Newbie with Red Cherry Shrimps, need help asap!

[boobiebutt]

many people have started dry tanks for shrimp. What I mean is they take filter media and a healthy portion of substrate from an established tank, along with some live plants, place it right in the tank and let the shrimp go. When I say established, I mean cycled with plenty of biofilm. This is a less than ideal way to start a shrimp tank but then again this is a less than ideal situation you have. The idea is to get as much biofilm into your new tank as possible to kickstart the cycle.

How many shrimp do you have? I found a similar thread with an Eheim 2213 in a 10g and the person was advised to just aim the outtake at a wall about 5 inches away to diffuse the flow (the thread). It still sounds pretty strong if your shrimp are caught up in the flow. I know you said you didn't want to spring for a new filter if you could help it but consider a sponge filter like this Hydro Sponge 1, especially if you have a spare air pump laying around. You can also find quite a few DIY instructions for sponge filters if you're the handy type.

Be aware that while your shrimp can survive this Dry Start method the tank will be like a desert for them. Normally shrimp will constanly graze on infusoria in an established, cycled, mature tank. Since your tank isn't set up yet, there's not yet any infusoria. If you do try this Dry Start, be sure to keep up with frequent partial water changes. Best of luck to you and keep us updated, please

edit: borrow media and substrate from the unmedicated betta tank, and don't worry about the finrot as far as the shrimp are concerned (no fins means no finrot)

I believe I got 1/2 a dozen shrimp and 1 of them is berried. And I do have a spare air pump and I'll use the 2213 until the sponge filter arrives.

I do not have many plants except some small amounts of java ferm, a crap load of flame moss, and a few huge marimo balls. I guess the 'dry start' is better then waiting for the tank to fully cycle on it's own. I will attempt the 'dry start' tomorrow with the flame moss and marimo balls. Would it be fine to add liquid bacteria stuff like API Stress Zime with shrimp in the tank to help jump boost the cycle?

What about putting the shrimp in the unmedicated tank?

I think betta's eat shrimp.


I'll check this thread early tomorrow morning (I hope I manage to get up early). G-night everyone! Thanks again to everyone. =)


EDIT:

Do you have a hardness test kit? If those shrimp have been through the mail and are staying in that sealed bag overnight, the ammonia in that bag will have been building up this whole time, but won't be as toxic because of the CO2. Once you open that bag, the CO2 will be replaced by oxygen, which will make that ammonia toxic pretty quick. Drip acclimation may not be the best way to acclimate them since it's a slow, gradual process. In the case of shipped critters, it's sometimes best to float and dump (float the sealed bag in the tank so the temp stabilizes, then scoop the shrimp from the bag to the tank, excluding any water from the bag). The reason I asked if you had a hardness test kit is that float and dump is not advised if there is a vast difference in hardness between the bag water and the tank water.

That said, I got my own red cherries before I learned that it's better to float and dump shipped fish. Not knowing any better, I drip acclimated the shrimp and not one died from the process. Take what you want from that, I just felt that I should pass on this info.

Yes I have a hardness test kit. I have the Tetra Master Test Kit (http://www.bigalsonline.com/edealin...684&siId=1379248&catParentID=18538&scId=18538) and I have a seperate API Nitrate test kit (http://www.bigalsonline.com/edealin...684&siId=1380998&catParentID=18541&scId=18541). Links for reference.

I will test the water and attempt this method. Thank you for the information on your experiences.

 

[pik01]

the ferns, moss and marimo balls sound perfect. I've never used stress zyme or any liqiud bacteria before, and I keep hearing good things about SuperBac, but I don't like to use chemicals unless they're absolutely necessary.

 

[boobiebutt]

Okay, I know I keep saying I'm going to sleep and I'll do this stuff in the morning. But as I floated the shrimp bag in the unmedicated tank, I noticed baby shrimp swimming around!!!!! *excited* but I'm scared if they will survive.. Do baby shrimp eat the same stuff as the adult shrimp? If I break up an algae wafer or is sinking algae pellets too large for baby shrimp?

