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CHellewise CHellewise
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  • Posted on: 18/7/2012 20:29
Cherry Shrimp setup #1
Hi there,

Ive been scouring the internet for more information on keeping cherry shrimp. Would I be able to keep Cherry Shrimp in a 23L fluval edge, if so, how many and are they easy to keep. What sort of setup do they need :) Is there a caresheet for them on here, I couldnt see one. Thanks in advance for the input.

Thanks,
Claire
jaspersdad jaspersdad
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  • Posted on: 18/7/2012 21:00
Re: Cherry Shrimp setup #2
Hi Claire,

Shrimp are very sensitive to poor water conditions so you will need to be sure the tank is fully cycled before adding shrimp.

I would start with a small group of five or so because they breed like crazy. You may find yourself having to off load extras on to friends or your LFS.

I started with 5 now I must have 100+

JON
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CHellewise CHellewise
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  • Posted on: 18/7/2012 21:04
Re: Cherry Shrimp setup #3
Yeah, I was reading on Wiki that they like java fern - so will get it properly cycled and planted before I add any shrimp in. Was thinking of willow moss for a carpetting plant. And thanks for the advice! :)

Wow, thats a lot of shrimp! Will definitely start off with a few. I decided on shrimp as I know that the fluval edge is far too small for fish. :) And that cherry shrimp are really cute. :D
DaveGodfrey DaveGodfrey
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  • Posted on: 18/7/2012 21:21
Re: Cherry Shrimp setup #4
The Edge (and similar sized tanks) are ideal for small shrimp. Unfortunately there isn't a caresheet for any other than the (significantly larger) Amano Shrimp, but in general terms their needs are similar.

Neocaridina heteropoda (the species which Red Cherry Shrimp and the other colour morphs belong to) will happily breed in freshwater (which Amano's don't), get to about 2.5-3cm long, and are gregarious. If you're buying new I'd get five or six to start with (having fully cycled your tank first). They like a pH of between 7-8, and relatively hard, but to be honest they're pretty much indestructible, and will breed readily in most water conditions. If your water is very soft I'd add some limestone rocks or coral sand to buffer a bit, as they do need calcium for their exoskeletons.

If you have acidic and soft water then the more demanding Crystal Red or Crystal Black shrimp (Caridina cantonensis a different genus and species) might be worth a look. They're available in various grades, which are progressively more inbred and each requires more exacting water conditions. Red Cherries are ideal from that point of view, and even the "high grade" Cherries like Sakura Shrimp, are pretty tolerant. (They're also not nearly so expensive- Red Cherries go for about ?2-?3 each, Sakuras are about ?6, but the Crystal Shrimp come in at ?15, and the really high-grade ones are silly money).

In a centrally heated house, and in a tank over about 100L I wouldn't bother with a heater, unless I knew there was a real cold snap coming, as the water volume will keep it warm enough, but in a 23L you'll need the heater as small volumes of water lose and gain heat much faster- set it to about 22-23 degrees and it'll probably only turn on when it gets really cold, but that will be when you need it most.

Being only small they don't need much food- a tiny pinch of finely powdered flake is fine, or a crumb of algae wafer once a day or so. If you have Java Moss (or similar) they'll pick through it looking for tiny bits of food, and its worth encouraging some algae growth on pebbles for them for similar reasons. Substrate isn't too important, but shrimp generally have more intense colouration on a darker substrate, and get washed out if your substrate and lighting is very bright. You should also give them places to hide (small flowerpots, pieces of wood, plants, etc), as shrimp are right at the bottom of the food-chain, and know it- especially when they're moulting and are even more vulnerable to predation.

The one thing you absolutely must avoid is copper in any form, as it will kill them stone dead. In a shrimp-only tank this is pretty easy to avoid as the most common source of copper in an aquarium is fish meds. A nerite snail or two, and a few Malaysian Trumpet Snails if you have sand, and you'll have a lovely little invertebrate community tank.
Loaches, Barbs, Minnows & Shrimp! Oh My!
CHellewise CHellewise
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  • Posted on: 18/7/2012 21:35
Re: Cherry Shrimp setup #5
Thank you so much for that information, that was a great help. Are calcium blocks okay to add in once a month or something just to keep the water calcium rich, or would this be too much. What plants would you recommend for my little tank.
I have some algae covered pebbles in an already mature tank, would these be okay to place in there to get things started, as well as some mature filter media.
Thanks again! :D

*goes to look up nerite snails* :)
jaspersdad jaspersdad
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  • Posted on: 18/7/2012 21:51
Re: Cherry Shrimp setup #6
If you just want plain old cherry reds I can pop some in the post when you are ready for them.

JON
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CHellewise CHellewise
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  • Posted on: 18/7/2012 22:00
Re: Cherry Shrimp setup #7
Thats all I'm looking for, plain ole cherrys :D Are you sure that would be okay, I'd be incredibly grateful but don't want to be a pain in the backside, and would of course pay for postage :D:D
jaspersdad jaspersdad
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  • Posted on: 18/7/2012 22:04
Re: Cherry Shrimp setup #8
No it'd be fine, just let me know when you want them. It'd be best to send special delivery to make sure they have as short a time in transit as possible. Let me know when you are ready.

JON
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CHellewise CHellewise
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  • Posted on: 18/7/2012 22:13
Re: Cherry Shrimp setup #9
*squish* thank you :D just want to make sure it's properly cycled, will add in my mature media to keep the tank all happy, I have some algae growth on the side of the tank already so will leave that alone, i will add in some hidey places and plants first and get it completely set up. Thank you so much :D:D
DaveGodfrey DaveGodfrey
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  • Posted on: 18/7/2012 22:18
Re: Cherry Shrimp setup #10
If you're in Essex, chances are you'll have hard alkaline water, so you won't need to add any calcium tablets. Its worth checking your pH and hardness to be sure though. Anything over about 7ish should be OK to be honest.

For the tank some Java Fern, Java Moss, Willow Moss, a moss ball (possibly opened out and tied onto a bit of slate with some thin cotton), will all be fine. I don't know how powerful the light on the Edge is, the tank itself isn't terribly deep, and getting into it to do maintenance is awkward, so I'd go for slow-growing, low-light plants like those. The shape doesn't really suit floating plants either I'm afraid. I've just set up a 27L cube for Sakura Shrimp, and am going for ferns, mosses, and algae only, but that's a personal choice.

The algae-covered pebbles will be ideal. Mature filter media will be great- many people keep a bit of sponge in their filter that they can put into a small filter and set up a QT or hospital tank at short notice, you'll just need to feed the tank an ammonia source (either liquid ammonia or fish food) to keep the bacteria ticking over if you're not going to add shrimp immediately. (I kept mine in the other filter until I got the shrimp home, and then moved it over while I was acclimating them).
Loaches, Barbs, Minnows & Shrimp! Oh My!