Time for a Larger Tank?

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 8:21 am

I really think I have a sickness...

I now have 12 adult Singapore shrimp. I got 6 more (was 7, but 1 female dies on the way home) while I was on vacation in Arkansas. I now have 2 males and 10 females. My justification is because I am really trying to successfully raise them in captivity, and I now have alot more females and males to work with.

For now, I have them all in a 20 gallon long along with RCS. The RCS are shrimplets to juvies, but I'm not sure how many I have. Think I should get a bigger tank?

I am getting a ZooMed 501 mini-canister filter this evening for the tank. I'll be putting the old filter media in it. I'll also probably get more shrimp while I am there...especially if there is another male...

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 8:35 am

It's not a sickness, it's a joyful hobby

Best wishes on your new plans and keep us updated!

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:06 am

I'd say go for a bigger tank. These animals probably need more space to be comfortable. You can stretch a 20 gallon tank by adding a few "elite mini" filters to the tank. These are inexpensive submerible filters that can provide directed flow. This would provide more "perch points" for the shrimp so they don't all have to pile up on one rock.

Here is one I'd set up for that purpose:

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:59 am

Looks like I just sold my leaky 55 gallon. Which means, that I can get them a bigger tank soon. Due to apartment guidelines (blah), the biggest tank I can get is a 30 gallon (well,, actaully, they told me 20 to 25 gallons...shhhhhh...). So, looks like I'll be setting up a 30 gallon shrimp tank.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:04 am

Here is one I'd set up for that purpose:

badflash, thanks for the picture of your tank and the flow tip. What is the plant you have floating on the top? I have some new endler fry and would like to try that plant

.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:11 am

Looks like riccia to me.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:04 am

Yes, it is riccia. You'll also notice a plastic protector around the outflow of the HOB. Otherwise the stuff gets pushed into the suction of the filter unless you use an undergravel filter like mine.

I keep endler's also, but not with my shrimp any more. I find Hornwort to be pretty good for the fry too. I got a start from Erie when I got my blue crayfish and the stuff has just taken over. True endler babies don't need much protection as their mouth are very small.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:34 am

Okay....

I've got a 30 gallon long on the way. I'll be picking it up this weekend, hopefully. Now, I just need a stand.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:39 am

So, a quick update:

I've sold my leaky 55 gallon tank and stand. The gal that is buying it is coming by this weekend to pick it up. I just finished cleaning the tank out--the salt residue, algae, etc. The stand just needs a quick wipe-down, and then it will be ready to go.

I've found someone semi-locally that's selling alot of tanks (he's a fish importer), and I am picking up a 30 gallon long early next week. I am lining up a sale on a stand for the tank from someone on Ebay. It's a 36" All-Glass Aquarium oak finish pine stand. I'm not crazy about the finish, and I may endup repainting the thing, because all of my stands are black, and I have the same stand in black for my planted 30 gallon long. The "new" 30 that I am getting has black trim, and I will paint the back of the tank black, and it just wouldn't look right with an oak stand with a black tank in the midst of other black stands.

Now, I just have to get a glass top, light, substrate, plants, and filter. Looks like I need to sell some more stuff.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:59 am

Except for the color of your new tank, it sounds like things are coming together with your new set up

! So is this new tank for shrimp only? It is a pretty large tank if it is. Well, keep us updated please

.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:48 am

So far, I am planning on RCS, Singapore shrimp, and my 3 young ABNs. The ABNs will be the mulm, poop, detrius producers (they need micro-things in the filter). I may add my 1 farlowella catfish in there because my other 30 gallon long is severely overstocked. I dunno yet. The 20 gallon long may end up as the new snowball shrimp tank when I make sure I've gottem all of the RCS out of there, again, not sure yet.

I am planning on NOT adding a ton of plants in the tank. I only want to use plants like crypts and maybe some anubias species. I will use black gravel insetead of Eco-Complete. I'll also use some larger rocks to give the Singapore shrimp something else to hang on. I want as little organic debris in this tank as possible, not like my other shrimp tanks that I have running. Black painted background on the tank, and I may simply go with a NO light for now. I can get a glass top for a decent price locally.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:55 am

Very nice, black and green will certainly bring out the colors of most animals in the tank. Can't wait to see the pictures

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:07 pm

My ABNP's stressed out my bamboo shrimp, so you might want to rethink that. They don't share hiding places very well and actively chase the shrimp out from under the rocks they both like. It got so bad in my tank the bamboos left the tank.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:20 pm

Well, then. Okay...time to find a new tank for them then. Thanks for the advice.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 11:18 am

I think I found a cheaper tank a little more locally, but I am waiting on the gal to get back to me.

NS: I have black substrate, black backgrounds, black stands, and green plants in all/most of my tanks because I have them all in the kitchen, dining room, and living room. I don't have a fish room, so most of my tanks are display tanks.

I just finished several hours of cleaning all the equipment that I got with the 55 gallon. I have 2 powerheads that I can put in the 30 gallon that I plan setting up for shrimp. What would be a good filter? I don't want to use a sponge filter. I really dislike sponge filters on their own or even in the tank. I can tolerate a sponge from a sponge filter over the intake of something, but that's it.