Shrimp In Tropical Aquariums

[N12k_GT]

Hiya, just a quick one for you shrimp lovers. I know absolutly nothing about shrimp and was wondering if they have any tank preferences? I should be getting a 19g tank soon for tropical fish more than likely. Are shrimp supposed to live in salt water or is a normal heated tank fine??

Cheers,

Nick

 

[steelhealr]

Hi Nick....are you asking about FW or SW? Marine and and FW tropical shrimp need their water heated tot he usual temps. Some FW shrimp are filter feeders while most SW shrimp are detrivores/carnivores. SH

 

[moray]

Hi Nick

If you tell us what sort of shrimp you want, we can give you the info you need. Alternatively give us the tank you want and we can hopefully give you the sort of invert that can thrive in that enviroment.

 

[N12k_GT]

Oops, ok, i'm getting a tropiquarium 68 so it's about 19 gallons. I was planning on keeping black red tail sharks I think it was, but i've since found out thats not nearly enough room for one. My fish choice isn't really that certain yet, but I was planning on having some colourful tropical fish like guppies or something. I dont plan on having any fish that require adding salt to the water. I hope your still with me here because i'm loosing myself!! Basically I want something cool to eat the debris and stir up the sand at the bottom of the tank so I though some ghost shrimp or something would be nice to have.

I'm a ever so slightly very new to this and it's all going over my head, so cheers for your patience and any replies.

 

[smithrc]

first thing to say is not to get the shark (or sharks) they get too big for a 19gal

they are also very teritorial and will kill each other if you get more than one.... our's is bad enough on its own - it chases our clowns round no end and its its only 3" at the moment


Any way - shrimp - we have 11 amano shrimp (algae eaters) they have been moved round tanks all over and have been fine in all the tanks they have been in.

they love algae covered rocks and eat catfish food too (anything we put in for our plecs )

 

[moray]

Shrimp don't really stir up the sand at the bottom, but they are interesting creatures to keep, have a look around at your local fish shops (lfs) and see what choices you have. Ghost shrimp are nice, but they are also opportunists and if one of your fish if sick etc they will eat it (as will most shrimp and other fish) others you can get are filter feeders - you can tell these as they usually have "fans" at the end of their front legs, these are totally harmless to your fish, but they won't really eat the debris at the bottom of the tank. If you like ghost shrimp, go for it, they are interesting, remember you will need to cycle the tank before you can put in inverts, they need good quality water to live happily.

 

[N12k_GT]

thanks all for the brilliant replies! and don't panic, the sharks are staying at the shop.

I'm going to try and keep the water as clean as possible, but I'm sure it's alot harder than it sounds. This site has already taught me loads about some of the hard work that goes into looking after some fish!

Anyway, what fish or 'critters'! will stir sand up to help with the build up of old food and waste inbetween tank cleaning? I'm sure there are some little creatures that can help me out and be something a bit different than keeping just fish? Suggestions please and then I'll leave you all alone about shrimps, for a while!

Cheers again

thanks all for the brilliant replies! and don't panic, the sharks are staying at the shop.

I'm going to try and keep the water as clean as possible, but I'm sure it's alot harder than it sounds. This site has already taught me loads about some of the hard work that goes into looking after some fish!

Anyway, what fish or 'critters'! will stir sand up to help with the build up of old food and waste inbetween tank cleaning? I'm sure there are some little creatures that can help me out and be something a bit different than keeping just fish? Suggestions please and then I'll leave you all alone about shrimps, for a while!

Cheers again

 

[big mick]

Ghost shrimp are great but they are also great escape artists, make sure your tank hood has no little gaps where the wires come out coz the shrimp will escape....trust me.

You should get some corries to help with the clean up, you'd need to get no less than 3 as they need to be kept in small groups.....not sure how big 19g is mind as I work in litres but I think 19g would be about 24" or there abouts??

 

[Bloo]

This is a pic of my new little bamboo shrimp. It's a lovely little thing waving it's "hands" through the air all the time but quite shy really and turns it's back on me when I want to take pics !
Quite amusing to see how they swim too - folding up their little fan hands and then torpedo through the water

Mine's also in a 19 US gallon.

 

[N12k_GT]

Alright Mick I'll have to remember that. Cant be dealing with a little houdini running havock around the place!! It's around 26" which is a weird length but gives a bit of extra room for the fish when I get them

bloozoo, that is one cool looking shrimp!! Jealous!! any escaping problems with yours?

 

[Bloo]

Thanks no, none whatsoever. It tends to stick to the bottom of the tank and cruises around there. Sometimes up to the wood which is almost mid level, but that's it. If it really wanted to, it could escape via the tall plants and through a couple of the small gaps that allows for the equipment.
19 US gallon = 72 L

 

[B2k2]

Anyway, what fish or 'critters'! will stir sand up to help with the build up of old food and waste inbetween tank cleaning? I'm sure there are some little creatures that can help me out and be something a bit different than keeping just fish?

You could try Malaysian Trumpet Snail's, they live in the substrate during the day moving about and aerating it. At night they come out and eat dead plant matter and left over food missed by the fish. Some people say that they breed like mad and you could have hundreds when they get going, but they are easy to control by leaving the lights off for a while in the evening then turning them back on so you can remove some of the snails. I got two for nothing from my LFS about a month ago and so far I haven't seen anymore than my orginal two.

 

[tekkamaki]

I have a bamboo shrimp that is almost a year old and he lives perfectly with some guppies, a snail, and a cory. The only thing is that they shed their skin a LOT. You'll see it floating in the tank every few months but they display a vibrant red color after they do it. Their a big shrimp too...mine is probably 3 inches long so they make a very good visual attraction in the tank. Between, him, the cory, and the snail, my tank is very clean!