Shrimp Tank Help

[willowstwin]

Hi Guys

Right, so I had a disaster last month... I bought a planted ornament from pets at home, which completely wiped out my shrimp population, except for 9 cherries and 1 minami I cleaned out the tank and put the rescued shrimp back in, but only with gravel and some moss balls (a boring tank, but I had to make sure they'd be ok).

As it turns out, they are doing amazingly well!! I went to do a quick water change a couple of nights ago, and noticed LOADS of little white flecks flitting all around the tank... YAY BABIES! So the water change can wait (levels are all fine, I was just going to change it while I was doing the ryukins tank).

So... How can I make the tank less boring? I'm planning on buying some moss (can't decide on basic java, or something like Willow or Spikey)... Maybe some dwarf grass and some Round Pelia (which I'm in love with).

My problem is how to attach it. I've had 2 problems in the past with plants. The first was using superglue to attach the moss to coconut shells and ceramic rings (as advised on here to do). It had no ill effect on the tank, but it went white and the bits of moss touching it died, and ended up rotting. The second problem was using cotton thread - this turned out to be something fun for the shrimp to pick at and play with, so literally after a couple of days, I'd wake up and find the moss either trying to be sucked up by the filter, or floating around the top of the tank. Should I use those little stretchy plastic hair ties? (I tried fishing line but found it too fiddly).

My next query is what to attach stuff to... Here are the choice
1) Coconut caves - although it's only a 12 litre tank, so I'm worried about space.
2) Lava rock - I've seen this a lot on ebay, but I don't know much about it.
3) Plastic mesh - some places I've seen using stainless steel mesh, but I'm unsure about this... Would plastic craft canvas be ok?
4) What about stones/pebbles I find in my garden/at the beach? (thoroughly cleaned ofcourse).

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just itching to get the tank sorted for the little guys, especially the babies

Thanks for reading
Willow

 

[Baccus]

Sorry for your problems with your shrimp, but glad to hear they are making a strong come back.

I would go with some Lava rock and attach moss to it just using cotton thread, lava rock is so rough the moss quickly and easily attaches itself as well. If you got some fissiden you could have some real fun making shapes out of plastic mesh and growing the fissiden sandwiched between the pieces of mesh. I have used the plastic mesh from a kitchen strainer to attach fissiden to a peice of timber, but fly mesh could also work well. To make the shapes I would make something easy like a simple star first cutting the mesh so that you have to matching star shapes then place the fissiden (or even just java moss) on one side of the mesh, leaving a plant free edge all the way around the shape. Then put glue along this plant free edge ( it would probably only need to be glued in dabs) and put the top layer of the mesh over the mesh with the moss/ fissiden on it.

Have you thought of maybe adding a well aged piece of timber to the tank? I know my shrimp like grazing the mirco organisms that the timber suports.

 

[willowstwin]

I have some pieces of mopani root in a box from my old tropical tank, and I currently have one in with my ryukin, which I'm tempted to take out... but theyre too big for the shrimp tank I think I'm going to order some lava rock off ebay this weekend, along with some moss, and have a play. I'll use plastic wire though, cos the shrimp like to pick cotton to pieces before it has chance to grab a hold. I'll go to the craft store too and see what kind of plastic mesh's they do

 

[snowflake311]

I use a mesh bath sponge to tie down my moss and I have a few differeants kinds. Singapore moss is very easy and fast groing compared to some moss.

Here is a photos of my flame moss and Fissidens fontanus that is very slow growing but looks great. The moss is on the rocks on the left of the tank.

That is my tiger shirmp and rcs breeding tank. Less is best for shrimp. I might pull all my hair grass. also I think that whith shrimp there can be a die off period at first. I lost all most all my adult rcs and now I have over 20 young offspring and more berried females, I think when starting a colony there is a lning curve and new shrimp and old shrimp tend to die off some because they are old and some due to the stress of being moved and shipping.

Good luck with your shrimp and I say get other kin of moss not just java moss. Get a few kinds the more the better. I sell my flame moss for $5. My Singapore moss grows like a weed. Moss is key to breedig shrimp.