Freshwater Crustaceans

[Wills]

Hi I have recently set up an 8 gallon shallow tank, the foot print is 2 foot x 1 foot. I can't really decide what I want to keep in it but added some Cherry Shrimp yesterday and I'm pretty certain I'm going to get some Amano Shrimp in here with the Cherries and I started thinking about others like Bamboo Shrimp and Vampires. I've dismissed Vampires but not sure if Bamboos would be too big? A trio could look great in here but I've never kept them and not paid much attention in store. What do people think would they be a good fit or are they too big for a 2 foot tank?

Then I remembered Thai Micro Crabs which led to finding Pom Pom Crabs, I've never kept either species but quite interested. Can anyone give me any pointers? I also wondered about some of the semi terrestrial species like Vampires but I don't think my set up is quite right. I have a lot of wood coming out of the tank and it touches the back of the glass so feels likely they could hop out?

At this stage I'd like a small school of Emerald Rasboras with these guys but thats not 100% yet. I was going to get about 10-12 originally but if I had the crustaceans in there too I'd go for 6 or 7. I'm also trying to find a Badis or Dario species that come from harder water too as I just have a hunch they will do as they share distributions with some other fish that do and are found in countries with hard water regions - eg Black Tiger Badis in Myanmar which are also a strong red which is typical of fish found around Lake Inle... no evidence to back that up but certainly a few dots that I'm connecting.

Anyway I'm rambling! Let me know what you guys think

Wills

 

[Slaphppy7]

The bamboos are filter feeders, you need a well-established tank with lots of flow and floating detritus/edibles for them to be successful & thrive

No experience with crabs...the amanos and/or "vampire" may be OK, both are scavengers

 

[Wills]

The bamboos are filter feeders, you need a well-established tank with lots of flow and floating detritus/edibles for them to be successful & thrive

No experience with crabs...the amanos and/or "vampire" may be OK, both are scavengers

I don't mind waiting for the bamboos - do you think the tank size is ok?

 

[Slaphppy7]

I don't mind waiting for the bamboos - do you think the tank size is ok?

Eh...the bamboos can get up to 3", and they're fairly "big bodied"

Also, when first added to a tank, they'll roam around the tank until they find a high-flow area they like, and they usually stay in that same place...not sure such a small footprint would give them the territory they need to find a place they "like"

 

[Wills]

Eh...the bamboos can get up to 3", and they're fairly "big bodied"

Also, when first added to a tank, they'll roam around the tank until they find a high-flow area they like, and they usually stay in that same place...not sure such a small footprint would give them the territory they need to find a place they "like"

Cool thankyou thats exactly what I was looking for. Been reading about the crabs too and I'm concerned that because the wood is touching at the back they will be able to crawl out so probably need to park this idea.

But I have just spotted an area at the back of my office I could put a second tank....

Wills

 

[Sgooosh]

Cool thankyou thats exactly what I was looking for. Been reading about the crabs too and I'm concerned that because the wood is touching at the back they will be able to crawl out so probably need to park this idea.

But I have just spotted an area at the back of my office I could put a second tank....

Wills

the bamboo shrimp also crawl...
how big is the tank in liters or gallons?
is there a high-water flow part of the tank?

i successfully kept two bamboo shrimp in 75g, but i had to treat the tank for ich, and when quarantining, they crawled out and turned into jerky
i think you have to keep them really happy for them to not run (pretty easy with a filter) ... or a lid

i have one single neocaridinia, he was a hitchiker as a tiny invisible little hatchling, and he is now vibrant red after a few months
planning on getting some friends for him

 

[Wills]

the bamboo shrimp also crawl...
how big is the tank in liters or gallons?
is there a high-water flow part of the tank?

i successfully kept two bamboo shrimp in 75g, but i had to treat the tank for ich, and when quarantining, they crawled out and turned into jerky
i think you have to keep them really happy for them to not run (pretty easy with a filter) ... or a lid

i have one single neocaridinia, he was a hitchiker as a tiny invisible little hatchling, and he is now vibrant red after a few months
planning on getting some friends for him

Its 8 gallons but has a big footprint - I had massively underestimated how big they get though, and good point on them crawling out, the tank is open topped.

 

[Sgooosh]

Its 8 gallons but has a big footprint - I had massively underestimated how big they get though, and good point on them crawling out, the tank is open topped.

woah that is a big footprint,
not really sure how much they need tbh

i think a lid or just a makeshift piece of cloth or something would be good.
since the tank is small, maybe feed them more often

lfs says 20g for each shrimp
some online sources say 10g
etc.

 

[Colin_T]

I wouldn't keep crabs with fish or shrimp. Crabs are nocturnal predators/ scavengers and will kill fish and shrimp and eat them.

I would try to only have 1 species of shrimp per tank, 2 at the most but make sure they are completely different so they don't compete for the same food sources.

 

[Beastije]

With bamboo shrimp it is more about food and flow, because once they find the spot and have enough to eat, they don't move from the spot. So i would say size of the tank doesn't matter as much as good conditions (feeding, high flow,, safe space to molt) and they will be ok even in a 20g. However, they are social. And can be attacked by fish (think like betta eating snail antenna, that same betta would nip at the fans ). I also wouldn't risk gouramis or other known fin nippers.
In the year i have had them i had never seen one trying to escape. One did cling the filter ramp as a nice way of telling me my filter flow was reduced. But other than that they sit in an anubias and on a branch at the place where I pointer the flow at.
I also accidentally killed one when using esha2000

 

[Beastije]

Also towards regular shrimp. You should not put shrimp on tank younger than 3 months and if you put the shrimp in you have to feed them, nettle leaves, oak and beech leaves and spirulina wafers. You wouldn't have to feed too much if you had put them in an established tank. And once you teach amano to eat tablets, you can say bye to them eating algae. They go for easier food source and scraping bits of algae is hard work, compares to eating provided pellets.
If you want to add fish give the shrimp at least 6 months to start breeding and establish a colony. Any fish you put in will eat the youngs. You have to give them a chance. Also thick clump of moss is a must.


Regarding semiterestrial crabs, they need 90% land and only 10% water. And moisture. Leave piles, wet moss, wet wood. Not compatible w aquarium, maybe a riparium.

While it may look a bit boring, keeping shrimp with just shrimp is easier. And a nice snail, they are compatible