View Full Version : Using shrimp to clean UGF?
Matak
04-18-2003, 10:12 PM
I have a 40 watt idea. What if I released a couple of Amano shrimp under the plate of my RFUGF?
Would it:
1) Be humane (too dark, enough food etc?)
2) Be effective? Would they eat whatever builds up under a UGF plate? Would what they excrete be just as much a problem?
Tim Bo
04-19-2003, 6:27 AM
I do not consider that to be very humane since it seems a shame to me to hide them from sight and deprive them of 'free' movement. I also don't think they would be more effective than manually cleaning it once a year...
Amanos eat more or less what fish eat, if you include alage eaters in fish. What makes you think they will eat any of the humus/compost under the filter plate? I don't think they would have any effect.
As far a movement is concerned, I think they would have a fair amount of room to move in a 12" X 12" X 3/4" area, but I am concerned about treating them humanely. As far as what they eat, I thought they ate algae, decomposed food and decomposed vegetative matter.
It was really just an idea and I was hoping for knowledgable responses like yours.
OK, there is the misunderstanding - the shrimp will eat algae, leftover fish food (for which they will compete with the fish, so 'left-over" may not apply), and any dying plant parts. The decomposed food or plant materials is food only for a few bacteria and fungi.