Hawaiian Red Shrimp...my turn.

[zapisto]

Yeap, these are probably the easiest shrimps that one can find in this hobby.

but you have to found them

[frugalfish]

Thought I'd just revive and update my thread on these shrimp.

No problems since the last post. My colony thrives very well in the same ten gallon set up, although I have removed the filter and heater. I believe (estimate) the colony size to be around 400 shrimp. There are so many that I do need to supplement them regularly in order to get them to reproduce. This equates to 2-3 feedings a week of various fish foods. So if I don't want any new young I just stop feeding. They are then left to scavenge on the mass amounts of algae that cover the entire tank surface.

One thing I would like to note, which goes to further show the hardiness of this shrimp, is the temperatures they can seem to endure. During my move last year I found that a few shrimp had been left in the five gallon container that was holding water from their ten gallon tank that was to later be used to reset up their tank. This container had been left out in the garage with temperatures in the low 40F's to mid 50F's for about a week. I found these only after I was setting up their tank again and they were alive and kicking just fine. Just a little observation to share.

[Mustafa]

Thanks for the update and observation. I knew they were fine into the 60s from personal experience but your observation adds more data points of value.

[southerndesert]

Thank you for the update! I will be giving these shrimp a go soon, just waiting on my tank to mature....

Bill

[ToddnBecka]

Would live rock from a SW tank be useful for establishing a suitable environment for these shrimp? I've found a source, but need to prepare for them first.

[Mustafa]

Would live rock from a SW tank be useful for establishing a suitable environment for these shrimp? I've found a source, but need to prepare for them first.

Not really, as most organisms in live rock will die and pollute the water in half ocean strength salinity. Just start the tank as a freshwater tank, cycle it and increase salinity. The nitrifying bacteria will be fine.

[ToddnBecka]

Will FW bacteria adapt to brackish conditions, or is there a 3rd combination of "bugs" (different from the FW or SW species) that do the job in brackish water? I have multiple active FW sponge filters that could be used to jump-start the cycle if they're useful. What would be the best way/rate to increase salinity? I'm thinking of adapting some MTS along with the bacteria to help maintain the cycle as well as cleaning up excess food until the algae becomes well-established.
Speaking of algae, where would the "seed stock" for a brackish tank come from? I've seen a couple different types in my tanks, along with some blue-green cyanobacteria, but have no clue if any of it would survuve the transition if transpanted. I doubt that the hair algae or blue-green goop would be useful in any case, which leaves just one other type as a possible food source for the shrimp.

[southerndesert]

I am in the process of cycling and maturing a brackish water tank. I used a matured tank and added salt at a rate of 1/2 cup a day until the specific gravity reached 1.012 and I am still waiting for the tank to fully cycle and establish itself. I still have ammonia and nitrites showing in fairly high levels, but things are slowly moving along. I do have some algae (brown) showing up now, but not much else yet and it is about 3 weeks now. There were MTS in the tank when I began adding salt and they are fine and going about their business today.... All other snails I was not able to catch RH and Pond died as did most of the bio film on the glass of the tank after salt was added and so far it is slow to come back.....

Bill

[Mustafa]

Nitrifying bacteria are very adaptable to various salinities, so your freshwater bacteria will be fine in brackish water, too (i.e. you can use your sponge filter to seed your tank). Algae will find their way into the tank all by themselves (and many species are adaptable as to salinity, too.). No need to seed any algae.