Thinking of setting up a shrimp tank?

[zachjohnson65]

Ok my wife has asked me to set a shrimp tank. (the first tank she has asked me to set up!!!). I have a 10G sitting around.
1. Are glass/cherry shrimp the only ones that could fit in a 10g. OR could i use a larger variety? I know she will want activity and some color.
2. I know i will need some plants, (java, moss) What else could i put in to try it my hands at slow growing/low light plants?
3. With some plants in mind what substrate to use. I have normal rounded gravel, pool sand on hand. OR should i due plant substrate?
4. Could a dwarf african frog live with shrimp.
5. What filter to use: hang on back, sponge, small internal?
6. How do shrimp ship. My LFS only have algae eating shrimp.
7. what is the life span on shrimp?
Sorry for all the basic questions. Thanks in advance Zach

 

[msjinkzd]

1. Are glass/cherry shrimp the only ones that could fit in a 10g. OR could i use a larger variety? I know she will want activity and some color. You could do a variety, just be sure that they cannot interbreed. I like cherries because they reproduce readily (you could easily go from 10 to 100 in a couple of months). There are many color variations available if the cherry shrimp are not your favorite. Here is a shrimp compatability chart: http://www.planetinverts.com/Will%20These%20Shrimp%20Interbreed.html
2. I know i will need some plants, (java, moss) What else could i put in to try it my hands at slow growing/low light plants? Anything really, I stick with low-light low maintenance plants because I dont' want to have to use ferts and co2. I have anubias, java fern, hornwort, moss (java moss walls), lace java fern, and anacharis in my shrimp tanks.
3. With some plants in mind what substrate to use. I have normal rounded gravel, pool sand on hand. OR should i due plant substrate? Any of those will be fine. I use gravel and have gotten some ecocomplete to try out as well.
4. Could a dwarf african frog live with shrimp. With enough cover it would probably work as they are not very proficient hunters. That being said, they would probably try and eat juvenile shrimp.
5. What filter to use: hang on back, sponge, small internal?Sponge filter is best for an invert only tank as the baby shrimp do not get sucked into them.
6. How do shrimp ship. My LFS only have algae eating shrimp. Shrimp do very well when shipped as juveniles. There are severlar people selling them in the classifieds here. Usually they are shipped with a small amount of plant (moss, etc) in water in an insulated and (this time of year) heated box.
7. what is the life span on shrimp?I believe the life span is 1-1.5 years...someone correct me if I am wrong.


Hope this helps!

 

[DarrylR]

Mine bred, and now I finally have shrimplets so this is my experience.


1. Certain species of glass shrimp will need brackish water for the larvae to grow. Cherry shrimp red will breed and flourish without having to change the water.
2. Any plant really.
3. Shrimp aren't really picky, I have Flourite in mine to induce plant growth. Gravel should be fine and you can use fertilizers. I use searchem flourish with no shrimp deaths.
4. ADF might eat shrimp, they do snap at anything that move their mouth. So that is really a 50/50 chance, plus they might eat ya shrimplets.
5. I have a 20 gallon Top Fin hang on the side filter with a sponge on the intake.
6. The algae shrimp might be Amano and will need brackish to grow larvae, but grown amanos can live in freshwater.
7. Shrimp don't live that long, older shrimp may have a few months on them. Juvies up to a year or more.

Make sure to keep the tank covered, or you might have cripsy critters. Also to have a heater in your tank around 72. My tank is around 78 even though the heater is at 75 but my dual 25 watt on the 10 gallon seems to be heating up the tank more.

Heres my tank-

 

[zachjohnson65]

thanks for the input. The algae eating shrimp was simular size/Color to glass shrimp with longer arms and slender pinchers.
The picutre post was helpfull, does anyone else have a picture of their 10g shrimp tank?

 

[StereoKills]

Msjinkzd and Darrylr seemed to cover it pretty well. You can check out the link in my signature for my red cherry shrimp tank's journal.