# New shrimp tank in the works....



## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

I have an eclipse 5 gallon bowfront tank that I am converting to a planted shrimp tank. In the aquascape forum I have posted for suggestions on plants. Here, however, I would like to get some more info on the shrimp I have chosen to make sure everything is compatible and make sure that I take care of special needs. I have chosen:
1) Blue Shrimp (Neocardia sp.)
2) Indian Green Shrimp ( Caridina cf. babaulti)
3) Crystal Red Shrimp (Caridina sp.)
Do I need RO water? How many of each (total) can I keep together? Will these hybridize? Are there links somewhere to study up more on these shrimp?
All help and suggestions are more than welcome. Thanks in advance.

Irish


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## fish newb (May 10, 2006)

irish said:


> I have an eclipse 5 gallon bowfront tank that I am converting to a planted shrimp tank. In the aquascape forum I have posted for suggestions on plants. Here, however, I would like to get some more info on the shrimp I have chosen to make sure everything is compatible and make sure that I take care of special needs. I have chosen:
> 1) Blue Shrimp (Neocardia sp.)
> 2) Indian Green Shrimp ( Caridina cf. babaulti)
> 3) Crystal Red Shrimp (Caridina sp.)
> ...


Those shrimp will not cross breed to my knowledge. But Blue shrimp and Indian Green Shrimp are hard to come by usually unless you know of a source.

Also generally you won't want to mix shrimp since it will get confusing and they all require slight differences and this is a small tank. CRS like it cooler around 72F while RCS like hotttttt water 75F-80F not sure about the indian shrimp. So I would Strongly recomend only keeping ONE type of shrimp. Sure it could be done keeping them all but they all wouldn't be in their prime . You should probably start with a small number of shrimp. 5-10 depending on type and they will breed on their own and soon the tank will be over run. IF you are DEAD set on getting some of each get either a pair of each or 3 of each type, that way the number orriginally would be even... then cherries would take over followed by whatever other shrimp produces faster... I don't know much about indian green shrimp but I know CRS are slower than RCS....

Remember, shrimp are awsome... you will be addicted sooner or later

-Andrew


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

I think Im addicted now.  
Something to think about, and yes I have found someplace with a high rep that has all three and then some. I think I need to do more checking as to compatibility though, as you pointed out, 3 degrees can make a big difference. Thank you.

Irish


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## fish newb (May 10, 2006)

irish said:


> I think Im addicted now.
> Something to think about, and yes I have found someplace with a high rep that has all three and then some. I think I need to do more checking as to compatibility though, as you pointed out, 3 degrees can make a big difference. Thank you.
> 
> Irish


no problem, Right now I have my new CRS in my 55g with RCS now the tank is so big it's not too big a deal I had the temp at around 75F before CRS and now it's at 73F with them so they are both pretty happy, But if you are really addicted you will eventually regret mixing them I will gaurentee you.. Make this little tank a show tank... CRS or Indian greens are very interesting to most people cherries are too, but these are even more interesting. Especially if you do a mix of Grade A-SS CRS and Dlack Diamonds(bee). When you want to have them breed I would use 10g tanks with sponge filters, if you put them so the end of the tank is the one facing the outside 4 can fit on a four foot self, and if you had 3 a shelf unit thats 12 tanks.... imagine the possiblilites... Too bad more tanks = more humidity... untill I can solve that problem parrents subject me to no more tank syndrom....:der: :crazy: :Cry:

So think of the possiblities..

-Andrew


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

fish newb said:


> no problem, Right now I have my new CRS in my 55g with RCS now the tank is so big it's not too big a deal I had the temp at around 75F before CRS and now it's at 73F with them so they are both pretty happy, But if you are really addicted you will eventually regret mixing them I will gaurentee you.. Make this little tank a show tank... CRS or Indian greens are very interesting to most people cherries are too, but these are even more interesting. Especially if you do a mix of Grade A-SS CRS and Dlack Diamonds(bee). When you want to have them breed I would use 10g tanks with sponge filters, if you put them so the end of the tank is the one facing the outside 4 can fit on a four foot self, and if you had 3 a shelf unit thats 12 tanks.... imagine the possiblilites... Too bad more tanks = more humidity... untill I can solve that problem parrents subject me to no more tank syndrom....:der: :crazy: :Cry:
> 
> So think of the possiblities..
> 
> -Andrew


Haha you really put some thought into that shelf plan didnt you?  
I was told that Bees and CRS could not be together or they would hybridize.
I was debating on keeping just the Blue shrimp and the CRS together, or just one kind. I will probably keep the two though. How does the grading system work? How do I know what Im getting?

Irish


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

fish newb said:


> When you want to have them breed I would use 10g tanks with sponge filters, if you put them so the end of the tank is the one facing the outside 4 can fit on a four foot self, and if you had 3 a shelf unit thats 12 tanks.... imagine the possiblilites... Too bad more tanks = more humidity... untill I can solve that problem parrents subject me to no more tank syndrom....:der: :crazy: :Cry:


Glass tops.


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

epicfish said:


> Glass tops.


Uh oh....what are your parents going to do now?


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Crystal shrimp are the most sensitive shrimp to keep. So I would keep them in a species only tank so that the water parameters can be keep just right for them.

I don't care if my shrimp cross, and I do have some hybrids. I keep Amano's, Cherrys, snowballs, Bees and Blue shrimp together.

