Raising Red Cherry Shrimp

[tnfishlady]

I have a little 8 gallon set up with a few cherry shrimp. Soon after I got them, I noticed tiny babies all over the back of the aquarium. Unfortunately, the way the aquarium is set up is with a divider at the back for the filter compartment, with the filter inlet slots about 1" tall and about 1/8" wide, big enough for even small shrimp and/or baby fish to get in the filter area. I have put a sponge media behind there but I don't know how that will affect the filtration -- there was settled particles on the plants I know as I moved them around and stuff was floating around in the water. I'm thinking of getting some netting material and place that over the filter media then secure at each end with stuffing in some sponge material in the first and last filter inlet, but that may not make enough of a tight fit to not allow baby shrimps to get back there. Any other ideas on how I can "fix" this to eliminate or greatly reduce any shrimplet losses to the filter? There is no way to take the divider out and there's not really any room to add a sponge filter.

How long does it take for the shrimp to grow to full size, or even to say 1/2 inch or so? The babies are close to baby brine shrimp size and haven't seemed to grow much so far -- it's been around a week, maybe a little longer since I discovered them. There is algae over the walls and I do feed the shrimp some shrimp pellets I got for them.

Also, how do I clean the aquarium / do a water change without damaging the little shrimp?

Any input / advice / comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bazza57]

I have a little 8 gallon set up with a few cherry shrimp. Soon after I got them, I noticed tiny babies all over the back of the aquarium. Unfortunately, the way the aquarium is set up is with a divider at the back for the filter compartment, with the filter inlet slots about 1" tall and about 1/8" wide, big enough for even small shrimp and/or baby fish to get in the filter area. I have put a sponge media behind there but I don't know how that will affect the filtration -- there was settled particles on the plants I know as I moved them around and stuff was floating around in the water. I'm thinking of getting some netting material and place that over the filter media then secure at each end with stuffing in some sponge material in the first and last filter inlet, but that may not make enough of a tight fit to not allow baby shrimps to get back there. Any other ideas on how I can "fix" this to eliminate or greatly reduce any shrimplet losses to the filter? There is no way to take the divider out and there's not really any room to add a sponge filter.

How long does it take for the shrimp to grow to full size, or even to say 1/2 inch or so? The babies are close to baby brine shrimp size and haven't seemed to grow much so far -- it's been around a week, maybe a little longer since I discovered them. There is algae over the walls and I do feed the shrimp some shrimp pellets I got for them.

Also, how do I clean the aquarium / do a water change without damaging the little shrimp?

Any input / advice / comments would be greatly appreciated.

From what I know, putting a old nylon stocking over the filter intake doesn't reduce water flow, but prevents baby shrimps from being sucked into the filter. The use of foam is a good idea & should not really reduce water flow too much, but could collapse over time. Personally, I would try covering the intake with a piece of old nylon stocking.
I think you could expect your shrimps to reach maturity within 12 months given optimum conditions.


I am keen to introduce cherry shrimps into my planted system as a means of controlling algae (being sick of the usual delicate otocinclus solution) but am wary of the parameters required to keep shrimps though. Do aquatic shrimps require a high PH to maintain calcium levels? or will normal 7PH freshwater be ok?
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[OldMan47]

Protection for a filter inlet tube is easy. buy a replacement sponge for any of the hang on back filters, AC sells them 2 or 3 to a box. Cut a slit in one end of the sponge and slip it over the inlet tube. It has the added benefit of acting as an added biological filter.
The sponge

The sponge in place after about a month

This is in my Heterandria formosa tank. Hets are smaller than neocaridina.