Community Shrimp Tank

alohamonte · Post by **alohamonte** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 9:58 am

First post,

I have a 6 day old setup, 2.5 Mini Bow. Power Filter, 14w 5500k, C02, Planted, 78F.

Currently has 1xOto, 3xAmano, 3-4 hitchhiking Pond Snails...

I was going to go fish, killis, male endlers, rasboras, something...

But now I'm leaning towards all shrimp (except for a lonley oto) & no fish.

To this setup, I wanted to add 4-5 Red Crystals and 1 Bamboo as the centerpiece.

My questions: Will these guys all play nice? I dont want to breed them, but I certainly dont want to hurt them. Is this tank overstocked? Is the bamboo okay solo or do they need the company of their own kind?

Aloha, Monte

DanHagan · Post by **DanHagan** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 12:39 pm

They will play nice, but I don't think the bamboo shrimp would be happy in such a small tank and a tank so new. Bamboo shrimp require large areas with a lot of water movement to be happy. They also require an established tank with a lot of particulate matter floating in the water column as food.

They can be kept in smaller tanks but it is not recommended.

alohamonte · Post by **alohamonte** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:32 pm

in a larger tank, they like to be solo or in groups?

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 2:12 pm

Bamboos are very peaceful. They are fine solo or in grups, but need lots of space. Ottos are a good tankmate. Lots of space means 30 gallons+.

A 2.5 gallon mini is not fit for any shrimp. These are designed for a single Betta. They are also good for selling lots of fish as they keep going belly-up.

pixl8r · Post by **pixl8r** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:22 pm

I agree with badflash. Bamboos also need to have the water stirred with something like a power head in the tank.

It takes much more time to keep a 2.5 shrimp tank healthy than a 10g tank. In my well established 10g shrimp tanks, I do a weekly 10-15% water change, and biweekly water checks. When my tanks were younger I checked the water about every four days and did water changes accordingly. My larger tanks get the biweekly tests, but I only do monthly water changes.

If I had a small shrimp tank, say less than 10g, I'd check the water two to three times a week.

alohamonte · Post by **alohamonte** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:34 pm

Pix - I'm not using the UGF that came with the kit. I'm using a Hagen Elite internal power filter, it's a 30gph power head with a sponge on it.

It's not about time or what's easiest. If I wanted easy, I would get a pet rock. It's a hobby, it means I enjoy it because it takes time and energy, not because it saves it.

Flash - Actually, it says it's for a goldfish believe it or not. How horrible! If you went to a betta site, they'd say 10 gal minimum. So on the shrimp site, I expect to hear something similar.

Okay no bamboos, I'm glad I asked because I was this close to buying them tonight. But ANY shrimp? Dwarf shrimp are the ideal nano tankmate. They have less bioload than a pond snail. Where are you getting your information from? Have you ever kept a nano?

pixl8r · Post by **pixl8r** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:38 pm

alohamonte wrote:It's not about time or what's easiest. If I wanted easy, I would get a pet rock. It's a hobby, it means I enjoy it because it takes time and energy, not because it saves it.

My wife says shrimp keeping is an obsession with me.