# so now im getting shrimp...oy vey



## newbiefishfanatic (Dec 11, 2008)

i have no idea what im getting into here. what the heck do shrimp eat? how much space do they take up? (1 in/gal?) should i get a seperate tank? will they get sucked up into my HOB filter? are they fast swimmers? will they do well w/platies/mollies/swordtails/cories/and gouramis? if i put an air stone in will they be ok? what about light...how much is too much? (wattage) OMG, im too overwhelmed. but way excited too! getting some blues n' greens! oh...how many babies can they have? am i going to be overloaded with like 200 in awhile?


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## blossom112 (Mar 19, 2008)

I would suggest a tank on their own ......
you coming over tomorrow ? you can see ours  
no food with COPPER or they die lol 
Hubby may have to get me a new tank too for shrimps lol 
I shall give you a few pellets till you get some food 
flakes are good too ......read ingredients tho !!!

you are going to love shrimps and so will the kids ........oh snails too get a little tank and put it for the kids they will love it ....
you can bring the kids tomorrow too ........WE LOVE KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## desjardo (Aug 30, 2008)

If buying shrimp I suggest making sure they are healthy, and not too small. I have had shrimp from several places now, and have no luck with small shrimp. From the reading I have done shrimp often die off when small, so your best to get a decent size shrimp. I have read on here that small shrimp are better for adding to a new tank, but have yet to read that anywhere else. They are very sensitive compared to fish.


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

desjardo said:


> If buying shrimp I suggest making sure they are healthy, and not too small. I have had shrimp from several places now, and have no luck with small shrimp. From the reading I have done shrimp often die off when small, so your best to get a decent size shrimp. I have read on here that small shrimp are better for adding to a new tank, but have yet to read that anywhere else. They are very sensitive compared to fish.


I've shipped well over 200 parcels of shrimp, and have had the exact opposite experience. Young shrimp in the 1/4 to 1/2 inch range are the shrimp I always ask for when I am purchasing a new species for several reasons. They travel better, acclimate easier, adapt better, and live a full long life in my tank. When you buy an adult shrimp you have no idea if they are 5 months old or 10 months old and since their life span ranges from 10 months to a year I'd much rather have a younger shrimp who will live longer and produce more shrimp then buying an adult.

I do find shrimp do not do well when bought in small populations. I bought 12 snow ball shrimp and 12 yellow shrimp and none of them did very well even though I had mixed sexes from both groups and kept them in idea tank params for a year. I bought 25 of each a few months back and my populations are finally starting to explode.

Additionally your shrimp might be dying if you are adding them to newly cycled tanks, I've learned the hard way that a tank should be established for at least 2-3 months with a layer of biofilm on the tank walls for the shrimp to feed on. Also check the foods you are feeding many foods even shrimp specialty foods have copper sulfate in them which should never be fed in any quantity to shrimp. I've been cycling 2 tanks now for two new machrobrachium species and they are finally just about there now. They like to feed on the biofilm of well established tank walls.

PS
Amy if you are talking about my shrimps I am sold out of blues & currently only have cherries and wild sp. greens available at this time.


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## newbiefishfanatic (Dec 11, 2008)

no the greens are not yours katalyst. i am going to get cherries from you tomorrow...maybe...im not sure now. i got 16 green tonight, the man says they should do fine...

i actually have a film of slim on my 75 gallon tank, i bought a scraper to clean it off, but maybe ill leave it for now...

also, i dont care if they breed or not. i just want them as decoration to the tank. i just dont want them to die. is there any food that you could suggest kat?


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

newbiefishfanatic said:


> i have no idea what im getting into here. what the heck do shrimp eat? Copper free flaked foods, veggies, pellets etc.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## blossom112 (Mar 19, 2008)

phew you scared me .........our tanks are new .....but i will be loading them with plants ...alive and not so good so they can eat a bit too


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

blossom112 said:


> phew you scared me .........our tanks are new .....but i will be loading them with plants ...alive and not so good so they can eat a bit too


Have any gravel from well established tanks you can chuck in there?


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## newbiefishfanatic (Dec 11, 2008)

i do! thats how i cycled that monster! i used a dirty filter cartridge and about 2 cups of gravel from my little 10 gallon. worked like a charm! ill probably end up putting the shrimp in my 10 gallon, if they will do well in a tank that has been medicated with pimafix...


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## blossom112 (Mar 19, 2008)

hey great idea kat ............. i just used old media ....... well i got some really funky florite lol
gonna put some in then after my SW cleaning tonight .


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## blossom112 (Mar 19, 2008)

I am woundering .........did you get the tetras ???????
i been awaiting all night


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## newbiefishfanatic (Dec 11, 2008)

ok 1 more question...do shrimp like or dislike light? i found a dead shrimp this afternoon, and i am wondering if it had to do with the light being on all day...or the food i left in the tank, uneaten overnight...???


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## blossom112 (Mar 19, 2008)

Either shouldnt matter i think .....
Sometimes moving is stressfull ,i have kept the light off for days on my shrimp tank with no problems .check ingredients of the food .. they should not have copper ..
Gl


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## newbiefishfanatic (Dec 11, 2008)

made sure there was no copper in the food. katalyst already warned me.


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## blossom112 (Mar 19, 2008)

yip she warned me too . b4 that i didnt know   wonderd why 45 to 60 shrimp died lol


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## newbiefishfanatic (Dec 11, 2008)

i have 2 VERY pregnant shrimp. i can see a crap load of eggs or shrimp eyes in their tummies. how do you look after baby shrimp? and will they lay eggs or will the baby shrimp be born as baby shrimp? do they need a special diet?


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