need help identifying gifted shrimps

[giadda]

Hi all!

It's my first time here, so do be kind

I got my first nano tank (30-liter planted, low-tech). Since I purchased a lot of aquaplants, the hobbyist whom I purchased it from gifted me with 6 free shrimps. He told me they were fire red or sakura shrimps, but I'm not so sure since they look different from the pics I've Googled.

Kindly help me out in identifying the shrimps, since I want to add four more so they'd make a hefty colony soon I'd love to avoid cross breeding so I'm looking for the correct specie.

Oh, and the one on the left is male and the one on the right is female, right? Well, I heard the females were supposedly bigger. (from Googling)



Thanks! Any help appreciated!

[KenCotigirl]

They look like red cherry shrimp. The names you provided are the same species but are based upon the degree and deepness of red. I would say the one on the left is a male based upon its color. Males tend to be less red. Females have a saddle, developing eggs. Cannot tell from picture. Also females are not just larger but have a different body type. Stouter looking. Sorry I am at a loss for words. The right one looks like a female.

Ken

[Mustafa]

The one on the right is clearly a female, and the one on the left appears to be an immature female. They get misidentified as males a lot, especially when they are smaller, as they do resemble males. They both seem to be in terrible shape, though. Unfortunately, they'll probably die soon. Are they picking at any surfaces or just sitting there doing nothing? Also, is that a new tank? I would wait to see how these shrimp do before adding more.

[giadda]

They look like red cherry shrimp. The names you provided are the same species but are based upon the degree and deepness of red. I would say the one on the left is a male based upon its color. Males tend to be less red. Females have a saddle, developing eggs. Cannot tell from picture. Also females are not just larger but have a different body type. Stouter looking. Sorry I am at a loss for words. The right one looks like a female.

Ken

Oh, cool. Thanks Ken, I thought they were RCS too. Thanks for telling me how to identify them too. Love the heads up.

The one on the right is clearly a female, and the one on the left appears to be an immature female. They get misidentified as males a lot, especially when they are smaller, as they do resemble males. They both seem to be in terrible shape, though. Unfortunately, they'll probably die soon. Are they picking at any surfaces or just sitting there doing nothing? Also, is that a new tank? I would wait to see how these shrimp do before adding more.

Oh, thanks for the input, Mustafa. Yes, it's a new tank. Oh, dear. Can you please point out how I can make my shrimps feel more at home?
Uhm, they used to pick at some surfaces, now all they do is sit by the stones and hide.
I will follow your advice. If they do die, I might consider cycling my tank, as suggested by some too. I honestly didn't know I was supposed to do that before adding new shrimps.

[giadda]

I hope my shrimpies do survive the week or two. I'm hoping to add more.

incidentally, if it's okay, I've snapped some more pics of my shrimpies, though it's hard to get them all in a bunch..





please do help me out identifying if i have any males at all, they all look like females

[Mustafa]

Shrimp just sitting around is usually not a good sign. I don't see any males in your pictures. A male should look similar to the third picture here:

http://www.petshrimp.com/redcherryshrimp.php

Maybe a little more red...but not anywhere close to as colorful or stocky as the females.

[giadda]

thanks for the reference pics mustafa! much appreciated! i guess i really had no males from the gifted shrimpies..
really wanted to follow your advice to wait, but was too excited and i bought more (guilty look) this time, i made sure to tell the LFS lady to pick some males and females.

luckily enough, i got a berried one too. hope she keeps the eggs to term..

@ everyone:
a quick update of my tank.
> bought HC and planted them. i know they might not be ideal for gravel and mineralized topsoil, but i just hope these plants do carpet.
> also bought cabombas for the back so my shrimpies have more plants to hide in.
> changed my filter to an Ista F100 hang on sponge filter

here's an updated pic of my tank uhm, pardon the background, as i've put my nanotank above my ref.


picture of the berried one i bought from the LFS (really hope she carries those eggs to term). hope i get shrimplets in 3 weeks or less


cute shrimp couple? sharing the SANYU shrimp vitality feeds i bought from the LFS


my feeder minibowl, which I hope will attract more attention in the long run. shrimpies prefer to hang back in my cabombas.


uhm, may have picked up some unwelcome stragglers with my HC purchase. are they good to share the tank with my shrimpies? need help identifying them too please


I do need help with a few questions:

1. I've bought the API PH tester, and I've settled on using Catappa or Indian Almond Leaves as I've read they help lower down the PH, but it's been 10 days, and PH's still at 7.8 - 8. Do I need to buy something else to lower down the PH?

