Petshrimp.com Discussion Forum

Ok my red cherry's arrived - alive even

I decided my second fry tank was a good place for them for the time being. I let the algae grow freely the last week or so - my water sprites are looking like algea balls. (Well not quite but you get the idea)

Is algae suffiecent food with a selective occasional feeding of sweet potatoe or some flake? Tank sits in a window (out of space for tanks in a big way) so algae growth is spectacular and in my opinion impossible to control

I have two large water sprites and about a 1/4 tanks worth of java moss in the tank. No substrate... A lava rock about the size of 2 fists and a good size sponge filter. The tank is a 10 gallon...

Oh and there are still about 6 SMALL krib fry in there. (1/8") I have to get them out I know - just didn't see them before I dropped the cherry's in.

Just curious - anyone use iodine at all in thier tanks?

Congrats on your new shrimp. I would highly recommend a substrate for your tanks (such as sand) since algae and other microorganisms grow on it on which the shrimp also feed. If the right kind of algae are growing in your tank then you don't need to feed all that much additionally. Too much food will drive up the nitrates and phosphates and shrimp are very sensitive to that. Make sure that you do regular partial water changes, especially if you are feeding more frequently.

As to Iodine...do a search on this forum and you will find lots of information I have posted about it. The short version: absolutely not needed and a waste of money. I haver never used Iodine in any of my tanks.

Mustafa

Thanks Mustafa,

Just threw the iodine in at the last moment...popped into my head as something I recalled from somewhere before I submitted.

Algae is hair and thread. I do a 20% change a week in those tanks as is. So no big deal there.

They love the sponge filter for sure...

You're welcome. The Red Cherries are not big fans of thread and hair algae (i.e. they probably won't touch them). Most of the small algae eating shrimp prefer "surface covering" algae, i.e. the "normal" type of algae that covers rocks and the inside walls of the tank with a thin layer. They love the sponge filter because it is full of microorganisms, which they feed on.