First Colony & Questions

[In2wishin]

I have my first shrimp colony. I bought 10 cherry shrimp from the wonderful Rachel (member Msjinkzd) back in October. My original 10 eventually got down to about 5 or 6, then started growing. I now have something betwen 15 and 20 with 3 females so full of eggs that they look like they should pop These little guys are so much fun to watch! I have a couple that like to surf in the stream from the filter. They will hold on to a piece of duckweed and stay with it as it swirls around. I have occasionally seen 2 boxing each other which is really cute too.


My main questions are:

• do I need to be concerned about genetic diversity at some point?
• What is the maximum # I should keep in a 10 gallon with 2 julii cories and 8 CPD's?
• will the population automatically regulate itself or should I cull at some point?
• If I decide to move the CPD's to a different tank, will the shrimp do well with livebearers (guppies or platies)?

Thanks for any advice!

[acitydweller]

Originally Posted by In2wishin

My main questions are:

• do I need to be concerned about genetic diversity at some point?
• What is the maximum # I should keep in a 10 gallon with 2 julii cories and 8 CPD's?
• will the population automatically regulate itself or should I cull at some point?
• If I decide to move the CPD's to a different tank, will the shrimp do well with livebearers (guppies or platies)?

Thanks for any advice!

their lifespan is roughly about 2-3 years on average. If you considering heavily breeding them, then yes, but diversity could simply be fixed by getting a few shrimp from another source, or the same source at a later point in them as their stock are likely diversified as well.

You can keep as many as the population of fix, namely the CPD's will allow. they will eventually cull your shrimplets regardless of your intervention as this is innate.

See previous answer.

The shrimp will do no better than with guppies or platies considering they would equally eat their own offspring. Innocent little shimplets would be equally tasty

[diwu13]

Agree with everything previous person wrote. Wanted to add on most of the deepest reds and special colors are only found through massive inbreeding. No genetic diversity for many generations. So it's really up to you of you feel the need to buy more. I would just wait.

[In2wishin]

Originally Posted by acitydweller

The shrimp will do no better than with guppies or platies considering they would equally eat their own offspring. Innocent little shimplets would be equally tasty

This seems like you are saying two different things. Do you mean that guppies and platies are the best fish to have shrimp with, or are not good at all since they will eat the babies????????

Thank you both for the responses so far. Anyone else want to weigh in?

[Lifeblood]

all the fish you mention will chow down on shrimp babies.

[acitydweller]

In other words, guppies and platies would be just as bad as CPDs.

For reference, i have cardinal tetras in a planted tank. One might think they are docile since they are so tiny, school together... but when it comes to feeding time, they literally will tear the flakes out of each other's mouths. They also chase down flakes that blow around the filter.

Small fry or shimplets would never have a chance.

Shrimp only tanks allow them to behave without fear of getting their heads or legs torn off. Mine spend all day grazing on moss and leaping into the power head jet stream gliding across the tank. Sort of like the turtles in Nemo riding the EAC. In fish tanks, they will likely spend most of their time hiding. You get the gist...

Originally Posted by In2wishin

This seems like you are saying two different things. Do you mean that guppies and platies are the best fish to have shrimp with, or are not good at all since they will eat the babies????????

Thank you both for the responses so far. Anyone else want to weigh in?

[UGA_Grad_Student]

Would the shrimp still hide if there are only ottos/corys with them rather than a tetra type species?

[diwu13]

Originally Posted by UGA_Grad_Student

Would the shrimp still hide if there are only ottos/corys with them rather than a tetra type species?

Nope. They'll stay active around the tank. That's a good way to tell if your fish are harassing your shrimp or not. I notice with mosquito rasboras (fish that only grow to like 2cm) the shrimp continue swimming around the tank. So I know juvi's and adults are perfectly safe.

[acitydweller]

I have an otto in all my tanks. they tend to mind their own business, though some of the playful shrimp like to pounce on the otto from time to time. the otto usually scurry away without paying them much attention. Anything that lives unthreatened will tend to live happier and heathier then they would otherwise. The cherries that i get at the LFS tend to be more red when in my tanks at home... or maybe that's wishful thinking

[CookieM]

This is from experiences. I used to keep fishes in my shrimp tank. All the young and baby shrimplet hide while the fishes are in there.

After I remove the fish, days later every shrimp came outside, exploding population. Even new born baby clinging on the tank and plant at top of the water level.

I've tested with Guppies, Neon Tetras, Green Neon Tetras, as well as different algae eating fish. The only 1 I feel safe with is Oto (and NOTHING else)

P.S. I have a heavy heavy planted tank with moss carpet. And shrimplets do get eaten by fishes. Constant fears and hiding. So to let your shrimps be happy and dance around the tank remove all fishes except Oto.

[astrosag]

Even Cory cats??

[CookieM]

Originally Posted by astrosag

Even Cory cats??

No I never kept Cory Cats, I find them not very appealing that's why. But those species do grow to 4-6 inches. They might suck in a few shrimplets by accident. Any fish with a taste of shrimp will go nut over it and adapt a new diet.

[thechibi]

Dwarf cories only might eat eggs, but some barely get to be an inch.

[diwu13]

As cookie said the only 100% shrimp safe fish is the Otto. Other fishes will eat babies without a doubt (even mosquito rasboras that are smaller than adult shrimp). But with a heavily planted tank, lots of cover, and large shrimp population you are fine with smaller fish.

[acitydweller]

ive had schools of cories and they are constantly hunting for food. i would not suggest putting them in the same tank because they spend 90% of the time on the substrate as do the cherries and shrimplets.i dont think they would outright hunt shrimp down however it wouldnt put it past them to accidentally tear off antennae, a leg or cause some semi serious hurt on a shrimp without intent or much effort.