# What fish can peacefully coexists with shrimps ?



## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

OK. I'm trying to figure out what type / kind of fish can peacefully coexists with Red cherry or crystal shrimps in 10Gl planted tank ? I currently have neon and rummy nose tetras as well as guppies and the only shrimps that are coexisting well with them are Amanos. I had RCS and they are gone after 3 months and my fire shrimps dieing on me. I introduced crystals, and they good so far but I've been told that tetras and guppies love to pick up on Red cherry or crystal shrimps. I know sword tail and platy will as it was my issue with my RCS and I removed them from my fish tank but I'd like to know if I want to add some shrimps beside amanos, what fish will be friendly with them if any ????


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Really, the only fish that is 100% safe with Dwarf Shrimp will be Otos.


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

or a freshwater goby like a stiphodon.

i have my CRS in 10 gal moderately planted w/ lots o hiding spots with dwarf gouramis. ive had cherries with betta, platys, and harlequin rasboras in a 10 before. just depends on hiding spots...


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## Ebi-Ken (Jul 9, 2010)

Chilli rasboras are fine. Their mouths too small and won't pick on shrimplets.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Darkblade48 said:


> Really, the only fish that is 100% safe with Dwarf Shrimp will be Otos.


Interesting. I have couple of those in my tank but they very hard to keep happy


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

BettaBeats said:


> or a freshwater goby like a stiphodon.
> 
> i have my CRS in 10 gal moderately planted w/ lots o hiding spots with dwarf gouramis. ive had cherries with betta, platys, and harlequin rasboras in a 10 before. just depends on hiding spots...


Hmm, Interesting. My 10Gl is planted as well. I have 3bushes of java fern and windlelov on the back. 3 bushes of amazon sword on one side and 3 bushes of thai hytropedia on another side two big bushes of java fern and windelov on the sites of the decoration almost in front a lot of java moss all around decorations in the middle and front of the tank (to the extend where my guppy fries hiding there without being noticed by other fish). And two bushes of thai hytropedia in front and back of the decoration. I think its enough places to hide. I also introduced 3 crystal shrimps to my tank 3 days ago and so far they successfully hiding in it. I do see my tetras trying to pick on them during the feeding time but only if they try to take same food as my tetras. I had a swordtail before and when he became hungry (I went on vacation and did not feed my fish for 2 days) he decided to eat all my cherry shrimps. I removed him and since then I can see that even my guppy fry is not getting eaten as before.
So according to you it should be save to re-introduce a few RCS to my tank again ?


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

any fish will eat the baby shrimplets


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

Holidays said:


> any fish will eat the baby shrimplets


common misconception.
my goby will only eat algae, period.

As long as you have enough hiding spots that the shrimp are not seen, other fish can't get to them, and they feel secure enough to breed you should be fine with regular community stock.

When I asked about my dward gouramis and my crystal shrimp people said my gouramis would eat my shrimp. And my gouramis pick at anything on the bottom of the tank, but they my shrimp either swim away quickly, or are hidden most of the time. Also, I keep my fish fed well.

I did have cherry shrimplets in that betta and platy tank i mentioned, but I had enough plants and a nice piece of driftwood my shrimp could hide under without anything getting to them.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

If your ottos are not happy its because they like to be in groups Id say at least 5 or six if not more. When it comes to shrimp do you really think its fair that they have to hide away. Ive had more people complain that they have no shrimplets is it a wonder when they have to hide all the time so fish wont pick on them. The best tank for shrimp if your breeding them is a shrimp only tank.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

BettaBeats said:


> common misconception.
> *my goby will only eat algae, period.*


a quick google found a fishkeeper who saw it ate brine shrimp

Posted on 01-05-2009, 07:39 PM
fishfinder: "Yes, the darters have very skinny bodies like a kuhli loach. They are coming out more now, if I keep the room light off. I saw one of them eat a frozen brine shrimp"

http://www.aquariumforum.com/f4/stiphodon-algae-eating-goby-1387.html


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

pat3612 said:


> If your ottos are not happy its because they like to be in groups Id say at least 5 or six if not more. When it comes to shrimp do you really think its fair that they have to hide away. Ive had more people complain that they have no shrimplets is it a wonder when they have to hide all the time so fish wont pick on them. The best tank for shrimp if your breeding them is a shrimp only tank.


