freshwater shrimp questions......

[rocker92]

i want some shrimp....what is the smallest tank possable?????i would like something 5gal or under.....and i want the glass,square tanks like a smaller version of a normal glass 10gal.!!!!! and also what kind of shrimp would be easist?????

thanks!!

[saram521]

Cherry shrimp are the best shrimp for beginners to keep, seeing how hardy they are. They also breed heavily, meaning they need some space to grow. Five gallons is the smallest size tank you want to use for a shrimp tank. Shrimp are sensitive to nitrate/nitrite/ammonia levels, and a smaller tank will build these levels up more quickly.

[rocker92]

could i find a 5gal. glass in a petstore????? i want something like a mini 10gal. style and also, could i use it as a small fry grow-out tank???????

[DarrylR]

I seen 5.5 gallon tanks at Petsmart and Petco. These are the rectangular prism like the 10 gallon and up.

[rocker92]

bump

[NickD]

Red cherry are the easiest to keep and also pretty easy to find. The same species (Neocaridina heteropoda) also comes in yellow and white variations which are just as easy to keep as the reds. But don't mix different colors in a tank or they'll breed back to their wild color form which is brownish/clear. The different color variations have been produced by selective breeding.

This species does breed quite easily so a couple of months are you get your shrimp you'll have a lot more.

You'll also need a heater and filter for the tank.

There are a number of people on this forum who sell this species. I bought some yellow ones back in September and they're breeding like crazy.

[Damodred]

I have ~30 RCS in my 5.5gal 'hex' (it's kind of a funny hex) and they seem to be thriving. They're very active, especially when the zucchini hits the water! :D

[H3D]

The same species (Neocaridina heteropoda) also comes in yellow and white variations which are just as easy to keep as the reds.

If by by white you are referring to "snowball" shrimp then they are not the same species.

"Snowballs" are Neocaridina cf. zhangjiajiensis

[yikesjason]

if you just want to try some shrimp out before looking for cherries, you can normally find ghost shrimp at petsmart for around 33 cents.

[NickD]

If by by white you are referring to "snowball" shrimp then they are not the same species.

"Snowballs" are Neocaridina cf. zhangjiajiensis

Yes, I was. Thanks for the correction. But if I'm not mistaken, their care is about the same as the red cherries.

[tennesseemom]

I have 6 snowballs in a 2.5 gallon (looks just like the 10 gallon only smaller :)) next to my bed for about a year. No breeding going on as they are all males. Sand substrate, little bitty log we found at the lake, and some java moss and bits of marimo ball make up the tank. Small, but everyone is happy! Also doubles as a place to put endler fry in when necessary.

[H3D]

Yes, I was. Thanks for the correction. But if I'm not mistaken, their care is about the same as the red cherries.

Yes. Their care is very similar as they are the same genus.

[rocker92]

thanks everyone!!!!!

[Octavarium]

I had a nano 5 that was excellent for cherries. Added small piece of driftwood with some java moss and fern.

[rocker92]

i might buy myself a 30gal. for Christmas!!!!! and i might set up one of my 10gals. as a shrimp/fry grow-out tank!!!!!!

[Bettacreek]

Be careful mixing shrimp with fish. I had endler fry that gobbled down my blue shrimp. The fry were all 1/4" or less, the shrimp were all over 1/2". :/

[rocker92]

i might have to expriment with that!!!! see if/what fish will attack shrimp...even if the fish are fry!!!!!

[Yadokari]

I don't know why you'd want to bother saving endler fry anyway. They pop out more than you'll ever want and can get rid of, so it's best to just leave them in the same tank to fend for themselves. Keeps shrimp happy and safe too :-)