[Hokie_B]

Hey everyone. Was looking at options today to add to a 12 gal that has 5 Blue Velvet Shrimp (essentially RCS). I am thinking about some of the smaller Killifish due to the small tank and compatibility. Would a pair of Aphyosemion (probably bitaeniatum or bivittatum) be ok with shrimp. I know that some will answer with "most fish eat shrimp, especially fry" to be safe, and I understand of course. But will adult shrimp (and hopefully a couple fry every now and then) be ok? Thanks!

 

[mistergreen]

If their mouths can fit a shrimp or baby shrimp, then it is dinner, lunch and breakfast.

 

[Axelrodi202]

I used to breed Aphyosemion primigenium. I originally planned to put a few Neocaridina shrimp in the tank with them. After I saw them feed on frozen brine shrimp for the first time I immediately decided against that plan. They're absolutely voracious feeders, much more so than you'd expect for fish their size (their mouths are quite large). I have no doubt they could tear apart an adult dwarf shrimp if they wanted to. Even the tiny and shy Diapteron would probably be able to kill adults.

 

[Hokie_B]

Well dang, good thing I asked. It seems that it's hard to find some of this kind of information about Killifish online since they aren't as widely kept as other fish.

I think they look awesome and wanted to keep a pair of them with my Espei Rasboras and those Neocaridina shrimp. Maybe i'll look into something else like Signifer Rainbowfish, etc. Thanks!

 

[Betta132]

Pretty much all fish will eat baby shrimp, excluding only otocinclus. Tiny fish like microrasboras will eat babies but can't kill adults, so they're your best bet. Outside of that, spotted blue-eye rainbows might work if the shrimp babies have plenty of places to hide. Spotted blue-eyes have tiny mouths and tend to hover near the surface.

 

[Axelrodi202]

Well dang, good thing I asked. It seems that it's hard to find some of this kind of information about Killifish online since they aren't as widely kept as other fish.

I think they look awesome and wanted to keep a pair of them with my Espei Rasboras and those Neocaridina shrimp. Maybe i'll look into something else like Signifer Rainbowfish, etc. Thanks!

I feel you on that first point - it was definitely tough finding information when I was starting out. Fortunately most Aphyosemion are rather similar in husbandry so information about the common A. australe is generally applicable.

As for blue-eye rainbowfish, they'll probably be fine with adults. I used to keep a small group of Pseudomugil luminatus with some rili shrimp in a 46 gallon tank and I don't think the rainbows ever noticed the shrimp. Unfortunately the tank soon sprung a leak so that faunal combination was short-lived...

 

[Hokie_B]

Thanks Axelrodi. Just looked those Pseudomugil luminatus up and they look pretty awesome too actually. Can you just keep a pair of those, or are they truly schooling/shoaling fish that need 6+ in order to keep healthy?

 

[Axelrodi202]

I had a group of 5 (2 males and 3 females) and they seemed fine. Sometimes they would shoal as a group, while other times the males would display against each other or in front of the females. Probably a trio would be the minimum; I know many Pseudomugil enthusiasts maintain trios for breeding purposes.

 

[Hokie_B]

Gotcha. Maybe 3 would work for me then. I already have about 10 Rasbora Espei in there so that's why I was looking for a single fish as to keep it at a good stocking point. I would assume it is recommended to keep 1 male and 2 females? If there were only males would they pretty ticked about that or is it doable? Obviously that would look better... thanks again Axelrodi.

 

[Axelrodi202]

Though the males will enjoy the presence of females, I don't recall them being overly aggressive to each other.