Before you start a shrimp tank!!

I have notice there are many brothers/sisters interested in shrimp keeping recently. Dunno its just me or the forum recently pack with ppl starting new shrimp tank.

Things to note before you start a shrimp tank.

1) I am concern over how many can afford the good quality shrimps to start off with (over jealous). however do note that the better the shrimps grades are, the more care and more dedicate the shrimps are. so I would advise/suggest those who intend to start this shrimp keeping hobby to keep low grades shrimps for a certain period of time (1 year) before they move on to higher gardes shrimps to learn the skills necessary and to avoid high shrimp death rates.

2) I have read many ppl starting with very small tanks.... besides the *sticky warning that a small tank less than 2 feet is not the ideal shrimp tank to start off with, due to water perimeters and many other factors.... so please try to start a shimp tank with 2 feet and above. I would also like to keep a small tank in my office for my shimps... but knowing it would not be the best environment for them... i cant...

For small tank, consider guppies?
Out of topic a bit... i have a small nano cube which i keep 2 small clown loach... they are very very very hardy.... from my experience clown loach is a good hardy fish though shy, when they are very comfortable in the tank and when they come out to swim... they look very nice too. consider hardy fish to start a small tank with.

3) Temperature flacutation - Note that this is not very good in shrimp keeping hobbies. must be able to maintain the water temperature below 28 degrees..... At 28 degrees is also not the best condition, its the extreme end when shrimps still survive. 24 degrees is good!

And nope... skin and hand and your feel is not enuff to guess the water temperature... we can be very wrong in guessing. get a accurate thermometer to confirm.... "Cool plcs" or spots in ur home can also be very wrong.

Maintaining is the word.... chiller is the only thing that can maintain a certain termperature. Else breeding is diffcult.

Well last but not least i hope ppl read this short summary for the basic of shrimp keeping. Please read all the *sticky* for in depth knowledge before you even try to start! 1 death is 1 death too many! Shrimps are life like you and me.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

[onlyyouknow]

I do not agree with some of the things written.

Its not necessarily true that good quality shrimps are more delicate, you can start with easier to keep shrimps before you move on to more delicate ones. The most important thing is to have a cycled tank with stable water parameters.

The size of the tank depends on the number of shrimps you intend to keep. You can safely keep 50 shrimps(possibly more) in a 2 ft tank if you have good filtration. A smaller tank is harder to maintain parameters but if space is a constraint, then stick to a smaller tank. Just make sure its cycled and proper filtration is applied. The bioload of shrimps are pretty low so if you have plants, there shouldn't be an issue.

I think a chiller is ideal but if you can't afford it, then better stick with shrimps that can deal with a higher temperature. I have kept cherries in a temperature of 30 degrees and they breed like rabbits.

[ranmaru1987]

Originally Posted by onlyyouknow

I do not agree with some of the things written.

Its not necessarily true that good quality shrimps are more delicate, you can start with easier to keep shrimps before you move on to more delicate ones. The most important thing is to have a cycled tank with stable water parameters.

The size of the tank depends on the number of shrimps you intend to keep. You can safely keep 50 shrimps(possibly more) in a 2 ft tank if you have good filtration. A smaller tank is harder to maintain parameters but if space is a constraint, then stick to a smaller tank. Just make sure its cycled and proper filtration is applied. The bioload of shrimps are pretty low so if you have plants, there shouldn't be an issue.

I think a chiller is ideal but if you can't afford it, then better stick with shrimps that can deal with a higher temperature. I have kept cherries in a temperature of 30 degrees and they breed like rabbits.

my sentiments excactly bro.. well said..

@icebabys: very kind of you to sound warning. I think in many pets, alot pple like to chiong in without considering what is need (time/cash/responsibility). More expr pple (like onlyyouknow) can contribute to it and thus, newbies can read more before deciding to start with the hobby.

Very good attempt, but there are a number of misleading information inside though its not totally wrong.

Like I would like to point out, 1 feet by 0.8 feet by 1 feet is a good enough size tank to house shrimps. Just that population shouldn't exceed 20-30.

