Hi to all I just recently began this new and very exciting hobby! My interest began when my wife and I went to a musuem and in the gift store they were selling ecospheres, I couldn't believe these shrimp could survive in these things, but after much research I found out that they actually starve inside the ecospheres and it takes up to 3 years... I no longer wanted one but still wanted to raise some shrimp of my own so I found a breeder in Haiwaii who I felt comfortable buying from. My experience thus far has been good I'm not like most I have begun small I only have a 1 gallon tank setup with only 6 shrimp and a few questions for you guys. Let me begin is tank size to small? I currently have gravel instead of sand is sand better? I put a single algae wafer they seem to enjoy is that a good food source? Should I add snails to such a small tank? This is just to get things kicked off I'm really itching to learn all I can and thanks for all the response to come! Just a brief up to speed I have had the tank for one week all 6 are doing good and have the red color coming to them I'll add some pics!New to super shrimp.
Moderator: Mustafa
New to super shrimp.
Hi to all I just recently began this new and very exciting hobby! My interest began when my wife and I went to a musuem and in the gift store they were selling ecospheres, I couldn't believe these shrimp could survive in these things, but after much research I found out that they actually starve inside the ecospheres and it takes up to 3 years... I no longer wanted one but still wanted to raise some shrimp of my own so I found a breeder in Haiwaii who I felt comfortable buying from. My experience thus far has been good I'm not like most I have begun small I only have a 1 gallon tank setup with only 6 shrimp and a few questions for you guys. Let me begin is tank size to small? I currently have gravel instead of sand is sand better? I put a single algae wafer they seem to enjoy is that a good food source? Should I add snails to such a small tank? This is just to get things kicked off I'm really itching to learn all I can and thanks for all the response to come! Just a brief up to speed I have had the tank for one week all 6 are doing good and have the red color coming to them I'll add some pics!- Attachments
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Re: New to super shrimp.
Provided they can burrow in it snails may be especially useful in a tank with gravel as they will be able to get at the various organic waste and algae that the shrimp can't reach. I find sand preferable in the sense that one doesn't have to worry about those inner gravel crevices getting gunky and the shrimp can freely pick up sand grains to polish as they feed. Snails are recommended regardless I think.
Anyway, according to the main site, even a half gallon is enough to keep up to 50 shrimp: http://www.petshrimp.com/opaesetup.php Though of course you wouldn't want to put in that many to begin with as it could overwhelm the good bacteria.
The shrimp are omnivorous and will eat all kinds of things, so provided they are eating everything you give them within a few hours and you are feeding sparingly (no more than once every few weeks) the food you're giving should be fine.
Anyway, according to the main site, even a half gallon is enough to keep up to 50 shrimp: http://www.petshrimp.com/opaesetup.php Though of course you wouldn't want to put in that many to begin with as it could overwhelm the good bacteria.
The shrimp are omnivorous and will eat all kinds of things, so provided they are eating everything you give them within a few hours and you are feeding sparingly (no more than once every few weeks) the food you're giving should be fine.
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JennyPenny
- Shrimp
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2015 7:49 pm
Re: New to super shrimp.
Your tank is not too small and six is a good number to start with. I prefer sand over gravel, for the reasons Varanus mentioned. I think you are likely feeding too much, so feed smaller amounts less frequently and remove uneaten food. Snails and microalgae would be good for your tank, and you also might want to purchase a few small pieces of coral to help buffer the water, along with a test kit. Test kits are very useful to check water quality. Your tank looks very nice!
Re: New to super shrimp.
Thanks for the replies! I'm highly considering switching to sand after seeing other tank setups, but for now I'm gonna hold off I don't want to stress them anymore for now. Which brings me to another question... What is the best method of transferring shrimp in order to make modifications to the tank? (For example switching from gravel to sand). Would it best to temporarily put them in a bowl with the same water from the tank while I make the adjustment??? And thanks jennypenny I read that you are also new to this nice looking tank yourself! 
also how many snails do you guys recommend for the 1 gallon? I was only gonna get one due to there ability to reproduce so frequent.
also how many snails do you guys recommend for the 1 gallon? I was only gonna get one due to there ability to reproduce so frequent.Re: New to super shrimp.
