Save my baby shrimp!

[Udanghantu]

My cherry shrimp tank has a swarm of tiny, tiny baby shrimp. Which is great..... it’s the first time one of my females has had a large brood. However, I have a practical problem.
How do I manage a water change without sucking up all the lovely babies? All sensible suggestions gratefully accepted!

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

My cherry shrimp tank has a swarm of tiny, tiny baby shrimp. Which is great..... it’s the first time one of my females has had a large brood. However, I have a practical problem.
How do I manage a water change without sucking up all the lovely babies? All sensible suggestions gratefully accepted!

Hm... A piece of net or fine mesh over the end of the hose? Or maybe encourage them over to one side of the tank and put a divider in... Not sure, really!

 

[Abaddon]

I agree with PlasticGalaxy, I think vaccuming through a fine mesh (or even something like pantyhose) is your safest bet...

 

[Udanghantu]

Thanks, but I think that herding them anywhere is a non-starter - I can’t even see them without a magnifying glass most of the time! The fine mesh over the inlet tube of the water siphon might be possible tho’......

 

[Essjay]

Collect the old water in a bucket. Then use a jug to empty the bucket. Check the bottom of each jugful thoroughly before throwing the water away. Rescue the shrimps you find. I use a 1 ml pipette with the end cut off so the open end is as wide as possible, and suck them up into the pipette. I have a small tub of tank water next to the bucket and I gently squirt the rescued shrimps into that, then when I've finished, they are carefully decanted back into the tank.

 

[Naughts]

You can spot them easier in a white bucket/ container.

 

[LostBear]

No advice to offer, just wanted to congratulate you.

I would love some cherry shrimp - and I melt over baby anything.

 

[Udanghantu]

OK - I think the bucket and pipette method is the way to go. (And I just happen to have a white bucket and a wide end pipette available!)
Thanks for the help everybody. I hope the new babies will be grateful..... I just couldn’t bear the idea of being a mass shrimp-killer...