Bamboo Shrimp

[hamfist]

There seems to be conflicting advice about, on this subject. Are Bamboo shrimp happier in groups or couldn't they care less. I have read both opinions in the past. Which is right ?

 

[three-fingers]

I think they are found singly in nature (base this only one the footage of them from BBC's 'Life'), but there's no harm in keeping groups. They will squabble over feeding spots thought.

More important than how many you keep is how you keep them though, too many people underestimate the food they need to live and grow. They don't starve fast in aquariums, it happens slowly over months, and too many sites recommend just adding them to community aquariums and feeding them things like algae wafers.

Make sure the tank has adequate flow for them, good places for them to feed, good enough filtration to cope with all the food they miss and no larger fish other than maybe plecs. Preferably only small fish like tetras, danios etc.

And remember they will need target feeding every other day or so .

They are very interesting to keep though.

 

[hamfist]

I think they are found singly in nature (base this only one the footage of them from BBC's 'Life'), but there's no harm in keeping groups. They will squabble over feeding spots thought.

That is good to know, and footage of them in the wild is a pretty good assessment of their preferences I would say.

I only have one, and he is in a 300 litre tank, with very good flow. I have a pipette which I intend to target feed him (when I can find him !) also.

Are they always secretive, or is it because my one is so new to the tank ?

 

[three-fingers]

Only ever seen them be secretive when they are kept with relatively big fish, I wouldn't keep them with fish larger than half their size unless we're talking about plecs.

They were secretive in my community tank but when I moved them to my shrimp/plec tank they were always out filtering and moving from spot to spot during the day. They

I would never keep one in a normal community tank again tbh.

They behave completely different when they feel safe.

 

[hamfist]

Only ever seen them be secretive when they are kept with relatively big fish, I wouldn't keep them with fish larger than half their size unless we're talking about plecs.

They were secretive in my community tank but when I moved them to my shrimp/plec tank they were always out filtering and moving from spot to spot during the day. They

I would never keep one in a normal community tank again tbh.

They behave completely different when they feel safe.

OK thanks for that. Even though I have kept fish for over 30 years, this is my first ever foray into the world of shrimp !