[tiired]

I have a 2.5 gallon tank in which I am cultivating hygrophila plants. While at the petstore I saw a lonely Bamboo Shrimp in a tank with only guppies. I know that they need to be in groups but he was alone so i bought him and plan to buy 1 or 2 more as soon as the petstore stocks up. In the meantime I bought 10 ghost shrimp for 'company'.
However, when I first bought the Bamboo Shrimp, he was very clingy to the plant at the fish store and would not let go.
Ever since he's been in my tank, he does the same thing - he clings. He doesnt let go of plants, he hangs onto anything he can grab. He hardly moves, and i havent seen him feed since I bought him (i think it was on Tuesday or Wednesday, it is now the following Sunday). There is a bubbler for air flow, i put in algae wafers, and baby fish 'first bites' because i know they are filter feeders. He's still not eating and I dont know whats wrong.
Its my first 'real' tank, and my sister (whose an adult now, and has been in this hobby since 2010-2011) also doesn't know what could be the problem. The only real thing that we think it could be is the heater - its the smallest one I could find (as my tank is small) but it heats to about 79-80 degrees. I read that they can tolerate up to 85 degrees but that still doesnt give an explanation.
Currently I have the hygrophila plants, a marimo ball (which I added yesterday), a bubbler, a heater (automatically at 80 degrees, i cant change it), black sand, and 10 ghost shrimp.
Im really concerned as its my first real tank so if anyone knows what the problem could be I would really appreciate the help!

here's some pictures if it helps-
full tank:


Bamboo Shrimp hiding:


Another of him hiding:

 

[ljapa]

Bamboo shrimp are filter feeders. They find a place with good water flow, sit in it, and open their fans to the flow. You'll see them fanning, and wiping their fans against their mouth.

If it's not moving much, you're doing things right. If you see it crawling around the tank and picking at the substrate, then you need to worry.

 

[sbinf]

Do you have anything in the tank to move water? If the water is still, that may also be why you don't observe the shrimp feeding.

 

[tiired]

He ins't crawling around the tank picking at substrate, but he clings (often upside-down) to the plants. His fans aren't out, either. He just doesn't move, for days.
I have a bubbler to move the water, and I'm going to get a filter soon, but I have to order one because all the filters are way too big locally.

 

[52149]

Don't feed him only put enough for your fish. If u have any. Wait about a week and slowly feed him about every 3 days remember shrimp a scavengers and are not use to the fact of consistent food source. A hungry shrimp is a happy shrimp

 

[devilduck]

Generally I don't purchase bamboos unless I see them fanning at the store.

These shrimp love a well established tank, current and a perch. You'll need something that moves water and either a stone or piece of wood for them to grab hold of.

A 2.5 gallon tank is on the small side of this shrimp.

 

[H2Ogal]

Bamboo shrimp do best with 10g or more per shrimp, and need to be in established tanks with good current and a lot of living matter in the water column. (It would be too small for you to see so I don't mean a cloudy tank. I mean an established, healthy tank.) Plus, yes, they do like a companion or two. Honestly, a bamboo shrimp might not be the best inhabitant for your 2.5g. If you want to try keeping him, grind flakes to the finest dust you can, mix with tank water into a slurry and use a turkey baster or pipette to release a little at a time into the current so the food is carried to him. Picking at the substrate can be a sign that the shrimp is not getting enough to eat, but bamboos do feed on the substrate while moving around the tank

Hope this is helpful.

 

[tiired]

thanks so much to everyone who replied, and i have followed many of your suggestions. He has somewhat come out of hiding and is happily settled on the marimo ball (which he hoards from the ghost shrimp). i found that he molted - which could be why he's been hiding because he's very delicate now. his fans are starting to open and he's looking a lot happier!

 

[AnthonyW8822]

thanks so much to everyone who replied, and i have followed many of your suggestions. He has somewhat come out of hiding and is happily settled on the marimo ball (which he hoards from the ghost shrimp). i found that he molted - which could be why he's been hiding because he's very delicate now. his fans are starting to open and he's looking a lot happier!

Sometimes inverts - and really anything - are just shy in the beginning.

For the first 2 weeks after I added a dwarf crawfish to my tank, he literally sat in the corner. Now I find him perching on the wood snapping at the fish.