# Oh my gosh, I need some help Crystal Reds!



## Musket (Jun 7, 2006)

I have not stopped thinking about these shrimp since I saw some babies at the LFS
9.99 for something the size of a MTS snail shell... humm Well I got 3 (yeah I know, but even that was more than I should have spent).

So now what do I DO WITH THEM? I have cherry reds in a tank with brigg snails and a betta. Can they live in there?

I have a 5g bow with more brigg snails and another male betta. It used to have cherrys reds and algae eating shrimp but it had a ph crash a month or so ago and I lost them all. Everything seems fine in there now, (I used some argonite crushed coral to help maintain the ph & raise the GH) can they go in there?

I have one algae eating shrimp (all the store had) can they live together? The algae eating shrimp is much bigger.

I have a guppy tank with a few snails and both a male and female betta (yeah , I know, I like my snails & bettas...) Can they go in there?
All 3 of these tanks have quite a few plants. I have some glosso coming in and it should grow in at least the guppy tank. The bow also has high light with gravel, so it may grow in there. 

I know they can't go in either of my goldfish tanks (unless I want them to be a very expensive treat) and I don't think they should go in the 46g tank with angels, fire mouth meekies and gourami's. 

I also have a 10g with swords and mollys (and yes a snail or 4) I used to have a wood shrimp in there but have not seen her in a week... Would they be safe in there? I have bottom feeders - a clown pleco and a algae eaters. I'm not worried about the pleco, but the algae eaters I've had about a year and are pretty big... I wonder about them... A ghost shrimp lived in there for a long long time, but he was much bigger than these babies.

I don't think they should go in the baby lobster tank either... I have a little 1g on my desk... bare bottom with yes, baby snails... 
I also have a 1g betta bowl, maybe I could move out the occupants and use that? but it wouldn't have any heat..... My house is 78 if not hotter 98% of the time....
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.


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## gabeszone (Jan 22, 2006)

Man the betta will eat your shrimp. I know because I put my betta with my cherry babies and it ate half of them in one day.


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## Purrbox (Jun 1, 2006)

Your best be would be to put them in a tank without fish. The Brigs should be fine and they won't cross breed with either the Cherry Red Shrimp or Amano Shrimp (assuming this is the Algae Shrimp) so those would be fine too. With as much as you spent on them I definately wouldn't risk them with fish, especially if there's any chance of getting some babies.


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## Musket (Jun 7, 2006)

Well, I moved around a few plants and broke some and replanted them in the guppy tank and put them in there. The male betta is pretty small compaired to the others I have. Maybe they won't fit in his mouth. That was 30-40 mins ago. I just checked, all 3 are still there, too cute! I fed them all and turned out the lights. If I notice any harrassing at all, the fish or shrimp will move. Thanks.


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## Neon Shrimp (Apr 26, 2006)

Hi Musket, Please seperate the shrimp from the betta ASAP. When the harrassing begins, it will be too late!


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## Musket (Jun 7, 2006)

Should they be in a fishless tank then? Or just no bettas? Or just add more plants and higing places?
Can they live in a 1g tank, no heat? Ambient temp 75-78 degrees? (I can get a tiny heater, but it does say not to use it on anything under 2 gallons)
I could go get a $5 plastic 4g container....? but then it wouldn't be cycled..... ?
I have not seen the betta go after the tiny baby guppies.... if that matters or not?


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

The betta will go after the shrimp. Any fish will go after the tiny baby shrimp, so if you want to breed them, I'd probably say go with a fishless tank. 

I think the recommended temperature for RCS is 74-76? 78? If so, your ambient temperature would work well. 

I plan to raise/sell RCS in my 7 gallon cube. We'll see how that goes, though. lol.


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## dhavoc (Mar 17, 2006)

move the betta, the only fish in a CRS tank should be oto's or similar with small sucker mouths (no pleco's they can get aggressive and will eat things other than algae). with their contrasting red/white bands they are sitting ducks for any fish looking for a live snack. good luck, and also check your ph, they like acidic water (ph 6.5-6.8 or so)


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## Musket (Jun 7, 2006)

no plecos.. would maybe a dwarf bristlenose be alright?


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## gabeszone (Jan 22, 2006)

Its easy no fish! If you want you CRS to be a meal than use fish. I highly recomend you dont use fish.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Chomp chomp chomp, expensive fish treats. =P


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## Purrbox (Jun 1, 2006)

The only fish that I've heard is generally accepted as being safe with shrimp and shrimplets are Otos. Even these aren't 100% trusted. Since you've already stated that spent more than you should have on the CRS, I would highly recommend that you give the a fish free home to be on the safe side. If you decide to go against the advice you're getting here, you risk coming home to a fish that looks very content after an expensive dinner and not a shrimp to be found.


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

I have also found bristle nosed plecs to be fine with dwarf shrimp but not with bamboo shrimp....the bn plec mistook the bamboo shrimp as a rival bn male and would chase the shrimp away when it was on the substrate.

Ottos are fine too as mentioned.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

What's the best way to keep the pH stable in the CRS tank?

My temperature in the tank ranges from 72-74/75, so I think the temperature range is right. I'm worried about pH changes when I do WC and whatnot. Is there a good way to keep it stable? Don't want my first shipment of CRS to die.


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## jlui83 (Apr 22, 2006)

gabeszone said:


> Its easy no fish! If you want you CRS to be a meal than use fish. I highly recomend you dont use fish.


agreed!


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## paigoo (Jun 21, 2006)

I heard Otto is bad too. There are 2 types - aggressive and non-aggressive. You never know what you would get.
If you want an Otto in your tank. You might need more hiding place for the shrimp when they mold. 
Any interruption during molding cause the shrimp to die.


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

I had no problems keeping ottos with dwarf shrimp.


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## ianiwane (May 6, 2005)

never heard of an aggressive otto


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