Feeding Regimen for Cherry Shrimp (mostly) Tank

[MuddyWaters]

I have started a cherry shrimp tank. I took the fish out of my small tank and moved them to the bigger one. Then I got a few cherry shrimp at the LFS and then got 20 more at my local aquarium club auction for less than I paid for the original 5. I can't ever count more than about 11 at once, so I think most are there. I did lose 2 from the LFS when I got those, but I haven't found any others dead.

Last week I went to get a few Green Fire Tetra for the big tank, but they didn't have any, so I got 3 amano shrimp and 1 dwarf mexican crayfish. I can't walk out of a LFS without buying something. It's a physical impossibility.

Anyway, so I have:
@20 cherry shrimp
3 amano shrimp
1 dwarf mexican crayfish
1 otocinclus

Note- I have an order for 10 more cherries- 2-4 guaranteed males and 6-8 guaranteed females. That one was shipped on the 8th but won't get here until tomorrow. It sat in the USPS warehouse in Illinois for several days before being shipped on down here. It's just in time for them to be frozen when they get here. So, I'm pretty sure those will be DOA.

With that in mind, I'd like to feed them good, but I am prone to overfeeding, so very worried about that. Also, I'd like for those Amano shrimp to gnaw on some BBA I have in there if I can get them to be interested in it.

I bought some Hikari Shrimp Cuisine. I have fed them a few pellets every other day (like 10-12 pellets). I also have some food from Logemann Bros. but just realized it's out of date. I also put a slice of cucumber or zucchini in once a week for the oto.

I figure that the shrimp are probably ok with a few grains of food every other day- they're getting algae and whatever else in the tank (it's heavily planted).

The oto I'm kind of worried about, but he chows on that cucumber quite a bit- I leave it in 2 or 3 days for him.

What else should I feed them?

 

[MaloK]

Shrimps will graze on biofilm they love that stuff, Add some botanical like almond tree leaves and cholla wood.

I left the cholla soak a couple days in tap water before adding it to the tank. it was slimy as you wish... And I didn't have the time to dispose the piece of wood they where all over it.

 

[Essjay]

I asked about shrimp food a while ago and one brand was recommended to me. It's available in Europe though it may not be available in the US - Dennerle Shrimp King. They make several products under that brand name, I use the Complete one.

 

[simonas]

I am not suggesting this is what you do but I have hundreds of cherry shrimp in the sumps of my two tanks that are never fed, I didnt even put them in the sumps. Presumably they eat a load of crap and food that comes from the tank through to the sump as they live in the sponges and alfagrog. Cool little things that breed like crazy

 

[Uberhoust]

My shrimp only get feed when I note they have consumed much of the biofilm. I got all the special food recommend but if they need food they seem to thrive on normal fish food and fluval shrimp granules, and some blanched veggies. They don't eat a lot of food.

 

[MuddyWaters]

Thanks all- I'm currently only giving them a few grains of Shrimp Cuisine every other day. I did put an almond leaf in there- I think it takes a few days for it to get ripe enough for them to munch on it.

I also add a slice of cucumber - 2 of the amonos are on there chowing down right now. The oto loves that too.

I will take your advice and just keep it very minimal. My mother was over one day looking at them. I told here, "here I'll feed them so some will come out." I dropped about 5 or 6 grains of food in there. She was not impressed. "Those things are going to starve!" LOL

She definitely raised me to be a member of the clean plate club.

 

[Ram419]

I purchased 5 red cherry shrimp for my 5 gallon tank about 6 to 8 months ago. They've since reproduced many times more. I don't know exact counts. But the numbers aren't extrodinary. I occassionly feed them blanched kale and unsalted green beans. They eat either up quickly.