Convert to Inverts

cockroach

cockroach

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Feb 15, 2010
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The Chungle Taiwan
Sorry this might be lengthy but I want to get it right if I decide to do it.

I have a 20gal marine tank that I am tired of and was looking at getting something other than just fish. So looking at inverts. Been reading up online and a lot of good info on here so now for the Q&A from you guys.

After "tinkering" with the tank I will get it up to 30g. It will be 60cm x 41cm x 41cm. I want to use cork to create a second maybe third level at the back covered in moss and algae. The tank has a custom 13g sump on it so the filtration should be enough.

For hiding places I will use pvc piping. What size would I need to house the species listed below at adult size.

The species I am thinking of getting are:Procambarus Clarkii-white, blue and orange
Atyopsis moluccensis (Bamboo Shrimp)- if possible to house together.
Then I would put ghost shrimp in as well. It would be OK if the are eaten As I buy them weekly as food.
What would be a good showpiece fish or pair of fish to go with these? I was thinking maybe dwarf gouramis or something "flashy" colorful.

1. What would be the best substrate? Regular gravel with a grain diameter of about 2-3mm?
2. Would I be able to keep my 50/50 white/actinic or should I change it for a daylight bulb?
3. Is there any special feeding I will need to do for the bamboo shrimp.

Thanks in advance and I will ask more questions as they arise and answer any you may have.

 
You have a neat idea! However, from what I have heard, Procambarus clarkii is VERY aggressive, and you would not be able to have anything else in with them. Instead, I would go with dwarf crayfish, who are much more peaceful. Plus, you could breed them, and make a few bucks!
Also, if you go with the peaceful dwarf crays, you could put in some rockin' dwarf shrimp, like cherries, tigers, etc.
 
Thanks for the reply Bio.

I am all game for the dwarf crays and that was going to be my next question, if these would be a better option.

Some more questions.
How many dwarf crays in my tank. I was hoping to get 4-6. I will have about 8 hiding holes with only 1 entrance so it can be defended if need be and "private" for molting.
Can any shrimp such as CRS be kept with CPO.
 
BUMP. No one? msJinkzd? All you other invertophiles?
 
Not sure why this thread is falling through the cracks, lol. I will try to answer some more questions, and hopefully some others will chime in as well.

1. Substrate can be any size, whatever you prefer. For small critters like shrimp, I prefer to use a sand or a very fine gravel. I feel like it looks more natural when they are on it, and that large gravel dwarfs them.
2. Any bulb should be fine, as far as I know.
3. As I'm sure you know, bamboo shrimp feed from the water column. It can be hard to supplement them without getting stuff all over the tank. It is best to just put them in a well matured tank, which should provide enough food. I also feed the fish in my tank live microworms, and I believe that the bamboo shrimp enjoys those. I have also heard of people using BBS for them. Be careful supplementing too much, or you will get the tank dirty.
4. 4-6 would be fine in a 20 gal. Personally, I would try to get a couple different kinds, just to add interest. My FAVORITE are the dwarf orange crayfish. They are so bright! I know that MsJinkzd sells two kinds.
5. Yes! Shrimp and dwarf crays will be fine together. I would get a caridina and a neocaridina species, so you can have different looking shrimp that will not interbreed.

Don't forget snails too! I would get some nerites (they are sooooo pretty), brig snails and rabbit snails. If you choose a sand substrate, make sure you get malaysian trumpet snails. They love to dig, and will keep the substrate stirred up for you.
 
Definite on the MTS. I finally got a steady colony in my 55 going and they do wonders.
Were do you get your ghost shrimp. If you can, get together some info on shrimp identification. I have found that many species are sold as ghost shrimp and are different in behavior. I got some that I am still not sure about. They are about 1.25" and are clear but they like to eat fry and even my male guppies' tales. I lost a nice one to them.
Also, keep an eye out for hunters, some have eaten others during molting.
You might also consider some vertical structures like jungle vals and such for more surface area for the shrimp to roam.
 
I know about the bamboo shrimp and plan on adding them only once the tank is mature.

I will be looking at getting different kinds as a species tank can be a bit less interesting.

My personal info does not show it (don't know why) but I am not in America, I am in Taiwan, and so will not be able to buy from msjinkzd. :D Also the ghost shrimp I get are feeder shrimp and cost about $1.10 for more than 100.

Snails I will definitely be adding. Which ones exactly not sure but love nerites and have a few already, MTS would be nice. and for this I will use a finer substrate.

The vertical surface I will use is a centre piece of driftwood and the back walls will be turned into a moss wall which I might even do to the 2 sides as well. They will also have cork to climb up which I will use to create the different levels.

The bulb I was worried more about for the plants and moss than the crays but I might just swap out the actinic for a dayglo.
 
Be wary of putting different cambarellus species in the same tank - they may hybridize which is generally undesirable.

A daylight bulb is definitely better for plants. I swapped the actinic bulb that came with one of my fixtures for a daylight bulb.

Dwarf crays are cool critters. :) They love perching in the weeds.
 
^ When I said different crays because a species tank is boring, I have come to realize all the colors I want and in fact the same species and just different colors.

If I had say 2 of each, blue, orange and white, would they cross breed readily like angels or would the seek out their own variety? Sorry about the silly questions but want to know exactly what I am getting into her.

Which plants besides moss, java fern and cryptcorne grow easily without CO2, high lighting, and will be beneficial towards the shrimp?

My tanks get really warm in summer around 30C. Would this damage the crays in anyway?
 
I believe that if you let different-colored crays of the same species interbreed then the resulting offspring will likely be brown in color.

I grow a lot of ludwigia repens (at least I think that's what it is) and hygrophilia difformis (wisteria) very well without CO2 or high lighting.
 
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