Just read this old study on introduction of gammarus into lakes to raise fish production.. these 2 particular species breed faster and can be predatory in nature.
Both Gmelinoides fasciatus and Gammarus lacustris are omnivorous animals that are able to feed on detritus, plant debris and periphyton, but they prefer to prey on small invertebrates
I think most of us have Gammarus pulex in our tanks, a detrivore that breed slower, but may also exhibit predatory behavior towards young shrimp. All I could find was this: There is mutual predatory behavior between Gammarus pulex and Gammarus duebeni celticus on the newly molted (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1992.tb04815.x/abstract). It only makes sense that they would predate on newly born shrimp.
I can't really tell any of them apart, trying to Google out more pics. Main worried because I have TONS of scuds in my 20L and never see any baby shrimp around. I removed my platies, corydoras habrosus, so all that's left are the scuds and a few CPDs. Previously I thought they were harmless, maybe not so much...
Scuds are actually a sign of good health in a tank. They are fairly sensitive and only exist in very clean and oxygenated water. They are mainly detrivores that feed off waste in the top inch of the substrate. Great for any fish tank, but they're competing with, and perhaps eating my shrimp! More evil experiments when I get back home. Out of town for a few.
Threadfin Rainbows are so effective in exterminating these scuds and so do the Least Guppies. I had 75Gallon planted tank where literally millions of scuds swam in open freely , every nook and cranny and root were infested with these guys. The 7 Threadfin Rainbows, 7 Least Guppies, and 5 Dwarf Cajun Crayfish eliminated them to extinction in less than 3 months. I was shocked actually. When I removed the tank of fish, shrimps, and crays the scuds never ever again returned this was 1 year ago.
Bullet Points:
The Threadfin Rainbows will actively and efficiently hunt the babies since their mouths are so small
The Least Guppies will eat babies and juvies very efficiently and actively, night and day non-stop. Seriously these guys don't know when to stop.
Least Guppies are very intelligent and will investigate constantly where the scuds are hiding, due to their curious nature unlike the regular guppy too dumb to find food unless it is waved at them.
The Dwarf Cajun Crays will hunt the adults in very nook and cranny they can crawl into(adult scuds too big for the Rainbows and Guppies)
If I had scuds I wouldn't want them gone I'm a fan of all
Life in a tank even nematodes. I hope someone local has scuds to seed my tank my RCs can't outbreeding my fishes hunger.
I threw back in 2 platy fry/juvies (.5") in the tank, they active hunt through the gravel. Large reduction in scuds in the water column, but you can still see a few large ones swarming around. They'll probably eat some baby shrimp too but at this point the benefit outweighs the cons. Still have tons of scuds, most are just in hiding.
I've noticed that in my tanks with a fine sand substrate, there are very few scuds. They only see to borrow through gravel / fluval plant stratum.
The UG I added to my tank last night are ALL EATEN. But I think the CBS were the culprits. I woke up this morning to see about 10 of them swarming around the plant remnants.
I have them in my shrimp tanks too, and I noticed they are eating the algae off the tank glass which is also what baby shrimps need to survive in the first few weeks....this might be why we are seeing less and less baby shrimps surviving to adult/juvie stages....the scuds are eating their supplies!
I have only ever seen the scuds jumping over the shrimps not actually trying to grab them etc...so this is why I think the populations are decreasing in our tanks...the scuds are eating machines and LOVE anything green!
Hey hey, I switched my moss tank water to RO/DI water now as well :X! So any chance they coulda came in with the shrimp?
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