Cubicle shrimpland *now with shrimplets!

[nerdariostomp]

Decided I should just have a thread for both of these guys since they're the ones I spend the most time obsessing over with them at my desk at work.

Tank 1: Standard 10 gallon
Filtration: Aquatech 5-15
Substrate: Eco complete
Ferts: root capsules, excel, flourish comp
Heater: Fluval
Hardscape: Piece of mopani wood and river rocks
Plants: Anubias nana, ludwigia repens, hygrophyla difformis, couple crypts, java fern and some lightly mixed in HC
Creatures: About 7 juvenile-young adult female guppies, one juvenile platy, 3 ottos and 4 nerites

MOST RECENT SHOT:


BORING STORY:
Started off more or less like this...pretty boring, but it got the tank cycled and was basically me dumping the 5 gallon quarantine tank's crypt (in the pot hehe) and gravel


That eventually evolved into this after some eco complete and a piece of mopani wood and random river rocks. Somewhere in here I got a pregnant guppy and that's when tank 2 came back into play for the fry


Then I scored a fat deal on a dual T5 HO coralife light (24 bucks) and realized this could have some potential. Around that time, a co-worker showed me a new LFS that had a LOT more plant and fish selection, so that's when the excel, flourish comp, ludwigia and nerites came into the picture


And fast forward to today. HOLY COW that hygro blows up


Tank 2: Meijer's 5 gallon
Filtration: planted aquaclear 200
Substrate: Seachem flourite mixed with some gravel and eco complete
Ferts: Flourish comp and excel
Heater: Fluval
Hardscape: Some seiryu stones from flowerfishs (thanks!)
Plants: dwarf hairgrass
Creatures: Adult and juvenile nerites (or maybe just normal juvenile pond snails)

Started as a recovery home for wussy my goldfish, who contrary to his name has killed many a fish/plant, resulting in the need for his own home (seriously found him one day choking on an otto)


Well, then wussy got better and went home to raise hell in the guppy/goldfish tank...tore the tank down and put it aside...till a guppy had a bad night and ended up single and knocked up. Thankfully got her into a good breeder box the night before she gave birth too 12 fry hahaha. Terrible picture but it's on the right.


Then 8 babies grew up and found homes. The other ladies stayed in the 10 gallon and the 5 gallon had a makeover. Moved some hairgrass from the 10 gal to here and will eventually add some HC to keep things predictable haha


Added a planted HOB filter today and moved the heater around. Will be adding the moss ball to the hardscape soon to let it grow in to the rocks, as it will probably become a shrimp home of sorts. Probably bring in some wood as well...possibilities are endless


I will try to bring in my camera to work and take some respectable photos soon. Let me know what you think!

[nerdariostomp]

Some updated shots of the 10 gal. Still not the best, but I'm not working with the greatest equipment/light and will have to learn how to get the most out of the limited situation I have here

[nerdariostomp]

and some updated shots of planted mordor, which i sacrificed a marimo moss ball to this morning...also found a nice piece of a plant we have at work outside that had broken off, so i planted it in the HOB filter to see if it'll grow

[ValMM]

I noticed that your anubias nana has it's roots in the dirt. They do not like this, as they are the kind to grow on rocks and wood.

[shinycard255]

Originally Posted by ValMM

I noticed that your anubias nana has it's roots in the dirt. They do not like this, as they are the kind to grow on rocks and wood.

Looking good!

Roots in the substrate are fine, just don't bury the rhizome, otherwise it will die on you

[nerdariostomp]

thanks for the tip. i totally forgot about that after reading that same comment yesterday in another thread.

[nerdariostomp]

I'm thinking planted mordor will become a shrimp tank...what should i be wary of other than just not keeping fish with them?

[nerdariostomp]

and a craigslist ad sealed the deal. $20 dollars for 10 CRS ranging from juvies to larger ones and they're very active and happy. we'll see how they fare over the weekend...very nervous, but the tank has been setup for about a few weeks now with the cycled substrate



Here's a larger shot of what I consider the "front" of the tank and its new scenery

[nerdariostomp]

Figured I'd update this since I'm down to just one. Brought my guppies home and my ottos and shrimp and snails moved into the 10g which of course got a rescape.

Now just some crypts and Anubias along with the seiryu stone


One of my females finally berried up. She's still holding onto about 10 of these and I've spotted at least 5 very young shrimplets


Working on a trade for some driftwood/anubias which hopefully pans out. It'll fill things up nicely and give the shrimplets some more hiding spots

[nerdariostomp]

Here's a pic of part of the family munching on some of Jake's veggie complete shrimp food. I changed my feeding schedule up and they're much hungrier when it's feeding time now and not much goes to waste. You can see a few babies here too. They're so awesome!



Here's a new FTS


And from the side


Trade didn't work out on the anubias/driftwood so I decided to just buy it should have that hopefully by the end of next week which should give the shrimp some more hiding places and fill up that negative space

[SpecGrrl]

Yay babies!

[nerdariostomp]

Counted about 10 today without even trying. There are bound to be others hiding

[nerdariostomp]

Feeding day was a hit as usual. Jakes food is quite superb

[nerdariostomp]

Got a new piece for the tank yesterday. It was a little sad after being in a semi dry box for 5 days but it should perk up

[nerdariostomp]

My son loves it too