Here is a good site for info on shrimp... Petshrimp.com -- Freshwater Shrimp Hub of the world


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

trenac said:


> I don't care if my shrimp cross, and I do have some hybrids. I keep Amano's, Cherrys, snowballs, Bees and Blue shrimp together.
> Here is a good site for info on shrimp... Petshrimp.com -- Freshwater Shrimp Hub of the world


Thank you. That is very helpful. Tell me, you have so many shrimp, what size tank do you have them all in? Do you have pics?
Irish


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

My shrimp are in a 20G long along with Endlers. Here is a few pics...


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

Very nice tank. If I was to put Bee shrimp together with Blue shrimp in my 5 gallon, could I put 5 of each? Would that be overcrowding?


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## dhavoc (Mar 17, 2006)

"_If I was to put Bee shrimp together with Blue shrimp in my 5 gallon, could I put 5 of each? Would that be overcrowding_"

that is actually a moderate bioload for a 5g. but remember, the smaller the tank, the harder it is to keep water parameters stable. this is key especiially for the bee and CRS (same species), they are just too sensitive to bad water quality. the minimum i would use for CRS or similar is a 10g, and they are cheap to boot.


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

Unfortunately, I dont have a spare 10 gal right now, and the entire idea for this tank is do go on my desk. Thanks for the advice though.

Irish


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

irish said:


> I have an eclipse 5 gallon bowfront tank that I am converting to a planted shrimp tank. In the aquascape forum I have posted for suggestions on plants. Here, however, I would like to get some more info on the shrimp I have chosen to make sure everything is compatible and make sure that I take care of special needs. I have chosen:
> 1) Blue Shrimp (Neocardia sp.)
> 2) Indian Green Shrimp ( Caridina cf. babaulti)
> 3) Crystal Red Shrimp (Caridina sp.)
> ...


Irish,

My recommendation is that you stick with just one shrimp in this tank. If you have not kept shrimp before, I would suggest the Blue shrimp. They are the easier to keep. CRS needs soft acidic water and the green shrimp is very hard to keep. You rarely find captive breed ones.

You probably can keep CRS and the blue under the same conditions, soft acidic water and temps no higher than 75F. You also can keep the green shrimp with the blue shrimp together in alkaline water with temps between 75-80F.

-Pedro


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

milalic said:


> Irish,
> 
> My recommendation is that you stick with just one shrimp in this tank. If you have not kept shrimp before, I would suggest the Blue shrimp. They are the easier to keep. CRS needs soft acidic water and the green shrimp is very hard to keep. You rarely find captive breed ones.
> 
> ...


Im trying to find one or two kinds of shrimp that are a little different from the norm to put in this tank. I have found lots of info on the subject, but until I can figure out exactly what to keep (and how many to keep) I think I am going to run into the same problem. I dont mind keeping just one species. But for me, the more colorful the better. Something that really stands out among the green plants. So far, I have pretty much added and subtracted from my list, but here are the front runners....
1) Cherry Red
2) Bee
3) Snowball (would want another kind to go with these)
4) Amano (but they get rather large)
Or a combination of 2 of these.
I like the blue shrimp, but their offspring isnt blue, and I have read that the fact that they are blue to begin with is due mainly to coloration of some sort. So I think they are out.
Irish


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

If I had to choose from your list than I would go with the Cherry's and Snowballs. I think this would make a nice color combination and stand out amoung your plants.


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## fish newb (May 10, 2006)

trenac said:


> If I had to choose from your list than I would go with the Cherry's and Snowballs. I think this would make a nice color combination and stand out amoung your plants.


I would suggest that as well, as long as you don't plan on selling their offspring.

as for the glass tops answer... We will see later in the year, have a bit of a goal to reach then will be setting up a invert rack probably (New Challenge for this year..... - The Planted Tank Forum)

Have fun with them!
-Andrew


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

Sweet! Thanks for the input. Wifey is home form work so she gets to help me decide now too. (Pretty sure it will be Cherrys and Snowballs though. \\/ )

Irish


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

BTW, how many of each? (5 gallon)
I would like some room for growth, but definately want to see my new shrimp when I put them in......

Irish


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## fish newb (May 10, 2006)

irish said:


> BTW, how many of each? (5 gallon)
> I would like some room for growth, but definately want to see my new shrimp when I put them in......
> 
> Irish


5g is pretty small, Maybe a pair of each of 1 male two females of each? But that's what I would do So I would have pleanty of offspring room, But heck my cherries are kept in my 55g......

-Andrew


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

Well, unless I can find some lighting for this old tank, i may have to get another setup, in which case it cant go on my desk, and it will have to be bigger.  
And that contest you are running? Count me in! Lemme know when you are going to start. I will need some cherries, and definately some moss, ect....

Irish


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

fish newb said:


> 5g is pretty small, Maybe a pair of each of 1 male two females of each? But that's what I would do So I would have pleanty of offspring room, But heck my cherries are kept in my 55g......
> 
> -Andrew


You can get around 7-10 of each in an established tank. I would suggest a sponge filter for it.

-Pedro


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

irish said:


> Well, unless I can find some lighting for this old tank, i may have to get another setup, in which case it cant go on my desk, and it will have to be bigger.
> And that contest you are running? Count me in! Lemme know when you are going to start. I will need some cherries, and definately some moss, ect....
> 
> Irish


Try ahsupply.com


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

milalic said:


> You can get around 7-10 of each in an established tank. I would suggest a sponge filter for it.
> 
> -Pedro


Thanks. Thats alot more than I thought.

Irish


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

milalic said:


> Try ahsupply.com


I will do just that! Thanks!

Irish


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