Shrimp Newbie-to-be. soft+acidic set with shrimps?

E

eylk

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Aug 5, 2007
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Hello,

is there a way to put shrimps in a planted, soft, acidic driftwood set up?

Main reason is that I want to get a pair of German Rams!

if I can provide them (shrimps) with enough magnesium and calcium, will that cut it? Then I am also concered about the KH and PH. If i were to driftwood ,
peat moss and all the 'buffers' for a soft/acidic set up... the mag and cal is really going to be a problem right?

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Also, I have API testkit tubes (5ml I believe), might be switching to Sera,
are the test tubes the same in capacity? so that I can re-use them..

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Lastly, TDS. total dissolved salts. I really really am confused with this topic. so i just want to know. Can I do a 90% PWC , perhaps every 2 - 3 months to reset the TDS so I dont have to worry about the positive and negative charges of ion to cations to electrolyes to...

Thanks
 
Most Cherry Shrimps would benefit being in a planted tank. But, the GBRs are gonna eat eat fry and adults. It would be a risk. Unless you have tons of plants and mosses for them to hide in, I'd just set-up a small little tank for them. Most RCS are fine with whatever (as long as it's not extreme) water. You should do weekly water changes not 90% ever 2-3 months.
 
the GBRs will eat them? oh no..

what about the shrimps living in a acidic, soft condition?

I am doing 20% PWC every weeks for my tanks.. what i mean is a 90% to flush out TDS every 2 - 3 mths

thanks
 
eylk said:
the GBRs will eat them? oh no..

what about the shrimps living in a acidic, soft condition?

I am doing 20% PWC every weeks for my tanks.. what i mean is a 90% to flush out TDS every 2 - 3 mths

thanks
Click to expand...

I think generally, RCS are good in soft, acidic conditions. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Oh, then that 90% is fine. But, not really sure what TDS is. Sorry.
 
I would wait until an "expert" comes on and visits this thread, any "shelled" animals shouldn't have "soft" water, I believe. I know there are the caridina species that like a lower ph (I think) but they still require "hard" water to keep their shells from pitting. I could totally be wrong on this but it's best to wait for someone who would know for sure =)
 
A link from Planet Inverts:

http://www.planetinverts.com/Red%20Cherry%20Shrimp.html

This is what they said abotu water parameters.
Water Parameters

The Red Cherry Shrimp can be housed in many different water parameters. I have kept them in a pH range from 6.0 to 8.0, soft and hard water, temperatures from 72F to 84F and in many different soils like ADA Aquasoil and normal gravel. It is common knowledge that the Red Cherry Shrimp can live in almost any freshwater aquarium given that the tank is habitable and does not contain predators of course. Some have even reported putting them in ponds and in filterless tanks which I dont recommend however. In other words, the Red Cherry Shrimp is the hardiest shrimp in the freshwater aquarium shrimp hobby.
Click to expand...
 
Just so there is no confusion:

crystal red shrimp (CRS) -> soft, acidic, slightly cooler water
red cherry shrimp (RCS) -> harder, more alkaline, slightly warmer water

Apparently there is a middle ground that works for both; they can be haused together and they will not interbreed. Both species are just as tasty to rams.

I keep CRS in 140ppm, pH 6.5, jungle setup, with driftwood, at about 75F.

cheers,
wm_crash, the friendly hooligan
 
wm_crash said:
Just so there is no confusion:

crystal red shrimp (CRS) -> soft, acidic, slightly cooler water
red cherry shrimp (RCS) -> harder, more alkaline, slightly warmer water

Apparently there is a middle ground that works for both; they can be haused together and they will not interbreed. Both species are just as tasty to rams.

I keep CRS in 140ppm, pH 6.5, jungle setup, with driftwood, at about 75F.

cheers,
wm_crash, the friendly hooligan
Click to expand...

Yes, Crystal Red Shrimps and Red Cherry Shrimps are two different species. I know someone (and probably more people do) who have kept CRS and RCS together.
 
wait a sec...

Chrisinator, so the quote that you got from planetinvert says that red cherry shrimps, in the narrator's experience can live is soft and 6.0 waters.. while wm_crash
is really quite saying the opposite..

however, i guess what really matters is that BOTH will be tasty to the RAMs. looks like i have to change some of my further inhabitants...

BTW, crystal shrimps are the more expensive ones right? *edit* <----- ok forget i asked. I just got the answer from plantinverts. i should read more b4 i ask. haha

thanks
 
I have had my Red Cherry shrimps live in acidic conditions (pH of about 6.4ish) and do just just fine. As long as you have GH of about 3 or 4 they should be okay IMO. I also had them with a pair of GBRs that I was trying to breed but was unsuccessful with the eggs hatching. I was looking at TDS as being the trouble but was told by someone much more knowledgeable that I would need to increase the temps and treat the GBRs water as Discus and that TDS is not all that important for GBR eggs to hatch. I have not retried to breed the Rams because my tank is tied up with another project. The GBRs cleaned out my baby shrimpletts and pretty much left the adult RCS alone. Just my 2-cents.
 
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