shrimp in a 2.5 gal tank

[Shiverz]

Would a 2.5 gallon tank be suitable for shrimp? it's 1 foot wide and frankly it looks like itwouldn't house a spider in there let alone shrimp.

My partner wants them, but she's looking to me to set everything up and find out any relevant information. Though the information I have come across seems contradictory (much like everything in the aquarium world). During my research I've found pages stating that by no means can shrimp go in such a small tank because they breed like crazy and things can get out of hand. Then there are other sites which say that you can have shrimp in a 0.5 gallon and everything is peachy. Others recommend using a 2-5 shrimp per gallon gauge.

I'm at a loss, all I know is that the misses picked out a few shrimp she would want to have in this tank.

Blue Vampire Shrimp - I know myself this species will not fit in that tank, the shrimp fully grown would be half the size of the tank. Naturally I've wrote this one off but it was worth a mention, I don't like shrimp but this guy is cool.

Blue Tiger Shrimp - Information on this is quite varied, some claim you can have a handful in 2.5 gallons whilst others insist nothing smaller than a five should be used.

Ghost Shrimp - Again, I've come across contradictory sites on these little guys, it seems to be a mixture of 2.5gal and 5gal which should be used. This is the number one choice for my partner and I cant get a solid grasp on tank size.

Cherry Shrimp - This is a fall back option, I always thought these guys would do well in a 2.5 gallon (as I was watching videos on them IN a 2.5 gallon) but apparently thats a big no-no and they need at least 5 gallons.

I would use seriously fish normally but I don't think they do invertebrates as I cant seem to find them on the website.

Any information will be awesome, I'm currently landscaping the tank and cleaning sand and gravel for it (thinking about using a mixture of both) so before I get to far it'd be nice to know if this tank will be of any good. Thank you muchly.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

That is a tough call... Just me personally: I would never add shrimps to a tank that is less than 5 gallons. I have had RCS for about 2 years now, and they are a lot more active than people think.

Is this going to be a shrimp-only tank? (I know a 2.5g tank doesn't leave any room for fish stocking, but some people believe that fish can be kept in a tank that small...)

 

[hansgruber7]

I think it works better in a 5 gallon, but you can keep shrimp in a 2.5 gallon. The only problem is that they will quickly overpopulate it and you will have to have a plan for that. Even in my 5 gallon, I give at least 10-20 shrimp to the LFS probably every month to keep numbers manageable.

You need to either have a plan to deliver the excess to a LFS, or maybe just buy your favorite shrimp and keep him in there along with a snail or something.

 

[Shiverz]

That is a tough call... Just me personally: I would never add shrimps to a tank that is less than 5 gallons. I have had RCS for about 2 years now, and they are a lot more active than people think.

Gotcha, I was dubious from the get go, the tank is so small I honestly thought nothing would go in there period. Though I see so many using tanks like this for shrimp and betta, I'd never put a betta in there and my mind told me I shouldn't out shrimp in there either but I though I'd check.

Is this going to be a shrimp-only tank? (I know a 2.5g tank doesn't leave any room for fish stocking, but some people believe that fish can be kept in a tank that small...)

Yeah shrimp only, I'd never put a fish in there without the shrimp.

I think it works better in a 5 gallon, but you can keep shrimp in a 2.5 gallon. The only problem is that they will quickly overpopulate it and you will have to have a plan for that. Even in my 5 gallon, I give at least 10-20 shrimp to the LFS probably every month to keep numbers manageable.

You need to either have a plan to deliver the excess to a LFS, or maybe just buy your favorite shrimp and keep him in there along with a snail or something.

Unfortunately my LFS doesn't take any fish. His shop is very small and only has about 15 tanks in there, he simply doesn't have the room for me to be handing him shrimp. So the alternitive would be a single shrimp... would it be okay on it's own? I'd feel kinda bad having it all by itself, though on the flipside it will teach the misses how to care for aquarium beings and give us something we can do together.

 

[hansgruber7]

I think one shrimp would be fine. It could be a good way to start.