28degree i won't say is the extreme temp for general shrimps, and definitely singapore temperature can easily breed species like cherry, green and some other common shrimps.

So I can only say.. Shrimps are very species dependent and different species requires very different condition, its good to check out the specific guides/threads before attempting any of them cause generalization is often what kills aquatic organisms the most

[ah_ong]

Originally Posted by icebabys

I have notice there are many brothers/sisters interested in shrimp keeping recently. Dunno its just me or the forum recently pack with ppl starting new shrimp tank.

Things to note before you start a shrimp tank.

1) I am concern over how many can afford the good quality shrimps to start off with (over jealous). however do note that the better the shrimps grades are, the more care and more dedicate the shrimps are. so I would advise/suggest those who intend to start this shrimp keeping hobby to keep low grades shrimps for a certain period of time (1 year) before they move on to higher gardes shrimps to learn the skills necessary and to avoid high shrimp death rates.

2) I have read many ppl starting with very small tanks.... besides the *sticky warning that a small tank less than 2 feet is not the ideal shrimp tank to start off with, due to water perimeters and many other factors.... so please try to start a shimp tank with 2 feet and above. I would also like to keep a small tank in my office for my shimps... but knowing it would not be the best environment for them... i cant...

For small tank, consider guppies?
Out of topic a bit... i have a small nano cube which i keep 2 small clown loach... they are very very very hardy.... from my experience clown loach is a good hardy fish though shy, when they are very comfortable in the tank and when they come out to swim... they look very nice too. consider hardy fish to start a small tank with.

3) Temperature flacutation - Note that this is not very good in shrimp keeping hobbies. must be able to maintain the water temperature below 28 degrees..... At 28 degrees is also not the best condition, its the extreme end when shrimps still survive. 24 degrees is good!

And nope... skin and hand and your feel is not enuff to guess the water temperature... we can be very wrong in guessing. get a accurate thermometer to confirm.... "Cool plcs" or spots in ur home can also be very wrong.

Maintaining is the word.... chiller is the only thing that can maintain a certain termperature. Else breeding is diffcult.

Well last but not least i hope ppl read this short summary for the basic of shrimp keeping. Please read all the *sticky* for in depth knowledge before you even try to start! 1 death is 1 death too many! Shrimps are life like you and me.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

Bro I feel that this is only ypur personal feelings? When we set up a small tank means space is limited and not that people cannot afford to start it?

Of cos newibes will check with people who are more experience to see if they are able to keep higher grade of shrimps. Taking me for example, I started with a small tank recent and i check which is better CRS or others? People gave me the comment that to try cherries or saukras are better as they are more hardy?

And the way you write this post as if you are very jealous that people are starting this hobby and jumping straight into buying quality shrimps? And then you write this type of post, it kind of turn people off into starting into shrimp hobby. Instead I feel that you should advise, that if people condsider keeping CRS is a better option to start with a 2ft with full equip like ehim filter and chiller. Moreever a hobby or pet keeping need more new people to be interested in to sustain the keeping.

Next you make newbies sound like they are murderers? Like shrimps life are as important as your own life? Haiz this sometimes may sound right and some people just cannot be bothered? But please do not type this as you sterotype like all newbies are like that.

Lastly I am typing this not to offend anyone, I had met many nice people in this forum who advice me things and also nice sellers for items. But is just that this type of thread is a great turn off for people who wants to even start this hobby. Hope you understand No offences

Originally Posted by icebabys

I2) I have read many ppl starting with very small tanks.... besides the *sticky warning that a small tank less than 2 feet is not the ideal shrimp tank to start off with, due to water perimeters and many other factors.... so please try to start a shimp tank with 2 feet and above.t.

This part I need to disagree. I kept my shrimps in 1 feet nano and my snowball, sakuras and blue shrimps breed like mad until I have to give the shrimplets away and upgraded to 1.5 feet tank that cost my wallet to bleed. The success of shrimps keeping is not about size of tank but water parameters. I have seen many LFS keeping shrimps in a half-feet size tank too. If I am not wrong, shrimps hobby also started in Japan and we know not many Japanese have big space at home, they will want smaller tank to keep shrimps but maintain them in a zen tank look.

