# My shrimp nursery...:)



## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Well yesterday was filter cleaning day. When I popped open the XP1, it looked like a shrimp only tank. :!: I counted them as I netted them into a container to return to the tank - there were 25 red cherries in there, ranging from full frown to tiny ones. 

Then I went to the XP2 - I counted 30 red cherries in that one! Perhaps they become a self-sustained colony once they become able to bear babies inside the filter proper. It had only been a couple of months since the last clean out. It made me wonder what had more shrimp, my tanks or my filters.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Maybe they felt safe in there?  Congrats on all your baby shrimp!


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

I am gearing up for my fluval's first cleaning. I'm hoping for similiar results!


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## brianclaw (May 17, 2005)

Wouldn't you get better results by adding a prefilter sponge to your canisters? Less chances of shrimp being sucked in would result in a higher survival rate, no? Plus the prefilter would actually cut down on your filter maintainence.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

I use the prefilter sponge by ATI, and it works incredibly well. Aquaclear sponges over the intake did not work, unfortunately. Sad thing is, I've read rumours that the company is no longer going to be making them? (Hydrosponges).


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> Less chances of shrimp being sucked in would result in a higher survival rate, no?


I only saw 2 small cadavers in each filter. Frankly, they are so prolific I am not concerned with survival rates per se. I can only imagine that I must have at least as many shrimp in the tanks as I did in the filters. I started with 5 I got from Nathan (gnatster) about a year and a half ago. I have also given some away locally. I think they give my guppies a run for their money when it comes to reproducing.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Geeze, maybe I should put my Crystal Red's in a canister filter....  JK...


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## kimbm04r (Apr 22, 2005)

Geeze, maybe I need to buy a canister filter!


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I also found baby shrimp in my Filstar XP1 canister filter, but not as many as Bert did. I've had baby's for a good while now and this is the first that I've had this to happen. 

I've tried using the pre-filter in the past but found it to be to much work. I had to take it off and clean it ever few days and in a 20G long tank is not that easy. So now I go without.


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## richy (Nov 8, 2004)

I think the reason shrimp are able to survive in these canister filters is because of the pre-filter sponges within the units themselves. There are plenty of spaces for them to cling to, and plenty of food on those sponges. Wouldn't it be cool to be able to have a clear form factor on the canister filters so that you are able to see exactly what is happening with the cherries?

I agree with the other folks though, a pre-filter for your pre-filter is the best way to go. That way you can enjoy the shrimp out and about in the tank rather than in the filter where there is danger of them being killed by moving parts.


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