Some Questions About Ghost Shrimp

[julem35]

Hey all! I was thinking about getting some ghost shrimp, but have MANY questions. No worries, I know all about what they eat, how long they live, im not going to house them with fish,how sensitive they are to water, ect.

My very pathetic question(s) is/are this/these:
1) I have a fourL bowl. It has no filter but stays around 68-70 degrees. Could ghost shrimp live in it if I did a weekly complete water change?
2) I have a 4L plant growing tank w/ gravel but again no filter. Can they live in there if I took out the gravel and did a weekly water change?

I know that young shrimp can live in a bowl, but how about adults?

Any tips you guys would like to input would be awesome! Thanks!

 

[Curiosity101]

Shrimp are extremely sensitive to ammonia levels. They can work in a heavily planted tank with some sort of air pump/powerhead to get the water moving. But if the water is still then not only will it not be circulating and therefore moving the ammonia (as opposed to it building up in one place, often the bottom of the tank), but also it isn't likely to have sufficient oxygen to support a shrimp colony.

Have you considered buying/building an airpump or similar?

 

[julem35]

Shrimp are extremely sensitive to ammonia levels. They can work in a heavily planted tank with some sort of air pump/powerhead to get the water moving. But if the water is still then not only will it not be circulating and therefore moving the ammonia (as opposed to it building up in one place, often the bottom of the tank), but also it isn't likely to have sufficient oxygen to support a shrimp colony.

Have you considered buying/building an airpump or similar?

1. Thanks! I didn't know that!!
2. I have, do you know of any that are of decent price range? the 4l tank has a circle thing that attaches to a tube that you put an air pump in, but my three air pumps are in use right now. I have been looking for some, but havent had a chance to get to a petsmart as I have been home sick the majority of this week.

 

[saltynay]

Firstly what species are your ghost shrimp? Pretty much any clear shrimp is called a ghost shrimp as its common name from young macrobrachium and paleomonetes to neocardinia and cardini sp.

You can just use a splitter on one of your current pumps. Moving the water around a bowl that small can reduce the CO2 levels starving the plants of CO2 making them wilter from nutrients over saturation, its a careful balance. In such a small water volume I personally wouldn't create a flow constantly I would just stick a spoon in and stir it around every once in a while say 2 times a day with a water change of 40% every week.

 

[julem35]

Firstly what species are your ghost shrimp? Pretty much any clear shrimp is called a ghost shrimp as its common name from young macrobrachium and paleomonetes to neocardinia and cardini sp.

You can just use a splitter on one of your current pumps. Moving the water around a bowl that small can reduce the CO2 levels starving the plants of CO2 making them wilter from nutrients over saturation, its a careful balance. In such a small water volume I personally wouldn't create a flow constantly I would just stick a spoon in and stir it around every once in a while say 2 times a day with a water change of 40% every week.

This kind, lol http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3924450
that air pumps I use are busy being connected to filters. I'll just buy one of these next week when I go to the store to get a new male guppy or two, mine died of old age a few weeks ago. http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3742976

I don't quite trust the Petsmart info on shrimp, hence why I started this thread.

 

[saltynay]

That isn't a species I recognise which most likely puts it in the paleomonetes sp. and machrobrachium sp.. Macro's are generally horrors ripping up plants and eating fish they are also mostly brackish but freshwater tolerant, Paleo's are in general well behaved and desirable but again mostly brackish.

Why not go with a shrimp species that is desirable and can be identified. Cherry shrimp and Amano shrimp come to mind as the standard shrimp.

 

[julem35]

I would love either, but my local fish stores dont care them. The only fish store near me that carries shrimp at all is petsmart. I am thinking of waiting a month or two, just using their tank as a plant growing tank. When I am ready I willmake sure the water is good and then get them and post pictures. Maybe you could tell me what they are from the pics I take.

 

[saltynay]

If they are macrobrachium sp. which is 60% likely they will rip up the plants.

 

[Donya]

If the petsmart chain tends to stock the same shrimp species at all locations, then they would probably be the same that I have (which I got from that chain). The shrimp I have do not rip up plants and seem to do quite well in freshwater. They are breeding and growing at a fairly impressive rate in the freshwater tank I've got them in; my first tank-raised generation has mostly reached adult size and some have started producing eggs, so this species at least seems content from hatching to adult without added salt. A cursory IDing attempt back when I first got them landed me on soem Paleomonetes species, but I never tried to get more specific than the genus. Of course, if the chain doesn't stick to the same species all the time, that info will be totally useless.

 

[r.w.girard]

If the petsmart chain tends to stock the same shrimp species at all locations, then they would probably be the same that I have (which I got from that chain). The shrimp I have do not rip up plants and seem to do quite well in freshwater. They are breeding and growing at a fairly impressive rate in the freshwater tank I've got them in; my first tank-raised generation has mostly reached adult size and some have started producing eggs, so this species at least seems content from hatching to adult without added salt. A cursory IDing attempt back when I first got them landed me on soem Paleomonetes species, but I never tried to get more specific than the genus. Of course, if the chain doesn't stick to the same species all the time, that info will be totally useless.

I've three of the same kind [replete with the red dots at all] in my planted community tank [in progress, only some otocinclus, a betta, and a mystery snail]. The get along great with the plants [crypts, anubias, narrow leaf chain sword, dwarf sags, angelhair] and are constantly popping around. One laid some eggs but I am pretty sure they all were consumed by the fish and/or the filter. Sadly, I think that one [the biggest I had] is on its way out - seems like it is in its death throws so it is quarantined. I never tried to figure out what kind of shrimp they were beyond "ghost" but they are great. Eat decaying leaves and when I feed my betta his blood worms they go crazy for them. So awesome to watch them eat. In short, I would say that they are great in planted freshwater tanks. But always, with a grain of salt: I am still new at this and am by no means an expert.