Red Cherry Shrimp

[vanalisa]

Hi all
I have a 5g with a colony of RCS
Is it big enough?
I do water changes with a cup because there are so many shrimplets.
I'm worried about the gravel
The tank has three nice clumps of crypt and the bottom of the tank looks clean and healthy
I have what are obviously shrimplets, but also white moving specs which, last time, I concluded were seed shrimp.
I am going to keep my eyes out ro see if they are coming from the substrate
Is there a possibility that very small shrimplets look oval?
Best way to clean tank better...I've heard pantyhose over the tube, but what about gravel?
Thanks in advance.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Well, I do know people keep rcs in little tanks, so you're probably OK there. I have no help for how to vac the gravel. Seed shrimp are kind of cool. I had a ton of them in my South America tank while it was cycling, before the angelfish wiped them out.

 

[vanalisa]

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Well, I do know people keep rcs in little tanks, so you're probably OK there. I have no help for how to vac the gravel. Seed shrimp are kind of cool. I had a ton of them in my South America tank while it was cycling, before the angelfish wiped them out.

Thanks for responding.
Were the seed shrimp oval? And move kind of jittery like shrimp or shrimplets? They are to small to see if they are shrimp shaped. I'm going to look at YouTube and see if I can find a video of RCS releasing shrimplets.

I'm sure I have at least 100 in there of all ages and sizes. Healthy tank as far as I can tell...

 

[goldfish_is_orange]

I use a small brush to disturb the gravel and make the dirt float, a small hose right behind it to suck up the dirt without sucking up the gravel.
But I don't have shrimplets yet, so not sure if this will work for you. Do they stay close to the gravel?

 

[vanalisa]

I use a small brush to disturb the gravel and make the dirt float, a small hose right behind it to suck up the dirt without sucking up the gravel.
But I don't have shrimplets yet, so not sure if this will work for you. Do they stay close to the gravel?

No, they are all over the place.
I just had an explosion so maybe I'll wait till they are a bit bigger...

Maybe that would work combined with a panty-hosed gravel vacuum..?

 

[hansgruber7]

I keep red cherry shrimp in a five gallon and it works well. What I do is that once a month I take out most of them and sell them to the LFS for store credit. That keeps the numbers manageable. Then before I vacuum I swish around the gravel to stir up the dirt and most of the shrimp hide. Then I use the vacuum to suck out what was swished up from the gravel, keeping it a few inches above the gravel. I check the bucket for any shrimp I accidentally captured and put them back in. I usually don't have any though.

 

[vanalisa]

I keep red cherry shrimp in a five gallon and it works well. What I do is that once a month I take out most of them and sell them to the LFS for store credit. That keeps the numbers manageable. Then before I vacuum I swish around the gravel to stir up the dirt and most of the shrimp hide. Then I use the vacuum to suck out what was swished up from the gravel, keeping it a few inches above the gravel. I check the bucket for any shrimp I accidentally captured and put them back in. I usually don't have any though.

Thanks!
That's pretty much what I've done in the past when I could see most of them and they would scurry off. I have very small ones now that will probably get whooshed about. I'll wait a bit longer...

Might put a dozen or so in another tank with fish that I know will eat the shrimplets.
And of course the shrimp that survive will help keep the tank tidy.

I can watch for a lull at my LFS, but they keep a pretty good stock. I happen to think mine are strong and healthy, I'm biased, so maybe they will take some ☆

 

[Essjay]

I have sand in my shrimp tank which does make cleaning easier. I use a siphon but just the flexible tubing part not the wide plastic thing on the end.

I always suck up baby shrimps so I empty the bucket using a jug and rescue the shrimps I suck up.

 

[vanalisa]

I have sand in my shrimp tank which does make cleaning easier. I use a siphon but just the flexible tubing part not the wide plastic thing on the end.

I always suck up baby shrimps so I empty the bucket using a jug and rescue the shrimps I suck up.

Great idea using tubing only.
Guess I'll have to dive right on in !

 

[ClownLurch]

Shrimps are harder work than fish I think though looking at the prices in the UKs largest chain lfs today breeding them may be more lucrative if not as glamorous.
I put 13 rili shrimp into my 120L with 4-6 guppies about two months ago. 1 huge, 2 lge, 5 med 5 small. There were eight left a few weeks ago. Im not sure if the guppies or my vac action got the little ones.
I forgot to fix a bit of stocking to the new python last weekend....no more than seven have been seen since....the huge guys missing in action. One of the guppies went up there as well and I had to sprint back to the kitchen to turn the tap off to save him......that’s some tale for him to tell the others.

 

[hansgruber7]

I find shrimp much easier than fish personally, except for the overpopulation aspect.

 

[vanalisa]

Shrimps are harder work than fish I think though looking at the prices in the UKs largest chain lfs today breeding them may be more lucrative if not as glamorous.
I put 13 rili shrimp into my 120L with 4-6 guppies about two months ago. 1 huge, 2 lge, 5 med 5 small. There were eight left a few weeks ago. Im not sure if the guppies or my vac action got the little ones.
I forgot to fix a bit of stocking to the new python last weekend....no more than seven have been seen since....the huge guys missing in action. One of the guppies went up there as well and I had to sprint back to the kitchen to turn the tap off to save him......that’s some tale for him to tell the others.

From what I've seen of guppies lately, if their appetite for food is a strong as for breeding I would say they probably got the shrimp.

Somehow I imagined you lurching back into the kitchen rather than sprinting! Kinda worried about your cat...

Lucky guppy ☆

I have sand in my shrimp tank which does make cleaning easier. I use a siphon but just the flexible tubing part not the wide plastic thing on the end.

I always suck up baby shrimps so I empty the bucket using a jug and rescue the shrimps I suck up.

I just realized that the little guard inside the larger part would be removed also..
Lightbulb moment!
I'll try this.

 

[Falaria]

I'm thinking about expanding into shrimp keeping. Is it possible to request all female or all male shrimp to avoid breeding/overpopulation?

 

[hansgruber7]

I don't think so. I've found fish stores are usually happy to take them though. Some even give store credit.

 

[Falaria]

I was really hoping to have all of one sex because I'd like a mix of colors and rili, etc. but don't want to end up with reverted-colored babies....