 

[pik01]

they eat the same thing as adult shrimp and will do fine with the wafers but first and foremost is getting them into an environment they can survive in. Talk about being born in adverse conditions Congrats!

 

[missmeliss]

you dont want to stress the sick betta too much... i dont know how many shrimp you were given but 1 or 2 things could happen... the betta could eat them(most likely) or you could stress him out and he will get worse and fast...if you dont mind taking the risk of a few casualties you can try to put them in the un-medicated tank but take them out if the betta shows signs of distress- or snacking haha... good luck and you may have to do more water changes with them in the 2.5 G because you will be raising the ammonia level by increasing the load in the tank..

 

[boobiebutt]

Today's update.

I spent majority of my time today washing flourite black sand for the 10 gallon. (Very time consuming =|). I did stop by the pet store and bought API Stress Zime, but the store was out of Bettafix or Macaryn 2 and sponge filters. Does anyone know if those medications can be mixed with the Jungle Fungus Clear to treat fin rot? I will go to another pet store in the area tomorrow to see if I can locate those items and another thermometer for the shrimp tank. I also forgot to look for algae wafers while I was there. I also noticed I don't have enough sand to fill the bottom of the 10 gallon so I'll need to find more tomorrow as well. Shrimps are still in the shipping bag floating in the unmedicated betta tank. =|

I also got swamped with a lot of family errands today which took a lot of time away from setting up the tank. Hopefully the 'dry start' will be complete tomorrow afternoon/evening after I get out of class.

you dont want to stress the sick betta too much... i dont know how many shrimp you were given but 1 or 2 things could happen... the betta could eat them(most likely) or you could stress him out and he will get worse and fast...if you dont mind taking the risk of a few casualties you can try to put them in the un-medicated tank but take them out if the betta shows signs of distress- or snacking haha... good luck and you may have to do more water changes with them in the 2.5 G because you will be raising the ammonia level by increasing the load in the tank..

They are still sealed in the shipping bag just floating in the tank. They are not roaming free due to the reason you mentioned above. I don't want them being eaten or dying.

 

[boobiebutt]

Semi-Update.

I searched and called 10-15 pet/fish stores within a 40 mile radius of my school/house and none of them carry any flourite black sand except 2 stores will have it tomorrow. I did find/buy Hikari algae wafers and I took pik01's suggestion and bought a small breeder trap so the shrimp can at least be out of the bag and the betta can't get at the shrimp. This will serve as a temperary home until I can locate more sand, clean the sand, and finish setting up the 10 gallon tank. I assume there should be some biofilm in the betta tank for the shrimp since I've had a betta in the tank for at least 2-3+ months.

I just tested whe water parameters for the tank I'm going to be putting the breeder trap into and I'm not too sure how to read or figure out the results but my pH is approx 8.3, GH is aout 4.5-5, and the KH is about 2.5-3.

Are those parameters okay for the shrimp to survive in? I did not want to open the bag and test the water in the bag to see if the hardness is the same because I fear what happened to pik01 with the oxygen making the ammonia toxic or whatever. Is GH or KH the hardness or what do each of them stand for?

 

[boobiebutt]

Okay so I just netted the shrimp/java moss that came with it into the breeding trap.

I found out I tested the pH wrong by looking at the saltwater chart instead of the freshwater chart but here is a table of the water parameter specs .

My tank: pH 7.5-8, GH 4.5, KH 2.5
The water from the shrimp bag: pH 8, GH 7, KH 8

I hope that isn't too much of a 'shock' for the shrimp but they are swimming around happily as I can tell at the moment. The pregnant shrimp is even climbing the sides of the breeder net above the water line (not sure if that's good or not), but she came down and started to swim around again. I added a marimo ball into the breeder net so they have more hiding places.

Hopefully I can find more flourite black sand tomorrow and finish the 'dry start'.

I'll update tomorrow.

 

[leeser28]

I've been wondering how they're doing. I'm glad to hear they're doing OK. Keep us updated! Lisa

 

[Hollygirl]

I don't have any advice since I'm currently setting up a shrimp tank of my own. Your thread is educational for the rest of us so thank you for keeping us posted with updates.