Questions for my ecosphere rescue

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Dantonellis
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Questions for my ecosphere rescue

Post by Dantonellis »

I was given a small ecosphere with two shrimp as a gift a few years ago and it has one shrimp remaining. I've decided to save this poor guy and hook him up with a 1 gallon tank. I've just ordered substrate, rocks, moss - the works. I really wanted to get my shrimp a little nerite friend, but after some research it seems to not be a good fit with the opae ula. So I've decided to go with the 10 snails for sale here.

I know they wont be food competition but I wanted to make sure that my shrimp will be ok with 10 snails running amok in his new home. Is my shrimp to snail ratio ok? Also I was wondering how quickly these snails breed? Am I going to end up with a gallon tank filled with them?

Additionally, I plan to order more shrimp in the future, once I get my shrimp settled, but I just want to make sure I have the setup timeline right before I add him:
I should mix the brackish water, wait a few weeks, add the snails, wait a few more weeks(?) And then add my shrimp?

Thanks in advance!
:)
Varanus
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Re: Questions for my ecosphere rescue

Post by Varanus »

That timeline should be fine, the general rule though is that its safe to add the shrimp once you see algae in the tank. Many (including myself) simply added the snails and a tiny bit of food to start with and things were fine (they're generally even tougher than the shrimp).

As for shrimp to snail ratio, I've never seen the snails ever "bother" a shrimp. If anything it's the other way around, as the shrimp like to scrub at the snail's shells and even their bodies as the snails lumber around in slow motion. The snails themselves will spend a lot of their time under the substrate if they are able to dig into it, reducing interactions with the shrimp further.

As for snail reproduction, they will multiply in relation to how much food is available. So long as the tank is not overfed overpopulation shouldn't happen.
Dantonellis
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Re: Questions for my ecosphere rescue

Post by Dantonellis »

Thank you so much!
Dantonellis
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Re: Questions for my ecosphere rescue

Post by Dantonellis »

Thought of two more questions that I forgot initially:

I ordered some small moss balls and also macroalgae, is that too much for the one shrimp and 10 snails? I don't want the tank to look bare but I also don't want to overfeed.

Also is it ok to just gently pour my shrimp into the new tank when the brackish water is ready?

This is probably a ridiculous amount of unnecessary questions, but the shrimp spent 5 whole years in this crummy ecosphere and I dont want to do anything to harm him now that he's finally getting an upgrade!
Varanus
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Re: Questions for my ecosphere rescue

Post by Varanus »

So long as the water is about the same temperature then yes you should be able to add the shrimp right in. As brackish water animals the shrimp adapt readily to changes in water chemistry.

I don't think there is "too much" when it comes to the macroalgae and mosses, so long as they don't crowd out the shrimp. Keep in mind they are living things, so the dangers from overfeeding (i.e. uneaten food decaying) don't apply. Further, the shrimp and snails don't actually eat healthy moss or algae, rather they graze on biofilm that grows on the surface of the moss and and macroalgae, as well as eating parts that do get shed and start decaying.
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