Ghost shrimp

Shelly · 01-02-2003, 2:11 AM

I have a 29 gallon and would like to add some ghost shrimp I posted in this forum because I thought it was the closest since there really isnt a like water critter forum...But anyways

I have a\

1 minnow
fancy guppies
two platys
and one small oranda.....Would a ghost shrimp be compatible??

And could some be kept with a small pleco and neon tetras in ten gal.

OrionGirl · 01-02-2003, 8:24 AM

Yep to both. The oranda might suck down a few--not sure about their preference for food that moves. Otherwise, they'll do fine.

One thing--these are often bred for feeders. So, they aren't kept in the best environments. I would rinse them before adding them to your tank to reduce the odds they'll bring something nasty in with them. Also, watch them carefully for 1-2 days, and pull out any dead ones so they don't foul your tank.

Ozalie · 01-02-2003, 1:32 PM

I've had ghost shrimp in a 5g and have had trouble keeping them alive! I do feed them to my pitus cats and as OrionGirl said they are considered as food to most!
So just remember how many you bought and do a head count daily,since most may die.

Shelly · 01-02-2003, 1:46 PM

Thanks for the inf

One more thing
~How do I "rinse" them off??

OrionGirl · 01-02-2003, 2:24 PM

Using an empty bucket, pour the shrimp from the bag into a net (like you use for the fish in your tanks). Then use some de-chlorinated water and pour through the net a few times. This rinses all the old water off of them, and hopefully any nasties as well. They can survive being out of water for a few minutes, easily.

Shelly · 01-02-2003, 6:50 PM

Alright....One thing I'd like to add tho about them...I was at another website and they said that my 29 gallon was "over cramped" and of course got the same story to get rid of the pleco which i need to add I will trade him when he is too big but he def not aggressive...

I keep to the one inch of fish per gallon..My guppies are all under a inch or at the most a inch and my platies are a inch and I know my oranda will get bigger but by that time my guppies will be diminishing. A goldfish only needs 20 gallons per goldfish, and the guppiess platy and one minnow add to about 10 inches...And the goldfish is still under three inches.

But anyways this other forum said that I would only be able to put in 3 or 4 ghost shrimp to each.

Sound right?

OrionGirl · 01-03-2003, 8:19 AM

Ghost shrimp add very little to your bio-load, especially when compared to a goldie. They actually help clean up the tank byy eating any food the fish miss.

Having said that, realize that the one inch of fish per gallon rule is complete bunk. How can 10 one inch neons produce the same waste as one ten inch oscar? It's not logical. Furthermore, how much and what you're feeding, the temperature, how frequently you do water changes, etc, all make a huge difference as well.

Bio-load is the sum of the waste production of each fish in your tank. Small, light bodied fish produce less waste than large, thick bodied fish. Right now, your tank is heading for some problems based on several factors. 1) the bio-load will eventually be pretty heavy as all your fish mature. 2) You have fish which have very different water preferences (orandas prefer slightly cooler waters, guppies like harder water, depending onthe pecies of minnow it likely prefers cooler waters as well, the pleco will be okay in most waters).

If these were my fish, I would get rid of the pleco and get one of a species that will stay smaller. I'd separate out the guppies--thye'll over populate the tank, given the chance. If you have no need for the babies, keep the boys away from the girls. Ditto for the platies, if you have a male and female. They'd like a tank with hard water, at about 78. The oranda will need a large tank, and the temp should stay around 70.

Shelly · 01-03-2003, 1:39 PM

Okay thanx for the info....

I know I will be bringing the pleco back....And could I move my goldfish to the ten gallon??

If I got rid of the oranda and pleco could I leave the neon tetras in the ten gallon as a species tank>?

Shelly · 01-04-2003, 12:05 AM

Also...

Could I keep my 8 neon tetras in a 5 gallon tank by themselves??

Put oranda in ten gallon

Keep two platies 5 gups, one minnow and add coryduras catfish and ghost shrimp in 29 G.