That can get pretty boring in a tank when only the bottom part has any action or movement. My shrimp come out all the time, but they have a place to go too. I think it takes a bit of patience to get the balance right but it can be done and it looks better imo.

My oto's don't bother the shrimp, or my goby. The best advice would be to keep your fish fed well so they arent nipping at everything.


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

Holidays said:


> a quick google found a fishkeeper who saw it ate brine shrimp
> 
> Posted on 01-05-2009, 07:39 PM
> fishfinder: "Yes, the darters have very skinny bodies like a kuhli loach. They are coming out more now, if I keep the room light off. I saw one of them eat a frozen brine shrimp"
> ...


Darters are not stiphodon gobys. Stiphodons are hillstream fish, like loaches, that eat a variety of soft, live algaes. in aquaria they can become to eat algae wafers and flakes that fall to the bottom, like mine does now.

Darters are a Floridian fish that live in the swamps.

Stiphodons are mainly found in hillstreams in the tropical east. their mouths are shaped to scrape algae off of rocks. Plus, they are really bad swimmers so I'm sure a shrimp could get away quickly.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

BettaBeats said:


> Darters are not stiphodon gobys. Stiphodons are hillstream fish, like loaches, that eat a variety of soft, live algaes. in aquaria they can become to eat algae wafers and flakes that fall to the bottom, like mine does now.
> 
> Darters are a Floridian fish that live in the swamps.
> 
> Stiphodons are mainly found in hillstreams in the tropical east. their mouths are shaped to scrape algae off of rocks. Plus, they are really bad swimmers so I'm sure a shrimp could get away quickly.


http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fish/85911-stiphodon-sp-great-algae-eater-2.html

Posted on 04-14-2009, 01:11 PM by Batch:
Hey,
Do all Stiphon species act basically the same?? I have a "Red Sunset Goby".

He (she?) love bloodworms/shrimp/etc. and never seems to eat algae off the rocks at all...

Batch

....It does happened


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Holidays said:


> a quick google found a fishkeeper who saw it ate brine shrimp
> 
> Posted on 01-05-2009, 07:39 PM
> fishfinder: "Yes, the darters have very skinny bodies like a kuhli loach. They are coming out more now, if I keep the room light off. I saw one of them eat a frozen brine shrimp"
> ...


I believe darters are not gobys I think you read it wrong


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

hrm,.. couldn't imagine my girl doing that. although bloodworms, i have heard of too. 

I still think keeping shrimp is possible with many species of fish if you set up the tank properly.
Mine use their feelers to judge a predator from a plant and then dart away. Of course, breeding will be more proliferate if it is a shrimp-only tank. But some people can't do that with limited space, etc.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

pat3612 said:


> I believe darters are not gobys I think you read it wrong


read up  a post just before yours, but anyway here is the link which "Red Sunset Goby" stiphodons likes to eat bloodworms/shrimp/etc and not algae:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fish/85911-stiphodon-sp-great-algae-eater-2.html

Posted on 04-14-2009, 01:11 PM by Batch:
Hey,
Do all Stiphon species act basically the same?? I have a "Red Sunset Goby".










He (she?) love bloodworms/shrimp/etc. and never seems to eat algae off the rocks at all...

Batch

Op, I think you should know that it could happened, it did happened and absolutely not a misconception. I would just leave dwarf shrimps with plants.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

BettaBeats said:


> hrm,.. couldn't imagine my girl doing that. although bloodworms, i have heard of too.
> 
> I still think keeping shrimp is possible with many species of fish if you set up the tank properly.
> Mine use their feelers to judge a predator from a plant and then dart away. Of course, breeding will be more proliferate if it is a shrimp-only tank. But some people can't do that with limited space, etc.


