Community tank question

southerndesert · Post by **southerndesert** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:32 pm

Hi All,

New here and fairly new to the facinating world of shrimp. I have a heavily planted (fast and slow growing) 29 gal with 145 GPH power filter running at about 3/4 speed. I keep my water checked and balanced with the PH around 7.2 as a rule.

I have Fancy Guppies, 2 Corys, several Ghost Shrimp, 3 Bamboo Shrimp, and a few RCS. I know the GS are "newbie shrimp" but they are really neat swimming with the guppies and the fish never bother them at all. I really like the red bands on the anntena and their bright red claws really look neat dangling beneith them as they swim and they have produced young several times as small ones keep showing up.

I will be adding more RCS soon and hope a few young will make it as have with the GS. I think the abundance of cover will help the young survive long enough to outgrow a Guppy mouth...

My question is this:

Is this an unusual case for these critters to enjoy a happy life together in a well planted and maintained tank? Have I just been lucky so far? I read the articles posted at the main site suggesting that a community tank was not the best way to go, but for the last year or so mine has been fine. The Guppies seem to care less about the Shrimp and visa-versa although every now and then a GS will get lucky and nab a fry...

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and I am going back to the archives for some more education. I went looking for more info as my Shrimp addiction grew and ran into this GREAT site!

Bill

pixl8r · Post by **pixl8r** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:36 pm

Welcome southerndesert,

It sounds like you said you red the articles, but just in case; your questions are covered here;

http://www.petshrimp.com/articles/faq.html (Note #10 if you use ferts, & #11)

http://www.petshrimp.com/articles/keepingshrimp.html

Fish can stress shrimp, even if they are not large enough to eat them. I've read that bamboo shrimp can be susceptible to this type of stress, and it can easily kill them.

I really can't say if your experience is the exception or the rule. I have read of others keeping shrimp with fish and having problems. I've also read of those who've not had problems. Personally, I don't keep fish with my less aggressive shrimp. I do keep some guppies, and a pleco, with my young adult Macrobrachium dayanum (Red Claw shrimp).

southerndesert · Post by **southerndesert** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:59 pm

Hi pixl8r,

Sorry if I was missing something and I will review your suggestions...I am like I said a very enthusiastic beginner and didn't want to add more Cherrys only to put them in harms way.

I should mention that all my shrimp seem happy as can be and boldly hang around with the fish with no visibal signs of stress (that I can see anyway) and the bamboo shrimp hang out in the open happily filtering on driftwood near the discharge. Hope all will continue to go well....

I can see already that I will be setting up more individual tanks for these facinating little guys. I was hooked with my first Ghost Shrimp and now the more I learn....Well you know

Thanks for your reply and patience with a new feller.

Bill

pixl8r · Post by **pixl8r** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:25 pm

As another invertebrate addict, I'm not surprised to hear that you'll be setting up more tanks. So far I've kept six different species of shrimp, two species of crabs, and two species of crayfish.

geofied · Post by **geofied** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:03 pm

I've been warned by a trusted Cherry shrimp breeder that Guppies will hunt Cherry fry with a passion. I cannot confirm this, but I'm not taking my chances at this point. The only fish I would feel very comfortable putting with shrimp that you plan to breed would be Corydoras, and Otocinclus (off the top of my head). You may be safe with many other species, but as has been stated, you're pushing your baby shrimps' luck.

marusempai · Post by **marusempai** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:27 pm

Plecos are safe too, but some of them get extremely large. Are you sure corys are safe? I thought they were "bottom feeding omnivores," and would eat a shrimp if they could catch it.

geofied · Post by **geofied** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:47 am

marusempai wrote:Plecos are safe too, but some of them get extremely large. Are you sure corys are safe? I thought they were "bottom feeding omnivores," and would eat a shrimp if they could catch it.

If a baby shrimp (or adult for that matter) is dense enough, and slow enough to be caught on the bottom by a Corydora, then maybe it isn't fit enough to survive in any case. I have watched my Cory cats obliviously pass over blood worms and brine shrimp too many times to count. They are definitely omnivores, but they aren't exactly adept at hunting. They are scavengers at best. Nearly all the shrimp fry that I am lucky to have observed in my tanks were cautious enough to stay off the substrate and keep under cover.

This reminds me of a post (or two) that I read on here about snails being a danger to shrimp fry. If there was a Darwin Award for shrimp, those that are captured and killed by snails are sure to be first in line for the prize. The Corydora victims aren't far behind.

Please don't assume I am not concerned about my shrimp, I've spent too much care, time, and effort watching them and taking care of them to blatantly disregard their safety. I could hardly bear to part with 20 of my babies (RCS) when someone asked to buy some. I just don't view Corydoras as a threat to my shrimp, juvenile or adult, based on my observations and those of trusted shrimp breeders/keepers. This is subject to change, but don't hold your breath.

-Regards

marusempai · Post by **marusempai** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:52 am

Ah, ok... I haven't kept corys much, though I've always liked them, so I guess I had been hearing rumors about their feeding habits. Thanks!