Shrimp Care

KEEPING FRESHWATER SHRIMPS IN PLANTED OR NON PLANTED

Setting up a new shrimp tank can be very easy as long as you do it properly the first time.

1) Firstly, research, research and research... Google is your best friend!

2) Deciding type of shrimp you are keeping

3) Understanding their habitat

 I also think it is best for the newcomer to get Red Cherry Shrimp to start out.

Below is Red Cherry Shrimp Grades for you to differentiate them.

Setting Up Tank:

Substrate 

choosing substrate making sure its good for shrimp keeping

Heres few to recommend

1)Ada Amazonia Aquasoil

2)Gex Soil (Red Packaging stating Shrimp & Plants)

3) ANS PLANTA SOIL ( Stated Aquatic Plants/Shrimp/Fishes )

PH:
The pH for Red Cherry shrimp should be slightly acidic from 6.2 – 7.3. Using Ada Amazonia Aquasoil will be able to bring down its PH to around 6.5. (A Well Establish filtered Tank will slowly decrease its PH due to beneficial bacteria colonies and breaks down ammonia fast). Using Mineral stones or coral stones will be able to bring up PH and stablilise them, add them alittle and monitor nxt day. Preventing of PH CRASH going too high or going too low suddenly.

Filter:

Set up filter of any type with a reasonable flow rate, make sure the inlet is covered with filter floss or a shrimplet mesh guard. or use a Sponge filter for easy maintenance.

High/Low Tech Planted Tank or Non-Planted?

For just shrimp tanks, it isnt really impt what type of plants you keep, but make sure that you know what you planning for, google types of planted tank plants pretty sure has a list of it to choose.

So, if low tech planted tank, just visit here.

Non-Planted

Just go to any LFS look for any types of moss plant(they require low lights),

such as , java moss/Christmas moss/taiwan moss/Fissidens fontanus

Marimo Moss Ball serve well too.

Most of these plants able to survive in tanks of 22-30degrees celsius , 

and ph range of 6-8. Which your shrimp tank requires.

Lighting:

As this is a non planted tank, even house flourescent can serve as a light source to the above plants, a normal aquarium LED light will serve them well.

Hours to turn on? well? 8hrs - 12hrs per day. Make use of timer plug($10 per plug these days)

Aeration/Oxygen the Tank

Is it required? Well, i think it will be better to place one small airstone, BUT, if your filter outlet is constantly moving the surface area agitating the water of the tank, you may dont require an airstone.

By agitating the water surface, an exchange of gases is produce. 

De-Chlorinator/Chloramine

My Number 1 Choice: Seachem Prime 500ml for $16-20? Gonna last you for years! Worth it! 

It Removes chlorine, chloramine, Detoxifies ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate

5ml treats 200litre of water (Care Dosage)

Shelter For Shrimp
This is to allow them for hiding, can be a form of pvc small pipings, drift woods, plants, aquarium monuments etc.

Now, Lets start off...

After filling/setting up your tank, let the filter run for at least 2 weeks, this is to ensure filtration works well

, and establish beneficial bacterial colony. (You may add water + few drops of prime if the water level went down)

Water Test Kits after 2 weeks, make sure you check for 

Nitrite 0 ppm
Ammonia 0ppm

Nitrate <20ppm or less

Things to note: Always add few drops of Dechlorinator to the new tub of water before refilling it to your tank

Hurray, you may start off to purchase your shrimps. Bringing home your cherry shrimp asap, 

Now heres the tough part, climating them to your tank.

Cherry shrimp can survive in temperature 25-30degrees celsius, but your newly bought shrimp and tank temperature/water condition isnt the same.(My tank is of 30-31 degrees and they are breeding well).

Climating Newly Bought Shrimp

Get yourself a Container(Tao Huey Tub), cut away the shrimp packaging top part, slowly place the plastic packet overflowing into the container, let the shrimp swim out itself, till you see all shrimps are out, remove the plastic bag. DO NOT USE FRESHLY NEW WATER IN THE CONTAINER.

Now, take a syringe, or a small siphon, draw your aquarium tank water (which you had prepared past 2 weeks) ard 5ml or dripping method, slowly pour into the shrimp container, every 2-3mins later repeat*. till you get 3x of the amount of water in the container. This is to prepare the shrimp slowly adjusting to your tank water parameters.

After probably 45mins or 1hr, get the shrimp net, net the shrimp slowly and place them into your tank.

Shrimp Death are probably cause by shock/water parameters not in check. They are easily stressed.

Every 2-3days you may wanna feed them once with shrimp 2-3 pellet food(Any type/brand is fine!) Best is if it contains Calcium for shrimp to molt well.

Every week use the Container tub for water changes. Usually i took about 1 tub out, 2 tubs refilled(added Prime 2-3 drops before pouring into tank) Because tank in water evapourates!

Every month (Clean filter Sponge/Floss)

Test Your waters parameters every week or 2 weeks, once you get the hang of it probably you wont care about it.

Shrimp Molting

Shrimp Molt in order to grow bigger,  or when they are stressed.

if it dies one by one during molt, its Either calcium not enough or too much calcium has been provided. Use a TDS meter to test the water.
So you probably found one of your dwarf shrimp that failed to molt (RIP). It’s happened to the best of us and for beginners getting into the hobby, it can really put a damper on being a shrimp keeper. But I can solve this, I’ve been there! typically shrimp fail to molt for one of two reasons. First, the GH/KH is too high and you’re seeing your shrimp drop but not from molting failure. Secondly, the GH/KH is too low which dwarf freshwater shrimp lack enough calcium in the water column to properly molt.

-Too much calcium, reduce feeding/change 10% water every 2-3days to lower down the minerals.

-Too little Calcium, increase food or change brand, or add mineral stone(100g $8).

talking about mineral stones, one packet 100g may have 10 small stones, you may wanna add 3-5 stones first. They will last you probably 6mths depending on your tank size, (10gallon tank 45cm X 30cm x 30cm) 

Exoskeletons
Seen shrimp exoskeletons?? which are the shell of a shrimp after molting succesfully. What to do with them?
Basically you do not have to remove them. Shrimp will consume them, recycling the shells as a form of calcium nutrients.

Shrimp Saddle(Male Or Female?)

Female Shrimp Saddle

Female Berried Shrimp& saddle for next batch

Both Above is FEMALES, which has a SADDLE (Eggs )

This means they are matured and ready to mate.

Berried Shrimp

Means a female eggs has been fertilized. and the bottom legs are carrying the eggs(see above).
Wait 2-3weeks before The baby Red Cherry shrimp will be born straight into miniature versions of the adults.

Lastly, Shrimp is easy to care if everything is being taken care of. They are sensitive creatures, so by fluctuating temperatures, PH, ammonia/nitrates/nitrites not able to stable = death of shrimp.