|
Post by parker002 on Mar 22, 2010 8:58:22 GMT -5
We had a flower (bamboo) shrimp very early in our tank life, before we knew what we were doing. I always told my daughter that we'd get another when the tank was ready, and I think it's ready now.
I've removed all heavy metals via polyfilter and tested for copper (none present).
We went and looked at the LFS and they have smaller bamboo shrimp about 1" long that we like. But they also have ghost shrimp for 35-cents each.
I'm considering buying the ghost shrimp because of read that their larvae are a good food source for the bamboo shrimp (a filter feeder). Here are my questions:
Will my mollies (I have about 12) bother the ghost shrimp? I don't believe they'll bother the flower shrimp. How about white skirt or serpae tetras?
Are there any other concerns with compatibility with shrimp in a community tank? Any concerns about tank condition and/or food sources (my tank is pretty clean, almost no algae)?
Finally, how many shrimp should I get? We will probably only get one bamboo shrimp, but with ghost shrimp should I get 2? 6? 20?
|
|
|
Post by Suzie Q (Lori) on Mar 22, 2010 10:46:48 GMT -5
Ghost shrimp... Several things to hit on here...First off...do lots of research on what GHOST SHRIMP look like...some store carry Prawns (look like GS but get WAY bigger)...GS are predictors in themselves and will hunt down and eat the larva before they have time to develop into fry (this goes for anything small enough for them to catch and eat)...GS carry a parasite (Carl???) that you have to watch out for when buying them...GS are clear...so if you see even 1 GS in the tank that has a white ribbon through it's body...don't buy from that store...(I am not trying to talk you out of them...I like GS)...GS do not eat algae...they are scavengers so they will eat food that sinks to the bottom. Tank mates: this is where the issues may start...I have a 55g and at the time that I had GS in the tank...I had 5 Serpae Tetra's, 5 Black Skirt Tetra's and, 1 adult female in the tank...the fish did not bother her (as far as I could tell). You do have to provide hiding places for them when they molt (about once every month)...GS are usually a starter shrimp for those of us who now raise shrimp I have White Skirt's now too but no GS. I think the Mollie's would try and eat the GS (they are sold as a food source...this is why they are so cheap). If you think they are neat...I'd say go for it...if they live then great...if they don't...then your fish got a nice snack (at this point I don't think I'd get anymore unless you use them as a food source ). As far as How many...what size tank? I'd get probably 5 to 10...just don't overstock your tank Hmmmm I think I'm gonna make a trip to Walmart for GS Hope that helped
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Mar 22, 2010 14:06:46 GMT -5
Yeah, Wal Mart is selling the Ghost Shrimp for 35-cents as well. They're completely clear as far as I can tell. It's good to hear they are scavengers - my tank is just very clean and I don't plan to change that. I don't have any concerns about the bamboo shrimp, they get 2-3" long and we had one before that peacefully coexisted with the fish. I'm mostly interested in the Ghost Shrimp as a food source for the bamboo shrimp. But in order for that to work, I need the Ghost Shrimp to survive/thrive well enough to reproduce!
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Mar 22, 2010 14:12:21 GMT -5
oh and the tank is 55 gallons.
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Mar 22, 2010 14:36:46 GMT -5
GS carry a parasite (Carl???) that you have to watch out for when buying them This is the more diffiulct aspect IMO, as it is difficult to preventatively treat your tanks for parasits with Ghost Shrimp (or any shrimp present) Herbal Ich Attack is a reasonably effective treamtnet that is safe to use in the presence of shrimp. UV Sterilization is also helpful for prention, but is far from 100% for parasite prevention. Be careful with bamboo shrimp as these are primarily filter feeders and most aquariums do not provide adequate nutrition, although using a small baster or similar to get some Spirulina "slurry" to them can keep them healthy as long as you do not pollute the tank in the process. Carl
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Mar 22, 2010 14:40:38 GMT -5
GS carry a parasite (Carl???) that you have to watch out for when buying them This is the more diffiulct aspect IMO, as it is difficult to preventatively treat your tanks for parasits with Ghost Shrimp (or any shrimp present) Herbal Ich Attack is a reasonably effective treamtnet that is safe to use in the presence of shrimp. UV Sterilization is also helpful for prention, but is far from 100% for parasite prevention. Be careful with bamboo shrimp as these are primarily filter feeders and most aquariums do not provide adequate nutrition, although using a small baster or similar to get some Spirulina "slurry" to them can keep them healthy as long as you do not pollute the tank in the process. Carl So it's not that the shrimp themselves are a disease vector, necessarily? (At least not any more than introducing another fish would be.) It's that copper is toxic to them and thus limits available treatments if my fish get sick? I'm familiar with those risks and am ok with it at this point. Do you think a single bamboo shrimp would starve in my tank, with almost 30 fish and 55G of water? I would think he'd be ok.
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Mar 22, 2010 14:44:54 GMT -5
Regarding starvation, that was one of the reasons I was looking at the ghost shrimp. Supposedly, larval shrimp are an excellent food source for bamboo shrimp. But it doesn't sound like ghost shrimp are a good idea.