2. I'm seeing several saddled shrimpets, but I can't seem to get them in the mood to "do their thing". I've done a 20% water change 3 days ago, but no dice. Any suggestions to get them in the mood to mate?

3. Do female shrimpies hide more than the males? I've found that my males are high and mighty strolling about the tank, but my beautiful red shrimpets are hiding underneath the stones more often.

4. Heard HC needs CO2 and am considering dosing flourish excel. But with saddled and berried shrimpets, I'm hesitant though. Any thoughts?

5. My tank's water is greenish brown, what with the Indian Almond Leaves. Since they're not lowering the PH as I planned, I'm planning to remove them. Should this clear my tank water? I'd love to take pictures of my tank with clearer water and share the love to my non-shrimp tank loving friends who've called me weird for my new hobby, lol.


I really can't wait for my shrimplets.

Once again, any suggestions or feedback is most welcome!

[Mustafa]

Congrats on getting some males there! As for pH...go het yourself an API kh test kit. Getting down the kh is really the only permanent way to lower pH. Let me know what your test says. You can lower your kH by doing your next few water changes with RO or DI water. As for "in the mood to mate"...if they feel happy and full they will mate. Just have patience. And, yes, especially berried females hide more than males. Makes sense as they are carrying around the next generation and don't want to be eaten. You can remove the leaves or leave them in. They may *minimally* lower pH temporarily...not because they emit the brownish coloration, but bacteria feed on it and produce CO2 (which, as carbonic acid, may lower the pH). But that's all temporary...you need to get the kH down. And those snails are small pond snails (Physa sp.)...they are harmless, but they can reproduce very quickly and be a nuisance by being all over the place.

[Stalker]

Your snail is Radix balthica, a friendly algae eater.

[giadda]

Congrats on getting some males there! As for pH...go het yourself an API kh test kit. Getting down the kh is really the only permanent way to lower pH. Let me know what your test says. You can lower your kH by doing your next few water changes with RO or DI water. As for "in the mood to mate"...if they feel happy and full they will mate. Just have patience. And, yes, especially berried females hide more than males. Makes sense as they are carrying around the next generation and don't want to be eaten. You can remove the leaves or leave them in. They may *minimally* lower pH temporarily...not because they emit the brownish coloration, but bacteria feed on it and produce CO2 (which, as carbonic acid, may lower the pH). But that's all temporary...you need to get the kH down. And those snails are small pond snails (Physa sp.)...they are harmless, but they can reproduce very quickly and be a nuisance by being all over the place.

hahaha thanks mustafa! appreciate that! you were right, the berried female hid all her prego time.
good news is, the berried one from the LFS finally gave birth to 8 shrimplets.. initially counted 4, now saw 8 when they're a week older and not as shy haha..


and you were absolutly right, i haven't fiddled much with my tank and nw i'm seeing at least 3 berried females

had a mild infestation with planaria, but they went away after a 2-day meal skip and a 50% water change. now, just letting some snails help mop up some of the extra particles that've settled on my gravel and resisting the urge to feed everyday lol

Your snail is Radix balthica, a friendly algae eater.

oh wow, thanks for the very specific name stalker, appreciate that!

[Mustafa]

Thanks for the update and congrats on the offspring!

[Mustafa]

Your snail is Radix balthica, a friendly algae eater.

I doubt it...that species only occurs in Europe and hasn't spread as a "pest" species all over the world like Physa spp. or Physella spp. (i.e. "pond snails"). I doubt giadda is in Europe even.