 

[shabash]

It is doable. Amano shrimp would probably be best as they cannot reproduce and therefore no worries of over population since they need brackish water for the fry to survive. However having said this I would not do anything less than five gallons due to the fact that the smaller the system, the faster things can go wrong and as a beginner, it can be very discouraging if it fails.
myself, I have a 7.5 gallon bow front nano tank with several species of caridina shrimp and 10 chili rasbora. My shrimp have reproduced many times over and there are probably close to 100 in my tank now(I started with about 30). It is heavily planted and I have very soft water so maintenance for me is minimal to say the least. I have read that shrimp will eventually slow their propagation down if they start to over crowd but I don’t know if this is factual or anecdotal.

 

[Koglin]

1 shrimp in it would definitely be cool to help get someone into the hobby, but it may not take long before MTS sets in and they want something bigger with more of them.

It's funny, my partner is wanting to get a shrimp tank too. We haven't had them before, but after reading a lot about their care we knew they would be happier with a bunch of plants.

If you can get a slightly bigger tank go for it, just the extra room for more plants will be appreciated by the shrimp I think =P

Aqueon has a pretty cool 8.75 gallon shrimp tank starter kit I think we're gonna end up with. The way the lid is designed is really awesome for viewing, but with everything it comes with, seems like an great deal. Like I said we're new to shrimp though, I just really really like the tank itself lol.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I would not keep only one shrimp. They are social creatures, at least from my experience.

I would shoot for a 5 gallon tank, a 10 gallon would be preferable.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Have you already got the tank or just considering getting a 2.5 gal tank?

2.5 gals is only 10 litres, then subtract 12.5% for substrate, decor & plants, that leaves 8-9 litres max.

That is not a lot tbh especially if the tank is 1 foot long so it’s might to be around 7 inch wide and high perhaps?

It’s doable with small shrimps but it’s restrictive and you have to be careful with water parameters as well as obviously shrimps are much more sensitive to this, especially in a newly set up tank.

 

[Shiverz]

However having said this I would not do anything less than five gallons due to the fact that the smaller the system, the faster things can go wrong and as a beginner, it can be very discouraging if it fails.

I'll be with her every step of the way. I fully understand that smaller tanks fluctuate in it's chemistry rapidly, and extra diligence will be required to keep it running smoothly, yet on the flip side if she learns using a small tank like this, she'll gain quite alot of knowledge.

myself, I have a 7.5 gallon bow front nano tank with several species of caridina shrimp and 10 chili rasbora. My shrimp have reproduced many times over and there are probably close to 100 in my tank now(I started with about 30). It is heavily planted and I have very soft water so maintenance for me is minimal to say the least. I have read that shrimp will eventually slow their propagation down if they start to over crowd but I don’t know if this is factual or anecdotal.

That's quite the increase in shrimp, I know people talk about them breeding like mad, but I never really absorbed the info until now. I too will be going heavily planted if we do get shrimp, and like you I also have soft water. I can probably see that statement being true about them limiting their libido. Animals normally have a keen sense of their situation, if they sense that things are getting crowded, I can see them holding off making lil ones.

1 shrimp in it would definitely be cool to help get someone into the hobby, but it may not take long before MTS sets in and they want something bigger with more of them.

Well that wouldn't be a problem, I dont mind having extra tanks

It's funny, my partner is wanting to get a shrimp tank too. We haven't had them before, but after reading a lot about their care we knew they would be happier with a bunch of plants.

If you can get a slightly bigger tank go for it, just the extra room for more plants will be appreciated by the shrimp I think =P

Aqueon has a pretty cool 8.75 gallon shrimp tank starter kit I think we're gonna end up with. The way the lid is designed is really awesome for viewing, but with everything it comes with, seems like an great deal. Like I said we're new to shrimp though, I just really really like the tank itself lol.

I could get a tank fairly cheaply and just reseal it, doing this would also let me get something like a 2 foot. The only problem I have is my partner doesn't "stay commited" when it comes to hobbies. She often drops them, and I begrudge paying out for all the equipment for a new tank if she wont carry on with it and leave me to care for them. The caring I don't mind, I enjoy it all, it's the money I don't like throwing away.

