# How to grow the right algae for shrimp?



## Symplicity

Hi All,
When I create my new dedicated CRS tank sometime in January how do you recommend I grow the right kind of algae on my glass?

As of now if I leave my lights on for extended periods of time I simply grow massive amounts of thread algae which the shrimp do not touch at all. How do you guys grow the good kind of algae where shrimplets are all over the glass walls?


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## solarz

Symplicity said:


> Hi All,
> When I create my new dedicated CRS tank sometime in January how do you recommend I grow the right kind of algae on my glass?
> 
> As of now if I leave my lights on for extended periods of time I simply grow massive amounts of thread algae which the shrimp do not touch at all. How do you guys grow the good kind of algae where shrimplets are all over the glass walls?


I'm pretty sure the shrimps eat the green hair/thread algae. I've kept cherry shrimps in a tank where this algae grows. While the shrimps don't seem to slow the growth of the algae, I've been able to keep them without any food for months. They were able to breed just from the algae alone.


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## randy

I don't think our shrimps actually eat many kinds of algae. Algae and moss just create more surface area for micro-organism to grow easily and shrimps feed on those. Amano shrimps is different, they do eat certain types of algae, so do a few other shrimps.

That said, it's believed and accepted in Asia, having a green glass wall increases the survival rates of baby shrimps, so that's what I aim for.


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## solarz

randy said:


> I don't think our shrimps actually eat many kinds of algae. Algae and moss just create more surface area for micro-organism to grow easily and shrimps feed on those. Amano shrimps is different, they do eat certain types of algae, so do a few other shrimps.
> 
> That said, it's believed and accepted in Asia, having a green glass wall increases the survival rates of baby shrimps, so that's what I aim for.


I'm sure they do eat algae. There was a period where my shrimp tank was empty, and it started to grow this green fuzz on a side panel. When I put a single cherry shrimp into the tank, that fuzz got mowed in no time.

So what I think happens is that the shrimps do eat the algae, or at least the tender new growths of algae, but they don't eat it in large enough quantities to stop the growth.


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## Symplicity

So my question is how do you get the green glass walls. 

Maybe my plants are preventing this.


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## solarz

Symplicity said:


> So my question is how do you get the green glass walls.
> 
> Maybe my plants are preventing this.


My shrimp tank is a Dymax IQ3. It came with an LED light, but that was rather dim. When I switched to a 13W CFL, my algae exploded. And I also had java moss, hornwort, and duckweed in the tank.


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## CrystalMethShrimp

I would try growing it ina tank that has no plants.

That way the algae on the glass will explode. As soon as you see hair algae growing and competeing remove them. When you have thick walls of glass algae then add plants. That way they will already be established and can compete with the plants.


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## MananaP

Just have your light turned on over 8 hours a day, remove all thread algae as much as you can(i hate this algae with passion) it can kill baby shrimps when they get trapped inside a wall of this algae. One more thing to remember, less water change or no water change if shrimps are ok, this should grow your algae in your wall in no time. I have my lights on sometimes for over 16 hours a day.

MP


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