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Mar 22, 2010 15:09:37 GMT -5
This here seems to suggest that I have the wrong species. Do Ghost Shrimp produce planktonic larvae? theaquariumwiki.com/Atyopsis_moluccensisThey also mention starvation in a pristine tank. I think I might be screwed.
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Mar 22, 2010 15:15:47 GMT -5
If it helps, with two power filters, I have quite a bit of moving water in my tank. I would guess 30-40% of flake food makes it past the fish and into the water where it's swept up and down by the current until they finally eat it all. I would think a shrimp would have no trouble finding a place to feed in that kind of environment. Then again, there would have to be some kind of microscopic organisms in the water column for him to eat.
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Mar 22, 2010 20:06:39 GMT -5
Suzie Q can probably give the best answers being our resident shrimp expert (I have kept them as well as some others, but I have done little as to breeding or much else)
What I do know since much of my exposure has been care of others aquariums is sensitivity to medications, and this is not just Copper sulfate.
A few other meds to be careful of around shrimp: *Formalin *Nitrofurazone
These next ones are OK in half doses, but care should be taken *Methylene Blue *Malachite Green
Larval Ghost shrimp would not be what I would consider plankton fit for a Bamboo shrimp.
As to your choices, I think the Ghost shrimp is the better choice and Suzie Q noted this as well if I read correctly
Back to Bamboo Shrimp, although I am far from an expert here, others I know that have kept these have noted using high vegetable content fish foods in a slurry and using a baster or syringe to feed them with success, but care must be taken to change water regularly and monitor nitrates and other parameters carefully
I read the link you referenced, it was not really clear what constituted plankton, but it indicated that Amano shrimp can be used in larval form. This however contradicts what others have told me, and frankly I do not put much faith in anything the Aquarium Wiki states since I have found many errors (& an unwillingness to correct these) in areas I do have expertise in (for example their article about Columnaris is very bad and highly inaccurate)
Carl
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Mar 24, 2010 10:28:12 GMT -5
Interesting. I went the opposite direction and got the bamboo but no ghost shrimp. I just didn't see ghost shrimp surviving in my tank - the mollies pick at everything.
He's been in the tank for about 36 hours and has only moved once - he's in a spot at the bottom of a plant where smaller flake particles that the fish miss get swept by the current. He sits there and fans out about every 5 seconds and puts it in his mouth.
|
|
|
Post by Suzie Q (Lori) on Mar 24, 2010 11:18:02 GMT -5
Went onto your link...these are ghost shrimp: www.theaquariumwiki.com/Ghost_shrimpThe artical suggests Amano shrimp: theaquariumwiki.com/Amano_ShrimpThey look like clear Red Cherry's to me. GS release larva...not sure if they are considered plankton larva or not...I have bred and raised babies once...they are very small and don't look anything like adult shrimp (different from Cherries who from birth are Mini adults). I have never had bamboo shrimp before so in the Fan Shrimp area...I AM lacking...I guess I need to get me a couple Good luck on yours!!! Lori
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Mar 24, 2010 11:45:53 GMT -5
I told my daughter we could feed him Sea Monkeys, she wasn't fond of that idea! ROFL
Anyway, he seems to be doing well right now with flake and bloodworms (I started supplementing bloodworms for the mollies due to fiber/roughage content).
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Apr 6, 2010 10:50:16 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Apr 6, 2010 12:12:44 GMT -5
Nice looking Shrimp!
Have you seen the shrimp eating the plankton or worms?
Are you making a slurry of the fish food flakes?
Carl
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Apr 7, 2010 10:23:13 GMT -5
Nice looking Shrimp! Have you seen the shrimp eating the plankton or worms? Are you making a slurry of the fish food flakes? Carl Just having the plankton float anywhere near him makes him go crazy. He can't eat it fast enough unfortunately because they're still quite large (about the size of a grain of salt). I grind up a pinch of bloodworms occassionally with my fingers and release it into the water near him - he likes that because it's much finer and easier to eat. And no, I don't do anything with the flakes. The power filters push smaller particles downward when I feed the fish, and he eats anything that makes it his way and is small enough.
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Apr 7, 2010 12:37:04 GMT -5
Thanks for the information!
I have not kept Bamboo shrimp, so what I know is second hand and I am also learning from both you and Suzie-Q
Carl
|
|
|
Post by parker002 on Apr 20, 2010 11:08:46 GMT -5
I'm going to assume he is healthy and getting plenty to eat.
When I fed the fish this morning, he was bright red and sitting on a plant with his fans clamped, like he was trying to keep as small a profile as possible.
I then noticed an EXACT replica of his body, appearing as if made of glass, stuck to the sponge filter.
He molted. Very cool.
|
|
|
Post by Suzie Q (Lori) on Apr 20, 2010 13:08:43 GMT -5
His body is very soft right now...keep an eye on him so that the fish don't pick on him... Congrats on the molt!!! Lori
|
|
|
Post by babygeige on May 1, 2010 8:53:05 GMT -5
When I first started keeping RCS and saw I molt, I freaked out, thinking one of my shrimp died and turned white. Then I remembered that they molt, lol. They molt everything, even there antennae, which is more than a little weird-looking.
|
|