RCS vs Spinach (photos)

patter · Post by **patter** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 10:45 pm

Hello,

I want to share my latest try to make a good shrimp photos. There are my cherries eating spinach. (click on thumbnails for bigger size)

whoops - I just saw that there is a special sub forum for photos

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:25 pm

Thanks for the pics. It looks like they really like the spinach, how do you prepare it?

patter · Post by **patter** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:38 am

Spinach is boiled for few minutes - that is all.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:15 am

Thanks patter. It looks like they really work on the spinach, how long does it take for them to finish off a serving?

patter · Post by **patter** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:46 am

I have about 20 RCSs in this tank and they eat about 5 quad centimeters spinach for 1-2 hours maybe ... it is hard to say

I just take 2-3 young spinach leafs and boil them in microwave for few minutes.

I guess that if the spinach leafs are not eaten fast it is not a problem. Usual I give them the spinach at the evening and if there still is some spinach at the morning I remove it (but on the morning there is no spinach ).

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:28 am

Thanks for the tip. I think I will try it

Baby_Girl · Post by **Baby_Girl** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:53 pm

nice pics, patter.

Not to steal your thread, but it reminded me to share a pic of my RCS ATTACKING some boiled dandelion greens. One pic is with flash, one without.

It doesn't look like very many shrimp from the pictures, but trust me, I was alarmed at just how many shrimp I had. It literally looked like insects swarming over a carcass. Sorry for the unpleasant imagery, but it's the only analogy I can think of where so many little arthropods are gathered in one small area.

These pictures are from my community tank, too, so the presence of fish doesn't seem to be slowing their reproduction one bit! Of course, I have a dedicated RCS breeding tank, as well, but they don't seem to swarm quite as dramatically. Probably because I have natural sponge and more algae in the shrimp-only tanks.

I do the same to cook dandelion, only it takes more like 15 minutes to soften. Anyone who's gardened knows how tough those leaves are. I've found with dandelions, boiling in a pot works better than in the microwave. It needs to get a real boil going.

edit: oh wait, here's a pic of RCS in the shrimp breeding tank eating dandelion.

Sorry for the blurry image. I don't have a tripod yet, and don't hold my hands very still.

But the last pic was taken when my breeding tank was fairly new (not as much algae growth). Since then, they haven't paid nearly as much attention to the supplemental foods I add. So I only feed them maybe once a week.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 4:26 pm

Great pictures again

! Do you think these boiled foods have much of an effect on their health or is it just a filler food. Have you seen any difference in activity/appearance?

Baby_Girl · Post by **Baby_Girl** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:32 pm

nah, I haven't noticed it gives them any boost. (Like Popeye popping open a can of spinach!

) I provide it as filler, just like you said. If anything, they just enjoy the variety, I suppose. But I really only give them fresh veggies at most twice a month, now that the tanks are nice and 'established.'

Thanks for the compliment, my pictures are OK. I marvel when people can close-up and see all the detail on dwarf shrimp. Guess I need a tripod and a more expensive camera with a macro lens.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:39 pm

Like Popeye popping open a can of spinach!

That is what I was hoping, oh well I will just keep searching for that elusive magic food

.

Guess I need a tripod and a more expensive camera with a macro lens.

Me too.

Baby_Girl · Post by **Baby_Girl** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:51 pm

Neonshrimp wrote:
Guess I need a tripod and a more expensive camera with a macro lens.
Me too.

yeah, nothing makes a digital camera seem inadequate like trying to photograph dwarf shrimp

ahh, the 'elusive magic food'. If only...
Mustafa would have found it by now, I'm sure

francis · Post by **francis** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:35 pm

Baby_Girl wrote:nah, I haven't noticed it gives them any boost. (Like Popeye popping open a can of spinach! ) I provide it as filler, just like you said. If anything, they just enjoy the variety, I suppose. But I really only give them fresh veggies at most twice a month, now that the tanks are nice and 'established.'

Hi! Haven't tried feeding RCS on vegetables before. Apart from spinach, tried any other vegetables or fruits? Saw a picture from some other sites munching on mangoes! btw...why cook the vegetables? Will it damage the water parameters? I'm trying to establish a new shrimp tank now.

patter · Post by **patter** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:24 am

I have experience with other vegetables too - cucumber and red peppers (not hot). I have used them to feed my plecos and saw that RCS likes them too

I think that red peppers are good for coloring to , at least the result with plecos was good.

Why I cook them ? For 2 reasons:
- to soft them
- to put them on the bottom

not boiled vegetables swims on the top

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:17 am

Stay clear of anythig with sugar or starch. Don't go everboard on veggies or you well screw up the water. Try some dandelion leaves cooked soft like spinach.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:29 am

Stay clear of anythig with sugar or starch.

What will this do?

I will try some dandelion leaves especially after seeing the above pictures.