I just looked at that tank you mentioned, it definitely is unique. Though being frugal I know I could get twice the size for half the price lol.

I would not keep only one shrimp. They are social creatures, at least from my experience.

They do seem like social creatures, in fact any video I've ever watched regarding shrimp normally pictures them in a large group. Trying to imagine one on it's own is quite difficult, I'm not even sure if anyone has attempted it.

Have you already got the tank or just considering getting a 2.5 gal tank?

I already have the tank, it was given to me, and with some other bits I bought a s aproject I can have it running at any moment. It was originally a qt tank, but now I offered it to the GF for a shrimp tank.

2.5 gals is only 10 litres, then subtract 12.5% for substrate, decor & plants, that leaves 8-9 litres max.

That is not a lot tbh especially if the tank is 1 foot long so it’s might to be around 7 inch wide and high perhaps?

I just measured for you, the tank is 12 inches long, 7 inches wide and 9 1/2 inches high. Which makes it 13 litres, and around 3.5 gallons (U.S.).

It’s doable with small shrimps but it’s restrictive and you have to be careful with water parameters as well as obviously shrimps are much more sensitive to this, especially in a newly set up tank.

I'm prepared to teach my partner with keeping a close eye on the situation. I don't want to sound cocky but I know I always have this forum to come to should anything happen. I just want to know if it is acceptable to have shrimp, but the way it's sounding is that it might be a little difficult. She may just have to wait until I get a 2-3 foot and maybe help me stock that.


Apologies for the long posts guys and gals. I appreciate all the help you've given me. It still seems that it's quite a dodgy scenario, though I do notice most are leaning towards the 5 gallon. I'm still unsure what to do, I like the one shrimp idea, just a bit worried about the social aspect.

 

[shabash]

I'll be with her every step of the way. I fully understand that smaller tanks fluctuate in it's chemistry rapidly, and extra diligence will be required to keep it running smoothly, yet on the flip side if she learns using a small tank like this, she'll gain quite alot of knowledge.



That's quite the increase in shrimp, I know people talk about them breeding like mad, but I never really absorbed the info until now. I too will be going heavily planted if we do get shrimp, and like you I also have soft water. I can probably see that statement being true about them limiting their libido. Animals normally have a keen sense of their situation, if they sense that things are getting crowded, I can see them holding off making lil ones.




Well that wouldn't be a problem, I dont mind having extra tanks


I could get a tank fairly cheaply and just reseal it, doing this would also let me get something like a 2 foot. The only problem I have is my partner doesn't "stay commited" when it comes to hobbies. She often drops them, and I begrudge paying out for all the equipment for a new tank if she wont carry on with it and leave me to care for them. The caring I don't mind, I enjoy it all, it's the money I don't like throwing away.

I just looked at that tank you mentioned, it definitely is unique. Though being frugal I know I could get twice the size for half the price lol.


They do seem like social creatures, in fact any video I've ever watched regarding shrimp normally pictures them in a large group. Trying to imagine one on it's own is quite difficult, I'm not even sure if anyone has attempted it.

I already have the tank, it was given to me, and with some other bits I bought a s aproject I can have it running at any moment. It was originally a qt tank, but now I offered it to the GF for a shrimp tank.



I just measured for you, the tank is 12 inches long, 7 inches wide and 9 1/2 inches high. Which makes it 13 litres, and around 3.5 gallons (U.S.).



I'm prepared to teach my partner with keeping a close eye on the situation. I don't want to sound cocky but I know I always have this forum to come to should anything happen. I just want to know if it is acceptable to have shrimp, but the way it's sounding is that it might be a little difficult. She may just have to wait until I get a 2-3 foot and maybe help me stock that.


Apologies for the long posts guys and gals. I appreciate all the help you've given me. It still seems that it's quite a dodgy scenario, though I do notice most are leaning towards the 5 gallon. I'm still unsure what to do, I like the one shrimp idea, just a bit worried about the social aspect.

If your water is soft, consider doing a caridina tank , heavily planted of course and you can do as I did with a silent cycle. No waiting, just stock. if I can figure out how to load a video, ill show you what’s in store for ya or at least give you an idea.