Need advice on getting started

[LeShrimp]

OK, big news - my wife just identified a baby snail in the tank! It's maybe 1.5mm long. I don't know how these things reproduce - if a mama laid eggs in the tank, or if there was an egg somewhere in the algae or tagging along with the snails, or what.

But in any case, the fact that I have this tiny snail apparently alive and well in there now really makes me think that the tank is probably healthy.

Does that make sense?

All it means is that there is some excess food for the snail. Most of these snails are really hardy so it's not a great indicator but judging from these posts your tank sounds healthy.

[Mustafa]

Yep, your tank looks like it's ready...and there seems to be more than enough food growing everywhere already. These snails don't lay eggs, they produce live young. Keep the updates coming!

[AndyH]

I really like your setup; the rock with the hole in it looks good. As does the fine black sand. Just as Mustafa said, it looks like your tank is ready for shrimp and that they'll have stuff to much on when you get them. I can't wait to see more pics and read more updates!

[Syscrush]

Alright, one more question before I pull the trigger on my shrimp order:

How many would be a good number to start with in a 2.5 gallon tank like this?

I was originally thinking 10-15, but I'm getting excited and wanna order 20-25 now.

What say you?

[Mustafa]

Either range is fine. It all depends on how many animals you like to observe initially in your tank. In other words. A 2.5 gallon has more than enough space for reproduction still. Just to give you an idea...I started my original colony with about 35 animals in a 2.5 gallon. 3 years later (no breeding the first 9 months) I moved something like 400+ shrimp from that tank to San Diego from NYC. In the meantime I had started a 10 gallon tank (with something like 10 or 20 shrimp) with offspring from the 2.5 gallon...which also had something like 500-600 shrimp in it that needed to be packaged and moved. Yes, it can look a bit crowded if your tank reaches those numbers, but you're nowhere near that with the number ranges you're thinking about buying. Just to clarify...you don't want to just drop several hundred shrimp into a 2.5 gallon as that would be too much of a biological load for the tank. It's always best to let the colony grow so the interconnected biological system in your tank, which makes the tank livable, can adjust.

[Syscrush]

Thanks. I just wanted to be sure that I'm not overloading the tank initially.

[Syscrush]

Order for 20 supershrimp has been placed, should be here sometime around the end of next week if my last shipment is any indication.

I'm trying to keep cool and remind myself that there's a good chance that they'll stay hidden for a long time once they hit the tank... One step at a time...

[Syscrush]

I really like your setup; the rock with the hole in it looks good. As does the fine black sand. Just as Mustafa said, it looks like your tank is ready for shrimp and that they'll have stuff to much on when you get them. I can't wait to see more pics and read more updates!

Thanks. I'm happy about how the tank is looking, too. The red in the rock didn't really show up until it was in the water and under the white light.

Believe me, I'm looking forward to having more to post about.

[LeShrimp]

Order for 20 supershrimp has been placed, should be here sometime around the end of next week if my last shipment is any indication.

I'm trying to keep cool and remind myself that there's a good chance that they'll stay hidden for a long time once they hit the tank... One step at a time...

Actually once they hit the tank they are probably going to be all over the place. They will probably swim all over the place but will eventually calm down.

[Syscrush]

Baby count is up to 3 now.

I haven't done any feeding since setting up the tank, they're doing well on the algae that grows on the sides of the tank.

[Syscrush]

Alright, my 20 shrimp have shipped and are on their way to Toronto. Can't wait!

Is there anything special I need to do for the shrimp when they first hit the tank? How long should I wait (or what signs should I wait for) before the first feeding?

[LeShrimp]

Alright, my 20 shrimp have shipped and are on their way to Toronto. Can't wait!

Is there anything special I need to do for the shrimp when they first hit the tank? How long should I wait (or what signs should I wait for) before the first feeding?

Well you should acclimate them to the tank first. Then maybe wait a few days and then try to feed.

[Syscrush]

They arrived today. It looks like they all survived the trip, we'll see how they do adjusting to the tank.

I put the bag of shrimp into the tank for about 2 hours before opening it, then I cut off the top and left it floating in there. There's a small area where they can go in and out. The bag is mostly empty now, but a few have not left yet, and some scoot in and out.

They're pretty active in the tank, exploring the rock's crevices and holes, and working the macroalgae ball as well as the algae film on the tank sides. It's too soon to tell, but to me they seem pretty happy in there.

I tried taking some pics but I'm really at the limit of what my crappy kit lens can pick up. I'll keep shooting and post some pics in a few days.

[LeShrimp]

Nice keep us updated!

[Syscrush]

I was away for Sat & Sun, came home to find that they were almost all hiding.

They have obviously been working the sand and the macroalgae - most of the bubbles have been removed from the surface of the sand, and the algae bunch has been teased apart somewhat - it looks like it's twice as big as it was before I introduced the shrimp to the tank.

When does it make sense to start feeding them?