Actually the snails won't overpopulate with the amount of food recommended for super shrimp, there simply won't be enough food for them to reproduce much, especially with the shrimp outcompeting them. About ten of them are recommended on the site for a half gallon so what is available in the store will do you fine with some room for growth. http://www.petshrimp.com/store/index.ph ... ucts_id=20
Course if you get something bigger or more voracious like a nerite then you may just want one. Course nerites don't burrow as much either.
Course if you get something bigger or more voracious like a nerite then you may just want one. Course nerites don't burrow as much either.
Re: New to super shrimp.
Moving shrimp: I had good luck chasing them into a tiny 1/4 cup measuring cup after emptying most of the tank water. They will burrow into the gravel (another reason sand is better) so you have to delicately prod them towards the cup. It's definitely not easy.
I had a 1 gallon initially and recently upgraded to a 2.5 gallon glass cube. I think 1 nerite snail is too much for a 1gal, although they are excellent at cleaning the glass. If you leave your light on longer, you may produce enough algae for 1 nerite, but I have found my 2.5gal is much much better in terms of surface area for growing algae. They are voracious! If you do get one, try to get an olive nerite or a horned nerite, as they are the smallest. I have to admit...I think my nerite Lyle is my favorite of all my aquarium inhabitants.
One benefit of a slightly larger aquarium is that more water volume = less concentration of any potentially harmful pollutants. I found this out the hard way with my 1 gal when I put my hand in to adjust a heater that had popped off the wall, and poisoned my shrimp with some cleaning fluid residue that was on my hands. I killed 5/14 of my little dudes
While they are super adjustable to temperature, salinity, and low food sources, any chemical contaminant could kill them, like soap reside on your hands, cologne, nail polish, whatever.
I had a 1 gallon initially and recently upgraded to a 2.5 gallon glass cube. I think 1 nerite snail is too much for a 1gal, although they are excellent at cleaning the glass. If you leave your light on longer, you may produce enough algae for 1 nerite, but I have found my 2.5gal is much much better in terms of surface area for growing algae. They are voracious! If you do get one, try to get an olive nerite or a horned nerite, as they are the smallest. I have to admit...I think my nerite Lyle is my favorite of all my aquarium inhabitants.
One benefit of a slightly larger aquarium is that more water volume = less concentration of any potentially harmful pollutants. I found this out the hard way with my 1 gal when I put my hand in to adjust a heater that had popped off the wall, and poisoned my shrimp with some cleaning fluid residue that was on my hands. I killed 5/14 of my little dudes
While they are super adjustable to temperature, salinity, and low food sources, any chemical contaminant could kill them, like soap reside on your hands, cologne, nail polish, whatever.
Re: New to super shrimp.
What type of nerites do you have? The ones I have only grow to about the same length as an adult Opae'ula, I have 3 in my 17 gallon.
Re: New to super shrimp.
If you like black substrates, I recommend using black aragonite sand/gravel. They're not too coarse, not too fine. The substrate makes Opaeula colors pop out more. I personally use them and it's great!
Re: New to super shrimp.
Mech, I have one tiger nerite I pop between 2 tanks. I originally had one nerite per 1-gal aquarium, but the zebra nerite died. I think I could get another now, since I upgraded tanks.
Re: New to super shrimp.
Welcome TH8927!TH8927 wrote:I no longer wanted one but still wanted to raise some shrimp of my own so I found a breeder in Haiwaii who I felt comfortable buying from.
Just to clarify...there are no "breeders" in Hawaii. Everyone selling these shrimp goes and catches them from vulnerable habitats, mostly on protected land (and then show holding tanks with a bunch of shrimp and claim they "breed" them). Unfortunately, enforcement there is terrible. Just FYI as there is lots of misinformation out there. Basically any shrimp coming out of Hawaii is wild-caught.