# Amano vs Red Cheery shrimp



## zdam20 (Mar 8, 2009)

I'm setting up a new tank and was wondering IYO which of these 2 shrimp is the better algea eater and also for tank maintainence. I realize Amona has s sw stage for breeding and RCS don't but I culture marine phyto plankton for my sw tanks so this won't be a problem. Thanks in advance.


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## chunkylover817 (Sep 28, 2007)

i would say the amano shrimp defintely.


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## saram521 (May 3, 2008)

I also think amanos will be more efficient algae eaters, but they won't make a dent in a large overgrowth of algae in any given tank.


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

I choose to use neocaridinia (Cherries) only. They propagate easily and quickly, which is good because individually they are poor algae eaters. Shrimp for shrimp amanos are better. but 50 amanos would be expensive. You can start with 30 cherries and wind up with hundreds. So soon your population will clean things very very well. I have only 30 in a 20 gallon its been 2 weeks and the tank is noticably cleaner, i cannot imagine what 100 would do. It is recommended to have up to 10 per gallon...

Also wild type neocaridinia i think are very cool, some say they are more prolific and are much less noticable than cherries.


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## zdam20 (Mar 8, 2009)

Thanks Shane.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

I have 18 and I haven't noticed a difference in my 10 gallon tank. All they do is wait for me to feed them shrimp pellets!


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## dgphelps (Jan 1, 2008)

All my shrimp pick at algae but none keep my tanks clean. You'll need a good maintenance routine and a razor blade glass scraper.


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## catfishbi (Sep 4, 2008)

Cherry much easy to keep, but amanos will grow big and great for cleaning the algae


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## bosmahe1 (May 14, 2005)

Amanos are cool but sometimes jump out of open tanks. Cherries have the advantage in cost. I bought 6 Cherry shrimp and guess that I have at least 30 now in a 46 Gallon Bow Front. I used to have BBA all over the gravel in the front but, I have minimal BBA now. I thinks it's true that they won't eat the BBA but after a manual removal with the Shrimp in the tank, the BBA hasn't returned. I used to remove the BBA only to have it come back in two weeks. Maybe Cherries and Amanos alike are better for prevention than removal of large infestations of algae. And I agree, that they won't remove much from the glass.


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## BenBOMB (Apr 25, 2009)

Amano shrimp are better algae eaters no doubt. They are great for cleaning up the tank.

I think of rcs kind of like ghost shrimp, they are more of scavangers. They haven't really helped my algae much at all.


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