I understand


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

Info on Stiphodon elegans:










In nature the Golden Neon Goby or by its scientific name Stiphodon elegans feed on small aquatic invertebrates, some algae matter also found in its diet.

http://www.aquariumpassion.com/profiles/freshwater-fish/others/stiphodon-elegans.html


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

pat3612 said:


> If your ottos are not happy its because they like to be in groups Id say at least 5 or six if not more. When it comes to shrimp do you really think its fair that they have to hide away. Ive had more people complain that they have no shrimplets is it a wonder when they have to hide all the time so fish wont pick on them. The best tank for shrimp if your breeding them is a shrimp only tank.


Regarding ottos I would not say they are not happy I would say it's not that easy to keep them alive and happy as they only eat algae and will not eat every algae waffles. For that reason I do not use any products like Seachem Excel to stop the algae growing on my plants, I let ottos and amanos deal with it and so far it is working. As per group I had 3 originally and I lost 1, I don't know why, but this 2 pared very good. Plus how many of them you can put in 10Gl tank together with other fish and shrimps ? 
As per shrimps I would agree with you that it does not make sense to have Red cherry or crystal shrimps in the tank to make it look nice and then for them to hide all the time, what is the point? I'm checking now on my 3 crystal shrimps and I don't see them that often and I don't know if they hiding or already eaten. Although my amanos are everywhere, they don't hide at all. As per separate tank for Shrimps, my only other option is 1Gl tank that I have, but it hard to maintain as it's no gravel cleaner for small tanks as 1Gl and I don't want at the moment to spend effort (I can get 10Gl tank for free) or space for another tank for shrimps only. The whole point for me to have shrimps is to make my current fish tank look nicer. I may still try to go with 10-15 Cherry shrimps and see if they will reproduce fast enough or not (Keep in mind this is 10gl tank and I don't have wood there, although I have a lot of plants and fish still can get t some hiding place due to lack of space in the tank).


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

BettaBeats said:


> hrm,.. couldn't imagine my girl doing that. although bloodworms, i have heard of too.
> 
> I still think keeping shrimp is possible with many species of fish if you set up the tank properly.
> Mine use their feelers to judge a predator from a plant and then dart away. Of course, breeding will be more proliferate if it is a shrimp-only tank. But some people can't do that with limited space, etc.


How big is your tank and how often you feed your fish and food (or amounts of food) ? My only 10Gl with no wood inside but a lot of plants and some decorations. But it looks like that because it's not that much space there my fish can get almost everywhere. Although my amanos are always visible. But my crystals, fires and before RCS was hiding most of the time and to see them would be a bonus. The whole point I want the shrimps there is for my tank to look more colorful. I feed my fish once a day with flakes for about 3-5 min and occasionally drop some waffles at night for my bottom feeders. Also once a week I feed my fish with blood worms as a treat. So what will be the best balance in this case to keep both fish and shrimps happy and visible in the same tank ?


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

It's really hard to say. Shrimp are defenseless, small, and tasty.

Pretty well anything that physically can, will eat shrimp given the opportunity. If not the adults then the babies.

I think the key is to provide plenty of cover that only they can get into easily, and enough cover that they'll always have somewhere to hide nearby.

In my experience moss is perfect for baby shrimp. They hide out in the very bottom of the moss where nothing else can see, find, or reach them. With adults, none of my fish have bothered harassing them. Once in awhile a fish might spook them, they'll jump, and the fish might follow them a bit, but the shrimp are out constantly in plain view and seem pretty comfortable despite their larger tankmates. My fish actually seem more interested in grabbing food out of the shrimp's hands while they're eating than going after the actual shrimp -_-


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