# Cherry Shrimp for the planted aquarium: Tell me about your Cherries



## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

I'll start out with a picture of one of my cherries. I consider my Cherry shrimp the true 'worker bees' of my shrimp tank, who would eagerly jump on any new plant I tossed in the tank. They would ostensibly remove something on the plants -- which I assume to be algae -- although the plants look clean to me. 

Why do you like Cherry Shrimp? How do they fit in your tank? Tell me a little bit about your Cherry shrimp.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I like their nice red color, it goes well with the plants. 

I like the fact that they breed easy with no special help.

I also like that they are busy little bees, keeping every thing spotless.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Yep, they do breed easily - the 'bunny rabbits' of the shrimp set. A plus for the Cherries!


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## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

Cherries are hard workers, they keep plants free of algae.

Mature females are very red, 


They can be comical at times, here are my circus cherries:


Their major plus is also their minus: they breed too much, too young.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Hehe, I think they're playing 'king of the hill (leaf)' in that picture!


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

I like their color, how easy they breed and that they are good workers.


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## weaver (Jun 13, 2005)

How well do they work against hair/thread algae?


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Should work fine, Weaver, if it really is thread or hair algae. If it's more like Cladaphora (moss balls), they won't touch it (at least in my experience).


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## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

My shrimps don't touch cladophora either.


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## amber2461 (Jun 15, 2004)

Everything said here is true.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Any more pictures of your Cherries to share? 

If you had no Cherries left, would you get some more?


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## kimbm04r (Apr 22, 2005)

I like the cherries for their color and their constant movement around the tank. I can set for hours just watching them move around the tank.

My husband is just as fasinated by them as I am. I catch him watching them all the time.

And yes, they do breed easily, in fact I have my first set of them on Aquabid right now.


This is one of the females that I have.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

That's a cute shrimp, Myra, looks like she has a spotted nose.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

As a sidenote to the thread, those keeping cherries, do you introduce an outside shrimp into the mix periodically for genetic diversity? 

I am curious because I must have probably close to (or over) 100 shrimp now scattered over my 4 tanks which all came from Nathan (Gnaster) originally. I bought 5 or 10, I don't recall some time back. As of now, all look healthy and normal.


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## gnatster (Mar 6, 2004)

Yes, outside shrimp are added at times. What I do is source a few from another person, let hem go for a while and then work on crossing them with other lines I have, ultimately crossing them back to keep bloodlines from deteriorating. However since all Cherries came from one initial pair I believe sometimes I wonder if it is worth the effort.


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## kimbm04r (Apr 22, 2005)

Piscesgirl said:


> That's a cute shrimp, Myra, looks like she has a spotted nose.


Thanks, she does doesn't she? Never noticed it before.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I'm fascinated with all kinds of shrimp in a planted tank because they are such little characters and a little change from your plain old swimming fish.
That said, I like the Cherry's for their color and their reproductive ability.

As for introducing new ones from time to time, I did discuss doing a little swap later in the fall with another member here who only lives a state away. 
Even if they did originate from the same pair (I had never heard that one before), I would think some are stronger and healthier depending on the conditions they were bred and raised in over the generations.


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## gnatster (Mar 6, 2004)

> Even if they did originate from the same pair (I had never heard that one before), I would think some are stronger and healthier depending on the conditions they were bred and raised in over the generations.


Oh man, I am way to young for "Senior moments" but I certainly had one in my post before. I was thinking of Crystal Red Shrimp that were isolated by one gentleman in Japan. Please forgive the grievous error.

I shall go prostrate myself now.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> Oh man, I am way to young for "Senior moments"


Now, now, don't be too hard on yourself, Nathan.  When the wife and I turned 50, a year and a half ago, she signed us up for AARP. I couldn't believe it! I still refuse to carry the card!


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