Ghost shrimp eating plants

Asu1776 · 03-05-2013, 08:59 AM

Hi all!

Finally registered to join the planted tank community. I've been struggling the past few weeks with my heavily planted 10 gallon and fighting a beginning algae bloom. Looking forward to gaining advice from everyone here going forward and having fun with this hobby.

So, back to the reason for the post. My ghost shrimp have been slightly problematic lately. Apparently they are eating pieces out of my leaves which have algae on them. Now I know that they don't necessarily eat plants and are scavengers, but I have visually seen them bring their mouths to my cryptocoryne and eat the tips of leaves. Plus I can see the green vegetation in their transparent stomachs. My cabombas are getting their attention now too. I'm worried because I have about 9 to 10 in a 10 gallon. Lately I've been trying to cut back feeding my betta and tetras because their is a lot of aquarium dust and debris. I think the shrimp are getting hungry and now going after my algae covered plants...

What would you do in this situation. I mean my plants aren't getting decimated but c shaped cuttings out of my crypt leaves isn't exactly appealing.

I've bought some nerites and otos to control the algae. Was worried at first because of co2 injection, sub 7 ph, and possibly low calcium with my soft tap water but I think eco complete might help increase hardness for happy nerites... Getting my gh and kh tests soon but today i found a pond snail that I released and has grown really large. I'm thinking if they can grow their shells, there must be calcium for the nerites or is that faulty logic?

Anyway, I appreciate the responses!

Asu1776 · 03-05-2013, 09:02 AM

Oh here's the tank.

**Soothing Shrimp** · 03-05-2013, 01:24 PM

I know you mentioned not feeding the fish, but have you thought about feeding foods just for the shrimp? Or is that out of the question?

vanadium · 03-05-2013, 05:23 PM

Mine were doing this too. This indicates that the shrimp don't have enough food. I solved this in my tank by feeding them with tablets for shrimps. Not every day, but give them any other day something to eat.

seuadr · 03-05-2013, 06:09 PM

best thing about feeding them is, they aren't very picky. mine will eat flakes, blood worms (dried or frozen), brine shrimp (dried or frozen), floating pellets, sinking pellets and blanced veggies.

Kaitlin · 03-05-2013, 07:17 PM

Agreed. I drop some sinking pellets near a shrimp hiding place (or other fish will investigate and nibble), and my ghost shrimp love it.

Asu1776 · 03-08-2013, 09:12 PM

Sorry for getting back to this late, but I must say the consensus is to feed the shrimp! Haha. I generally do account for the shrimps with extra flakes that I poke to sink to the bottom. They are greedy little guys at times too with sinking algae wafers. My cory's are always chasing the shrimps hauling their food away. In fact, what's funny is when a ghost shrimp think it's got a good hold on a small piece of wafer and tries to swim away, but drops it because it's too heavy. Haha! One of my ghost shrimp is also pregnant which is going to cause a population boom in the tank. I believe I'll just continue on with the way it is, although may consider amano shrimp if I can find an LFS that sells it.

**Soothing Shrimp** · 03-08-2013, 11:17 PM

"One of my ghost shrimp is also pregnant which is going to cause a population boom in the tank."

I don't think you'll have to worry about that.

03-05-2013, 08:59 AM	#1
Asu1776 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: California Posts: 10	Ghost shrimp eating plants Hi all! Finally registered to join the planted tank community. I've been struggling the past few weeks with my heavily planted 10 gallon and fighting a beginning algae bloom. Looking forward to gaining advice from everyone here going forward and having fun with this hobby. So, back to the reason for the post. My ghost shrimp have been slightly problematic lately. Apparently they are eating pieces out of my leaves which have algae on them. Now I know that they don't necessarily eat plants and are scavengers, but I have visually seen them bring their mouths to my cryptocoryne and eat the tips of leaves. Plus I can see the green vegetation in their transparent stomachs. My cabombas are getting their attention now too. I'm worried because I have about 9 to 10 in a 10 gallon. Lately I've been trying to cut back feeding my betta and tetras because their is a lot of aquarium dust and debris. I think the shrimp are getting hungry and now going after my algae covered plants... What would you do in this situation. I mean my plants aren't getting decimated but c shaped cuttings out of my crypt leaves isn't exactly appealing. I've bought some nerites and otos to control the algae. Was worried at first because of co2 injection, sub 7 ph, and possibly low calcium with my soft tap water but I think eco complete might help increase hardness for happy nerites... Getting my gh and kh tests soon but today i found a pond snail that I released and has grown really large. I'm thinking if they can grow their shells, there must be calcium for the nerites or is that faulty logic? Anyway, I appreciate the responses!

03-05-2013, 01:24 PM	#3
Soothing Shrimp Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (77/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,535	I know you mentioned not feeding the fish, but have you thought about feeding foods just for the shrimp? Or is that out of the question? __________________ DBP Club! My thinking has been invert-ed!

03-08-2013, 11:17 PM	#8
Soothing Shrimp Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (77/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,535	"One of my ghost shrimp is also pregnant which is going to cause a population boom in the tank." I don't think you'll have to worry about that. __________________ DBP Club! My thinking has been invert-ed!

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03-05-2013, 09:02 AM	#2
Asu1776 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: California Posts: 10	Oh here's the tank.

03-05-2013, 05:23 PM	#4
vanadium Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: France Posts: 13	Mine were doing this too. This indicates that the shrimp don't have enough food. I solved this in my tank by feeding them with tablets for shrimps. Not every day, but give them any other day something to eat.

03-05-2013, 06:09 PM	#5
seuadr Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Eaton Rapids, Mi, USA Posts: 265	best thing about feeding them is, they aren't very picky. mine will eat flakes, blood worms (dried or frozen), brine shrimp (dried or frozen), floating pellets, sinking pellets and blanced veggies.

03-05-2013, 07:17 PM	#6
Kaitlin Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 12	Agreed. I drop some sinking pellets near a shrimp hiding place (or other fish will investigate and nibble), and my ghost shrimp love it.

03-08-2013, 09:12 PM	#7
Asu1776 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: California Posts: 10	Sorry for getting back to this late, but I must say the consensus is to feed the shrimp! Haha. I generally do account for the shrimps with extra flakes that I poke to sink to the bottom. They are greedy little guys at times too with sinking algae wafers. My cory's are always chasing the shrimps hauling their food away. In fact, what's funny is when a ghost shrimp think it's got a good hold on a small piece of wafer and tries to swim away, but drops it because it's too heavy. Haha! One of my ghost shrimp is also pregnant which is going to cause a population boom in the tank. I believe I'll just continue on with the way it is, although may consider amano shrimp if I can find an LFS that sells it.