Cherry population explosion!

shrimper Bob · Post by **shrimper Bob** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:20 pm

Now look what you've done!
Because of what I have learned in the short time I have been at this site I have a problem. I received a shipment of around of 50 young red cherry shrimp on 4-10. Since then I have counted as many as 9 berried females, now I have at least 3 different hatches from looking at the sizes and more coming. I have no idea how many I have, over 80 I guess. Most are in my shrimp tank, a 15 gallon, (same foot print as a 10 but taller). This tank fits perfectly in the stand I made as you can see in the picture. I use a sponge filter and a small in tank filter, only a few plants, rock caves, some small sea shells from the beach for hiding places and some leaf litter. I have not lost a single shrimp in this tank. I'm running out of room to put them!
I came into this 2 months ago completely ignorant of keeping shrimp, thanks to the knowledge here I have had tremendous success!
How do I know if they are overcrowded? Will the females start dropping their eggs
Thankyou!
Bob B.

Top tank is a 55 gallon with discus, bottom is my shrimp tank.

Post by **Mustafa** » Thu May 17, 2007 7:28 pm

Congrats!

You'll know when you have "too many" shrimp as they will stop reproducing and/or your water quality will go down the drain because of overfeeding (too many mouths to feed). There is not set formula like "this and this many per gallon."

shrimper Bob · Post by **shrimper Bob** » Fri May 18, 2007 10:26 am

Thanks Mustafa.
So far it's been an easy tank to maintain with a weekly 25% water change and very light feeding. The PH seems to hang at 7.4 with very little chemicals. Easier than the discus tank!
Had another hatch last night, looks like little fleas bouncing around the tank.
Bob B

shrimper Bob · Post by **shrimper Bob** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 4:31 pm

Just a quick update.
The population is still growing fast with no sigh of slowdown. I'm looking for a 20- 30 gallon, 15 just isn't enough anymore.
The juveniles love hanging out on the filter. the newly hatched hid in the gravel and rocks.
I watched one of the cherrie males us a piece of duck weed like a float, holding on to the bottom of it. He would swim it out into the down flow of the in-tank filter and ride the the current down then grab it and do it again and again. I swear you hear him squealing with delight as he rode his float down. Who says shrimp don't have fun!

Anatony25 · Post by **Anatony25** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 6:50 pm

by the way, yr discus fish won't eat up yr shrimpS?

pixl8r · Post by **pixl8r** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 7:41 pm

It looks like the discus are in a different tank. The shrimp tank is the smaller tank, in the stand.

By the way Antony25, the forum rules state that, as forum members, we should not indulge in abreviated, l33t or similar jargon. That helps everyone to understand clearly, and without goole searches for things like 'IDKWYTA'.

Post by **Mustafa** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:21 am

I'll second pixl8r's comment. "Anatony25", please write clearly and legibly as the rules require. While you're at it...go ahead and read and re-read the rules just to be on the safe side.

shrimper Bob · Post by **shrimper Bob** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 1:51 pm

That's right, the shrimp tank has NO fish. There are some reds and ghost in the Discus tank. They seem to get along well. The Zebra Danios are more aggressive toward the shrimp, they will soon be another tank as I am setting up another 55 gallon.
Bob