Petshrimp.com Discussion Forum

janbee wrote:I have the red cherry shrimp. Don't they like the water slightly acidic? Thanks for all the input everyone I am going to try the leaves. Jan

the Cherry reds will do well in a wide range of water conditions, the specifics are on the shrimp varieties page. Keep us updated on your experiences and again welcome

Hi Jan,

RCS prefer water a little on the alkaline side to breed well 7.2 to 7.8

Cheers, Bill

Red Cherry shrimp like basic water. Chrystal Red shrimp like soft acidic water. The two are often confused.

Semantics. Rotten leaves implies that the leaves are rotting. Fallen brown leaves do not rot right away especially oak leaves that so many use, it takes oak leaves years to rot in nature.

sstimac wrote:Semantics. Rotten leaves implies that the leaves are rotting. Fallen brown leaves do not rot right away especially oak leaves that so many use, it takes oak leaves years to rot in nature.

You are incorrect about this entire response. Until you have tried it, do not make things up just because you think it is a certain way. This forum is supposed to be factually based and on personal experience or accepted references. Oak leaves break down (if you prefer) within a month in my tanks and by summer they are all gone in my yard. I never rake.

badflash wrote:

sstimac wrote:Semantics. Rotten leaves implies that the leaves are rotting. Fallen brown leaves do not rot right away especially oak leaves that so many use, it takes oak leaves years to rot in nature.

You are incorrect about this entire response. Until you have tried it, do not make things up just because you think it is a certain way. This forum is supposed to be factually based and on personal experience or accepted references. Oak leaves break down (if you prefer) within a month in my tanks and by summer they are all gone in my yard. I never rake.

I do not "make things up." I am an avid outdoors-man. Here in the north-woods of Michigan it is clearly visible that there are many different layers of decomposing plant matter. In the Oak forests you can dig through the debris and find clearly defined layers of fallen oak leaves spanning several years. Do not lecture me on fact, I am not a 14 year old that has to lie to make friends. My experience in the woods has shown me that oaks take years to decompose in nature. Your shrimp are eating much of the leaves in your tank.

I see a very big difference in adding rotting leaves from another tank or adding dried oak leaves.

Alright fellow members there is always room for a debate now and then. This one is getting a little heated but now that you each got to clearify your positions and experiences with the leave I just wanted to add mine

I think it depends on the conditions the leaves are in. Different environments and climates may make the leaves decompose slower or quicker. When it come to using leaves for a shrimp/fish tank they can last from a few day to months depending on how our animals take to and work on them. For one of my shrimp tanks it took two days for 3 leaves to have just the veins remaining

Thanks for your welcomes, and all of the input- I can see I have a lot to learn and find it helpful to read the various view points. If anyone wants to add anything else on this topic, could you also post the amount of time you have been raising the shrimp.

My experience in the woods has shown me that oaks take years to decompose in nature. Your shrimp are eating much of the leaves in your tank.

There is a big difference between dried leaves on dry ground and nice and cold in the north-woods of Michigan and a tropical pond. The break down of the leaves is accellerated by the live micro-creatures in the warm water. If you observe the shrimp closely you'll see they are picking at what is on the leaves, not the leaves themselves.

Why don't you give it a try and watch before you continue on with your train of thought. It is mixing apples & oranges.

it is truely apples and oranges. in the woods nothing is eatting the leaves, but in the tanks bacteria is much more and the feast on the leaves thus making them multiply, thats where the shrimp come in and eath them. Both are correct just different stories. My leaf has been in my tank for about 6 months but the leaf is almost still perfect. so it must mean I am feeding the shrimp enough that they only graze at the bacteria on the leaf.

Or you have a plastic leaf. I feed my shrimp too much as it is a community invert tank. The rate the leaf breaks down has more to do with the bacteria. If your leaves last forever, you don't have the right bacteria, or the leaf has some sort of coating.

aberfitch wrote: in the woods nothing is eatting the leaves

Of course leaves get eaten in the woods. There are lots of land invertebrates (and microorganisms) that feed on the leaves (earthworms, millipedes, isopods etc.). In northern climates that usually happens during the warmer months, although it still happens even during the winter, just much, much more slowly.

I have Oak leaves in 20 of my 35 tanks and each tank is different in how fast the leaves dissapear.

I have a Dwarf Crayfish tank that has had leaves in in for over 4 months and they still look the same as the day I put them in there.
But, I do several water changes a week.

Then there is my CRS tank.
the leaves last around 1 month

I have also left leaves in the " Soaking " bucket for 2 months, until they have " Slim " hanging from them.
Placed them into a tank and the Shrimp go crazy feeding, that is until the " Slim " dissapears.

There will always be 2 different opinions on this matter.
Just like Java Moss " Slow Growing "

But do not knock it, until you have tried it.

I tend to find the same results as Newjohn, except which leaves give you slime I would like to try it. By the way I thin java moss is light dependent when it comes to growth rate but that is another subject

yea just soak the leaves for a week and then put it in the rcs tank. It worked for me.