank at all, and the dark greens *should* be in a different family than the yellows (if they are the type that my supplier says they are).

I'm just curious as to why the size of the shrimp matters to you? (genuinely curious- I just want to make that clear in case my tone gets lost in translation here). My understanding is that they usually just pick a couple spots to sit and filter in, so they aren't super active. Also, they don't have a high bioload (less than a fish of the same size). So, I don't understand why the size of the shrimp matters? I understand that the size of the tank might matter because they need options as to places to sit and feed, and they need a good enough current... but if I can provide many sitting spots (my piece of wood is nice and gnarly with many branches) and a decent current then I thought I could make it work. Also, most of the foods that I feed are meant to break down and there's not shortage of little particles in my tank I think.

 

[Caprichoso]

They don't just sit around and do nothing, they will swim and jump around your tank. The size of the shrimp matters, not because of bioload but just because the Bamboo shrimp gets huge! It's your call really, but I would have the same objections to someone wanting to put a Betta in a fish bowl. Know what I mean?