If I Wanted Two Colonies Of Shrimp...

[3l3ctric]

This is probably a very silly question... but here goes:

I understand that some freshwater shrimp are unlikely to reproduce in a standard freshwater tank (amanos, etc.), but that some are usually very good breeders because they basically give birth to little versions of themselves (crystal reds, etc.).

If I wanted to start with two small colonies of shrimp that breed in the "advanced way" (meaning the little versions) pretty easily, as long as water conditions are good, are there two types that I can keep that WILL NOT interbreed? I don't want to end up with a bunch of brown/grey/clear little guys. I like my one amano shrimp, but I don't want to pay a lot for some nice stock only to end up with plain shrimp. I know that yellows can breed with cherries, but what about with crystal reds or tigers?

Also, if I make my filter shrimp safe and load the tank up with more plants including some moss balls, will some babies likely survive my kuhlis and possibly a male betta? I've got a fluval ebi so it has "stratum" for substrate which are tiny little balls that kind of smell like potting soil - the instruction booklet claims that it's good for shrimp. There's also two fairly large pieces of wood with many nooks and crannies.

I'm assuming I could give away or sell extra babies because they really are hard to find around here. I'm not looking to overcrowd my tank with them, but just get an interesting group together. If the shrimp are exciting enough on their own then I might not even get a betta.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I'm not great on shrimp but you can keep red cherry shrimp with crystal red shrimp/bumble bee shrimp.

I think both have babies rather than eggs.

you would certainly be able to sell any offspring you get.

As for betta fish and shrimp, its generally not recommended as the betta will eat them, saying that I have my betta in with shrimp and he is absolutely fine, it does ultimately depend on the fish personality and if you have plenty of hiding spaces etc.

I had shrimp with newts ages ago and they spent most of their time hiding, in a shrimp only tank they were out all the time and in with my betta they are out most of the time

 

[saltynay]

Cardina, neocardina, xiphocaris and halocardina are the 4 families of small shrimp.
For the large shrimp with claws the families are; palaemonetes and macrobrachium.
For large shrimp filter feeders its; atyopsis, atya and micratya.

You can have any combination of the above shrimp families and they will not crossbreed however get two species of the same family and there is a high chance they will cross. Palaeomonetes and macrobrachium aren't really suitable for a community tank.

Kuhlis are fine, male betta may be picky and aggressive depends on his temperament both will eat the shrimplets and you will require dense vegetation.

 

[3l3ctric]

Cardina, neocardina, xiphocaris and halocardina are the 4 families of small shrimp.
...
You can have any combination of the above shrimp families and they will not crossbreed however get two species of the same family and there is a high chance they will cross.

So I could have a batch of Cherry shrimp OR yellow shrimp AND a batch of crystal reds OR tigers OR bee shrimp... right?

Because these are the shrimp and their families:

Yellow shrimp: Neocaridina heteropoda var "yellow"
Cherry shrimp: Neocaridina Heteropoda var. Red

Tiger shrimp: Caridina cantonensis sp. "Tiger"
Crystal red shrimp: Caridina cantonensis sp. "Red"
Bee shrimp: Caridina cantonensis sp. "Bee"
(source: http/www.planetinverts.com/ )

 

[Curiosity101]

You got it

 

[3l3ctric]

You got it

Yeah lol, I guess all I really needed to ask was if neocaridina can breed with caridina. My knowledge of classifications is not good enough to know if the "neo" changes much! I need to brush up on my biology!!!

 

[saltynay]

As above you got it
Neo = "new" IIRC from my 2 years of Latin. They are physically different in their sexual organs so can't do the nasty without artificial assistance. Neo can be added to any classification just because the discoverer felt like it.

 

[3l3ctric]

As above you got it
Neo = "new" IIRC from my 2 years of Latin. They are physically different in their sexual organs so can't do the nasty without artificial assistance. Neo can be added to any classification just because the discoverer felt like it.

Thanks for clearing that up!