Here is the testimony to disagree with your number (2) point.
http://aquasense-aquasense.blogspot.com/

[silane]

First of all, people just like to generalise shrimps species requirements, setup and needs.

Not long ago, someone started a thread asking what is the most harsh enviroment a shrimp can be in. I try to make sense out of nonsense by saying, I put my shrimp in salt water, never change water, using losuy filter and they still breed. But it is the species of the shrimps that allow me to that and not another species, that is Hawiian shrimp.

Bigger tank size, lower temperature will give more leeway to error, and there is no fast and hard rule of how many shrimps can be kept in whatever size. Lower temperature definately offer better enviroment for them, oxygen is richer better for shrimps and Aerobic bacteria. Also toxic are not active in lower temperature, check the relationship of temperature vs the portion of NH3 and NH4, for example.

Lower temperature can make cherry look like sukura and higher temperature can make sukura look like cherry. A grade A crs can look like grade C or B in higher temperature. Sometime, they can even became grade D, D for died.

Onlyyouknow, can to share how is your 3ft cherry tank setup, I have heard many times you mention that you are breeding cherry in 3ft tank with room temperature.

And ah_ong,
Next you make newbies sound like they are murderers? Like shrimps life are as important as your own life?
why is TS's life got to do with shrimp's life? One will die if they dont keep shrimp???

[ah_ong]

Originally Posted by silane

First of all, people just like to generalise shrimps species requirements, setup and needs.

Not long ago, someone started a thread asking what is the most harsh enviroment a shrimp can be in. I try to make sense out of nonsense by saying, I put my shrimp in salt water, never change water, using losuy filter and they still breed. But it is the species of the shrimps that allow me to that and not another species, that is Hawiian shrimp.

Bigger tank size, lower temperature will give more leeway to error, and there is no fast and hard rule of how many shrimps can be kept in whatever size. Lower temperature definately offer better enviroment for them, oxygen is richer better for shrimps and Aerobic bacteria. Also toxic are not active in lower temperature, check the relationship of temperature vs the portion of NH3 and NH4, for example.

Lower temperature can make cherry look like sukura and higher temperature can make sukura look like cherry. A grade A crs can look like grade C or B in higher temperature. Sometime, they can even became grade D, D for died.

Onlyyouknow, can to share how is your 3ft cherry tank setup, I have heard many times you mention that you are breeding cherry in 3ft tank with room temperature.

And ah_ong,
Next you make newbies sound like they are murderers? Like shrimps life are as important as your own life?
why is TS's life got to do with shrimp's life? One will die if they dont keep shrimp???

Please refer to TS thread to where shrimp is life like just you and me ...already stated no offence. What I mean is Newbies who started this hobby will also treasure shrimps Not like we buy and do not consider that it is a living thing.

[onlyyouknow]

Originally Posted by silane

Onlyyouknow, can to share how is your 3ft cherry tank setup, I have heard many times you mention that you are breeding cherry in 3ft tank with room temperature.

That was done years ago. Currently not keeping cherry but I do keep my sakura in normal room temperature condtions (no fans) and they are breeding. Just a normal setup with an undergravel filter running on air pump. The numbers seem to increase and I don't do anything special. Just water change once every 2 weeks, lighting for 4 hours a day and feeding them lionhead sinking pellets once a day on a timer.

I've also tried putting the sakura in a FGT with only a sponge filter but the water was dirty and difficult to siphon out the waste so changed to undergravel filter with water change.

And as usual, I get a mixture of very red sakura and pale coloured ones as well. I guess a lower temperature will bring out the colour better.

I think I'll try low grade CRS at room temperature next time but haven't got the time to setup a tank. Currently only have the crs from you kept at a lower temperature of around 25 and they are breeding No gravel, bare tank with some fissidens and moss, and lots of algae growing all around the tank botom.