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Microfish ideas for a HUGE shrimp tank

5K views 23 replies 13 participants last post by  Duckmasta 
#1 ·
I want to try to find a very shrimp friendly small fish for when i start my 80g shrimp tank (yes you read that right). I plan on carpeting the foreground with HC and the back half of tank is a custom built 3D background that i think will be striking vs shrimp. I plan on a variety of shrimp ranging from Fire Red cherry, to maybe some black king kongs, and even some larger amano to change up the scale a little.

Right now ive been looking at Scarlet Gem Badis as i love the colors, but am unsure even with their small size, that they will be good to have in a shrimp tank. Any one have any experience with these fish? My other alternative is to move some of my Endlers that breed like crazy in my 30g into the 80 and let them continue to breed like rabbits.

I am more looking for the fish more to keep some movement higher in the water column and the "fertilizer" means of their feces, etc. I am goin to use eco complete with a thin black sand cap (mainly to just assist in the HC planting until they root down). pressurized CO2, with light provided by 6-8 20w 6500K Landscape LED lights i found on amazon for 23$ each that provide great coverage. Once i get the tank moved into the living room ill post a thread up showing the build, or check my youtube as i plan on vid logging it also.
 
#2 ·
If you want to do bkks, then I would go with ADA aquasoil for the substrate because it will take the ph down as well as gh and kh. I would NEVER put scarlet badis (Dario dario) in with expensive shrimp because they will eat a lot of the babies. I would only put in male endlers because they will lose interest in the shrimp faster than the females (who seem to be more intelligent).
 
#5 ·
I'm quite sure you would be safe with Boraras - either B. Brigittae or B. Maculatus.
There are a couple of other Boraras species as well.
They're very small fish and I can't believe they would even attempt to eat small shrimplets.
I do think though, that you'd need a very large school of them in an 80 gallon for them to feel comfortable, and that you would enjoy looking at.
 
#7 ·
Pygmy cories I have with my shrimp and I love them in the tank their usually all over the place but Duckmasta was looking for a top swimmer and cories are on the bottom-medium range at least mine are.
 
#9 ·
Ill look into borara options, see if any of my LFS can get them even as i know they dont normally keep small fish aside from neons.

Im also tossing idea around in my head of doing a layer of Fluval Stratum between the ecocomplete and sand cap, to help the shrimp along. Course that is if I dont change my mind altogether and go discus in this tank, but id prefer a 220 or something once I start a discus tank.
 
#10 ·
Ill look into borara options, see if any of my LFS can get them even as i know they dont normally keep small fish aside from neons.

Im also tossing idea around in my head of doing a layer of Fluval Stratum between the ecocomplete and sand cap, to help the shrimp along. Course that is if I dont change my mind altogether and go discus in this tank, but id prefer a 220 or something once I start a discus tank.
DISCUS ? - In an 80 gal tank ..... now you're talking !!!
That's all you need - not a 220 gal !
Think about it, seriously.
 
#12 ·
I have a couple cherry shrimp in my 20 gallon which also houses a badis. They will definitely eat baby shrimp:redface:. When my female had some babies he went right for them! Some of the shrimp did survive though since the tank is heavily planted. once they grew to about half inch the badis paid them no mind. Guess that's why they're called micro predators. You could give it a shot, but you most likely lose half the shrimplets.

80 gallon planted discus tank would be excellent. However, I'd like to see a tank that size with an avalanche of shrimp a bit more!
 
#14 ·
Boraras are alright. I had them with cherries, but I cannot vouch for the fact that they never touched the shrimp. Only because i didn't observe it, doesn't mean they didn't do it. Don't put CPDs, guppies (endlers included), scarlet badies, or really any fish. I'd put otos and maybe dwarf cories if you really really want fish. A good rule of thumb is that if the smallest shrimp size could potentially fit into the fish's mouth, be sure they'll try.

Especially with high grade shrimp like BKKs why risk it? And most shrimp are colored as wee little guys already, like the Fire reds are red, even the juvies!! You can be sure a fish that can see them will chase them as these colors stand out (maybe not directly BKK, but again, why risk it?)
 
#15 ·
Well my kitchen remodel is nearly complete, floor gets sealed tomorrow night. Then my next project is quick touch up on drywall and prime/paint. After that it is finish up the stand for the 100/30 tank and get the 100 back set up. All in all I am looking at about 2 weeks until I get the 100 set and fish transfered from the 80 into the 100. From there I will be collecting equipment to get the 80 scaped and set for shrimp, trying that idea first as its relatively the cheapest for the time being. Will be fish free until i can get a good population of shrimp.
 
#18 ·
no, no decision yet. Its looking like the 80 is being pushed back at least another couple months. I just finished, stained, and trimmed out the stand for my 100g. I'm waiting on the 55mm glass hole saw to arrive so i can get the plumbing done and get things set so i can set up the 100, and transfer fish from the 80 to it finally. But even after that I have to focus my finances on the house and bills and get myself back into a financial safety net before i can think more about getting the 80 equipped, aquascaped, and stocked.
 
#19 ·
The finished stand. The bottom right will hold my 30g tank as a wet/dry sump for the 100. with left portion for storage and the RENA canister (previously used for the 30) that I will use for extra filtration and cross flow in the 100.
 
#21 ·
And this is the 80g with custom DIY 3D background i made for it. For those wondering wtf I am ranting about. Sorry about the light cord, it was acting up and i had just got it set back on the tank for the pic. Have to re run the wire tomorrow behind the stand.
 
#24 ·
Its foam yes, but cement no. I coated it with Dry-Lok waterproofing. Its completely inert and has held up really well against the fish and beating it takes daily. You can see the full vid log on my YouTube channel. I have it as an 8 part playlist. My channel is in my signature.
 
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