After 3 attempts at keeping Cardinal shrimp I found 2 babies and I’m hoping that there are more babies that I don’t see. These guys are tiny but I can see their little white pinchers picking away.
I just got these shrimp a little over a week ago so it’s too soon to say if they will survive but even if they don’t I’m hoping that these 2+ babies and the 1 survivor of from the cardinal shrimp I bought a year ago will be able to get a colony going.
Cardinal Shrimp babies
Moderator: Mustafa
Re: Cardinal Shrimp babies
Congrats, and good luck! 
Just make sure that you don't obsess too much about getting "everything right." In most cases just leaving the tank alone is the best you can do, especially for more sensitive shrimp.
Just make sure that you don't obsess too much about getting "everything right." In most cases just leaving the tank alone is the best you can do, especially for more sensitive shrimp.Re: Cardinal Shrimp babies
A few of the adult shrimp died early on but I can count 12 of the twenty I bought so I'm sure there are a few more adults that I can't see. So I'm guessing that the critical period is over.
However there are no babies. I have seen some berried females and counted as many and 5 babies that I could see at one time but they have all disappeared. It's been a couple month now since I've seen a baby cardinal. I've been leaving the tank alone except for topping it off once in a while. So I don't know why the babies are disappearing.
One thing I have noticed that seems strange is that this tank doesn't grow algae. The tank is a 40 gallon breeder with and aquaclear 70 filter with a foam insert fulling covering the intake. It has been set up for a few years and gets some natural light from a north window and for the last 3+ months I've had an aquarium light on 24/7 trying to get algae to grow but still nothing. I have a 30 gallon breeder tank on the stand below it which hasn't been set up as long and that tank is growing algae.
However there are no babies. I have seen some berried females and counted as many and 5 babies that I could see at one time but they have all disappeared. It's been a couple month now since I've seen a baby cardinal. I've been leaving the tank alone except for topping it off once in a while. So I don't know why the babies are disappearing.
One thing I have noticed that seems strange is that this tank doesn't grow algae. The tank is a 40 gallon breeder with and aquaclear 70 filter with a foam insert fulling covering the intake. It has been set up for a few years and gets some natural light from a north window and for the last 3+ months I've had an aquarium light on 24/7 trying to get algae to grow but still nothing. I have a 30 gallon breeder tank on the stand below it which hasn't been set up as long and that tank is growing algae.
Re: Cardinal Shrimp babies
Are you feeding at all? Some food has to be given once in a while for nutrients to be present in the tank. Algae won't grow if there are no nutrients.
Re: Cardinal Shrimp babies
I gave them a medium sinking pellet every day or two when I first got them but I haven't fed them in a couple months. Before the shrimp I had goldfish in this aquarium and they got lots of food but even with the goldfish this aquarium never grew algae.
Even without the feeding or algae the snails are reproducing. I'm not sure what kind of snails they are but they look like red pond/bladder snails which came as hitchhikers on the weeds the shrimp were sent with.
Even without the feeding or algae the snails are reproducing. I'm not sure what kind of snails they are but they look like red pond/bladder snails which came as hitchhikers on the weeds the shrimp were sent with.
Re: Cardinal Shrimp babies
I would throw in a tiny piece of food and see what happens. At least the snails should eat it and produce some nitrate for algae to grow on.