Tank for Hawaii Reds (Diary)

[Ray1214]

I should post my own thread. I have kept these for about a month. I kept my salinity at 1.0145 per Ocean Rider's Directions. Their red gracileria that comes with the shrimp sure disappears fast.

I have probably lost about 50-100 from this tank this month. This was due to some from shipping (20 give or take). Also I have fed some seahorses that I can't seem to get over to frozen foods yet (Another 20). (Majority of the losses).

But the others I have done a couple of things. I have a pico reef on my nightstand in my bedroom. It is a half gallon redsea with xenia, red zoas, orange zoas, yellow polyps, a green mushroom, bumblebee snail and now two dime sized starfish. (was one teeny one but other the last 6 months, he got about nickel sized then split into two starfishes) The only casuality was a sps coral that didn't get enough light (Purple Montipora digitata). I added 6 of the shrimp to this tank. So far I lost one to the filter (one of those little red sea ones), but the other five are thriving, even though I don't feed this tank but drop of reef mush every two weeks. Now, it does have red grape calurpas,and a small patch of razor calurapa and this is where the shrimp seem to live, and they are very active. I did notice that a lot of the red coloration seemed to turn pinkish and they do seem to molt more in this pico tank. Possibly due to the once a week water change I perform.

I have 6 in a small Red-Sea Betta Sphere. This tank has no filteration, just a hunk of hornwort and some gravel. It used to house a Betta and has very little salt. They seem to thrive in this tank as well, but only have been in it for about two weeks. When I removed the betta prior to this experiment, I saw a small infusiora bloom in the tank, especially since I changed a lot of the water but did not remove the algaes on the hornwort. I have not lost one to this yet.

I have about 20 in small 3 gal eclipse. This tank has lava rock, araganite sand, the gracileria from Ocean rider, and I feed it about once every 3-4 days(When I feed my reef tanks). The salinity is about 1.012 per Mustafa's suggestion on breeding. (I read a thread where you had a theroy on this). This tank gets weekly water changes, and I am feeding spirulina flakes. There is a filter but this filter has sponge material from a sponge in the original 20 gal tank and no carbon. (And it is a pain to make sure you have the right sg for three different systems)

I can't really see them in the 20 gal tank unless i move the calurpas or lava rock and hundreds of them seem to pour out. I am hoping to see if lowing the s/g will translate into breeding a lot more.

so far here are the tests:

1. 20 Gal long: 400 Shrimp, nitrates about 20 ppm, no ammonia, no nitrites, pH 7.9-8.0, s/g 1.0145, Ca 280 PPM, Temp at 76-78 degrees.
2. 1/2 Gal Pico: 5 Shrimp, nitrates about 5 ppm,zero after a water change, pH 8.2, s/g 1.025, Ca about 180 before a water change, over 400 after a water change (probably the coralline algaes as the live rock is heavily encrusted), Temp at 81 degrees
3. 1/2 Gal pico: 6 shrimp, nitrates about 5-10 ppm, pH 6.8-7, s/g 0, temp 80 degrees
4. 3 gal eclipse: 20 shrimp, Nitrates at zero, pH, 7.9, S/G 1.0115-1.0125, Temp 76-78 degrees.


Ray

[Ray1214]

I was thinking of starting a thread and forgot I was in your thread...Sorry didn't mean to hijack.

Ray

[Mothi]

Here is an upate on my tank. This past Friday I recieved 11 of my 12 red shrimps alive. So they now reside in my 1g tank. The algae still is blooming and I am a tad concerned.. though the shirmps don't seem to care.. and are found around it.

Here are some pictures:





I am considering removing smoe of the macroalgae in the tank eventually. Just too much green..lol hard to find the shrimps too, but I am sure they like that.

If you look on the rocks, the top of them have a green-blue algae that is taking them over. There are also air bubbles developing.. thus the strange balloons. It is wierd to look at... Looks like blisters coming to the surface to pop. Any comments as to whether my algae problem is okay or bad?

[LiquidBee]

Personally, I envy that you have that much algae..

I think the amount of algae you have is fine.

I have seen tanks where you can barely see and the shrimps still do fine.

[Ray1214]

I had to comment....it is so sad....I have endeavored so much of my time and resources to NOT Having algaes in my Reef tanks, I can't grow it when I actually want some.......

Sorry it looks good.

Ray

BTW has anyone else figured out how much more active the rubra are. I added a heater to my 20 gal tank with the 400 shrimp. I brought temperature closer to 80 degrees since it kinda dipped below 75 degrees. Man the shrimp are active.

Ray

[ernopena]

Hey Mothi,

would you mind reposting all of those pics that once appeared in this thread? They're all gone now... Thanks

[LiquidBee]

Last week, there was a heat wave in my neighborhood, and the tempurature in my tank went over 90+ (the little tempurature gauge only goes up to 90) and it was at 90, so I'm thinking it went over since it was like 100-104 in the valley.

Anyways, I was surprised that the little opae shrimps were not affected by it, didn't find any deaths...in-fact I don't think I have ever see a dead shrimp in my tank (probably get eaten by its brothers before I see it).. I did see a dead larve floating around once.

Just wanted to tell everyone how hardy these little guys are....even the larve seems fine in exreme temperatures......my tank ranges from 70 to 85 in a day...and when it's hot it gets to 90s..I do have a heater for when it is cold, but you can only do so much for the heat. (close the blinds, ain't going to turn on no AC just for a 20 gallon tank)