Opinion: Ghost shrimp affecting bioload

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nerdyguy83

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May 11, 2006
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Erie, PA, US
I have to leave town for the month of June and unfortunately there is no way I can bring the tank (both because I would have little place to keep it and there's no sense stressing out all of the fish). I'm training a friend to clean the tank, test the water, feed the fish, etc. (it's a risk, I know).

My question is this: If I were to buy a ghost shrimp, would this have a positive effect on the bioload in the sense that it would eat a lot of fallen flakes and whatnot (since this person will probably overfeed a little) and make careful gravel vacing slightly less important or would it increase the bioload, make the tank unstable, and endanger all the fish with a complete newb at the helm?

If you think it will have a positive effect, would it be even better if I get 2 shrimp instead of just one?
 

mtiller

wolf-pac
Jun 29, 2005
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Georgia, United States
i'd suggest about 5-10 for a 10g i have 14 in total, with the four (three females, two with eggs, one without, one male, the other one jumped out and died lol...) others in my 10g. you would want a pretty good clean up crew for a month. i'd suggest gettin those, or maybe even a pigmy cory to help too.
 

RTR

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Oct 5, 1998
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Braddock Heights, MD
One ounce of ghosts will have the same effect on bioload as one ounce of guppies, or any other fish. Mass counts. Mass uses oxygen and releases CO2 and ammonia. If it is alive and eats and breathes, it is bioload.
 

nerdyguy83

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May 11, 2006
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Erie, PA, US
I understand that the shrimp will have a bioload. I'm just wondering if they will eat enough debris in my tank to have a positive effect. Waste material is more likely to get sucked up by the filter and be taken care of than some flake debris, brine shrimp, or blood worms that go uneaten. I'm looking for a net improvement in bioload when you factor in that gravel vacs will probably be sub-par and over-feeding may occur while i'm gone. I may also look into the pygmy cories that were suggested earlier. Anyone else have other suggestions for good gravel cleaners?
 
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mooman

Scratch my belly Human!
Mar 8, 2005
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What about the difference in the metabolisms of inverts vs verts? It's a pretty accepted practice in marine tanks that you can put all the shrimp and crabs you want without having a significant effect on bioload. Of course the only way to know for sure would be to measure thier respiration rates using some pretty sophisticated lab equipment, but I'm of the opinion that one ounce of shrimp contributes no where near the bioload that an ounce of fish does.

That being said, I would'nt put a bunch in there. What if one dies and is left to decompose behind a plant? I don't see any reason not to add one or two, but I'm sure your tank will be fine without them. I would only have your friend feed the tank two or three days a week. The decrease in nutrient inport (feeding) should make up for any deficiancy in nutrient export (gravel vacs)
 

wesleydnunder

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Dec 11, 2005
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Mark
You can also use a 7-day medication box, pre-measure the food into each compartment and have your friend only feed what's marked for a given day. The one I use has 28 separate compartments, 7 days split into four different times, I just put tape over the stamped day and time, and write the date of feeding on the tape. You can buy them at walmart for a couple bucks or at a pharmacy for a little more.

Mark
 

nerdyguy83

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May 11, 2006
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Erie, PA, US
Scratch the bioload part of the question. It is going to be my mother feeding and taking care of the fish (commuter college student, not 30-something guy still living at home). Regardless of what I tell her, she is going to overfeed the fish because "they look hungry" or something like that. I need something to eat the scraps of food on the bottom of the tank that will undoubtedly be there at least until the next gravel vac otherwise. Which is better at scouring the bottom: ghost shrimp, pygmy cories (keeping in mind that I don't have enough room in the tank to support a small school, so it will be two or three of them), or something else?
 

TheZoo

Curiouser and curiouser!
Apr 12, 2006
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melting in Houston, TX
Might be better to just thoughrouly explain to your mother how much and how often YOU feed the fish, and why. Have her feed them a few times while you are there. HAve her feed only every other day, if you are still concerned. Who knows, she might get into fishkeeping too! I wouldnt depend on a shrimp/fish to keep the tank from getting gunky, but shrimp ARE fun additions in a tnak (im getting some ghosts,maybe cherries, soon), as are cories. If you go with cories, I recomend panda or peppered, as they stay small and are pretty good scavengers.
 
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TheZoo

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Apr 12, 2006
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melting in Houston, TX
Off topic: NerdyGuy, what do you do for fry control? Im drowning in guppies over here!!
 
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