# First baby fire reds



## colio (Dec 8, 2012)

I have a 10 gallon tank with about 14 Painted Fire reds, 4 amano shrimp, and 6 neon tetras and a very passive/mild betta (doesn't bother the shrimp). 

I found my first baby reds! I've seen 3 or 4 at a time at the most, but they are so small I suspect there are more. the tank has lots and lots of cover, including plants, phoenix moss, mossballs, and little rock caves which are to small for the fish. I mostly see the babies in the moss which is mostly just affixed to gravel and floating strands up. 

Even with the fish, I think there is a good chance some babes may survive. I know there is piles of info on raising babies out there, but do I need to do anything to help them along? Will they be ok grazing, as they seem to be doing, on algae on the moss? 

Thanks. I am pretty excited by my babies! I never even noticed a berried female!


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

It is always such a nice surprise to find your shrimp are giving you babies, isn't it ? 

They should not need anything extra by way of feeding until they grow. You may well lose a few to the fish while they are small enough to fit in the fish mouth and possibly some to the Amano shrimp too. But some will grow up and once they're maybe 3/8 or a half inch or so, should not be in too much danger, unless the Betta develops a taste for them. 

More important, likely, is to ensure the fish and Amanos are not hungry, so they'll be more likely to leave the shrimp be. The more hiding places for the little shrimp, the more will survive. 

Baby shrimp survive by grazing on biofilm and algae, as you have seen. Having such tiny mouths, they can't eat anything larger, and even as adults it is the food they can always depend on. Enjoy them.


----------



## colio (Dec 8, 2012)

Cool thanks. 

I do expect to maybe loose a few, but like I mentioned there is lots of hiding spaces for the little guys. I keep the fish well fed as well (hopefully not toooo well fed!), which I suspect is one reason everyone gets along so well.


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

That always helps..good luck with them.


----------



## LTPGuy (Aug 8, 2012)

Congrat! Post photo when they get a little bigger!


----------



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Congrates!! Rule of thumb for counting baby shrimps is the number you can see at a time x 3, in you case it could be 4 or 5 because of hiding places. However I do see a lot of them will become fish snack... and I can see you getting another tank in the near future to relocate the fish ;-)


----------



## colio (Dec 8, 2012)

randy said:


> and I can see you getting another tank in the near future to relocate the fish ;-)


Ha! As if my wife will let me have another tank


----------



## colio (Dec 8, 2012)

Well, it has been a while, and despite my almost total lack of proper shrimp raising (fish in tank, uncovered filter intake, etc), many of my baby fire reds are now nice healthy Juvi shrimp. 

But also, I recently found a baby crystal red! I saw the little guy hiding in moss about 190 days ago, but then didn't see him(her?) again. But I spotted the little cutie again a couple of days ago, in the same area, and maybe a second under my driftwood. Whoot whoot baby CRS! 

I am moving in a week, and that tank is the one that worries me most, because I don't want to kill any baby shrimp. I think I will need to try to move it carefully with a bit of water left in the tank (its a 10 gallon). At least it is a short move, only 2 or 3 blocks!


----------



## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Yep just lower the water to about 2 inchs above the soil, leave any floating plants in the tank as this will give the babies a place to hide/hang onto. 

Take the water you have in the tank and put it in a big container/s and then you can pour the same water back into the tank...no need to start fussing with new water, just use the same water.


----------

