Getting some RCS soon!

[pbmax]

You should cover your filter intake with something - a sponge, netting (I use tulle), panty-hose, what have you. Most fish, even if they're not big enough to eat the adults, will eat baby shrimp. Some will pick at the adults until they die. That doesn't mean it will happen in your case, but be aware that it's a possibility.

I drip-acclimate all new critters that I get - fish or shrimp. But yes, in my experience, acclimation is pretty much the same as with fish.

 

[Madilyn]

Okay, I'm all prepared for tomorrow. They should be here tomorrow because they didn't come today. I will put a sponge over the filter intake and see how that works, and if not I'll use pany-hose like I did with my guppy fry when I first started getting into gups.
I have decided to leave the 10g tank all to the shrimp... for now at least. If I have some very young fry that are too small to eat the shrimplets I might put them in there. I am so excited!

And thanks for the quick response, pbmax!

 

[pbmax]

I kept my RCS with my guppy fry at first, until I realized that they ate almost all of my first batch of shrimplets. I took all the fry out after that and I started seeing baby shrimp survive. My berried females didn't hide anymore after that.

Best of luck! RCS are very cool critters.

 

[bradlgt21]

If you go to the local fish store and find filter sponge you can use that. It's the very coarse sponge that people use in there filters for the first level of mechanical filtration. Take one and a sharp knife and cut a thin slit in the middle of a skinny end. Then push the filter intake it it until the whole thing is covered then trim around it. This will work great and shrimp love grazing on the stuff that gets stuck on it.

Also a shrimp only tank really looks so much better then a shrimp and fish tank. They hide and barely ever swim with fish above. I am going to try Chili Rasbora's once they are done quarentine in mine. They are about the same size as the cherry shrimp if not smaller so I don't think it will be a big issue.

 

[Madilyn]

I kept my RCS with my guppy fry at first, until I realized that they ate almost all of my first batch of shrimplets.

LOL! At least the guppy fry got a good boost of live food. LOL!

But betta fry would be okay at first, right? They are so tiny some people can't even see them.

 

[Madilyn]

Brad, I found an old sponge that was attached to a wooden handle and the other end was an algae scraper, but the sponge had fallen off the one end. It fit perfectly over the intake of the filter.

Going to go get some pictures of the tank/setup and see what you guys think.

 

[pbmax]

But betta fry would be okay at first, right? They are so tiny some people can't even see them.

As long as they're too small to munch on 2mm shrimplets, you should be fine.

 

[Madilyn]

Okay here are some pics of the 10gal.

The sponge on the filter (*get out of the way betta fry.*):

The heater...

Some hornwort... such a cute plant.

The sand and some Java Moss... Is the sand deep enough for RCS? Do they like to dig?

And finally the whole tank.

What do you think? Do I have any changes to make? Any suggestions? I think the temp is 75* or around there. Oh, and the bettas are going to be booted out of the tank when I get the RCS.

 

[Madilyn]

Oh yeah betta fry are much smaller than that, max.

 

[Madilyn]

I have another question! My pH is off the chart... should I lower it before introducing them into the tank, or do they do fine in high pH?