[posmlady]

I'm at the beginning of my planted tank, I've read these little guys can be helpful for tank and make a great food source. Wondering if I should get some to colonize tank before I ever add fish?

 

[PunknDestroy]

They're useful but can become a pest and attack fish in large numbers. I have a small colony and they breed FAST.

 

[mordalphus]

Gammarus also eat plants and moss

 

[PunknDestroy]

From my experience they only eat decaying organic matter. That's usually what I feed them. When my plants drop leaves it goes into their tank

Gammarus also eat plants and moss

 

[mordalphus]

They cleared an entire shrimp tank of moss and Rotala butterfly for me. Maybe it depends in the species of Gammarus?

 

[PunknDestroy]

Entirely plausible. When in a planted tank its best to have a natural predator available to feed on the larger ones. I used dwarf loaches with great success. The predators cause them to spend all their time in the substrate. They're also known to colonize your filter quite readily. They're practically impossible to kill.

They cleared an entire shrimp tank of moss and Rotala butterfly for me. Maybe it depends in the species of Gammarus?

 

[mordalphus]

I used betta channoides to get rid of mine they did a great job, after all, there was no moss or plants left to hide in, haha.

I ordered mine originally from a live food supplier, so I don't know what species they were.

 

[PunknDestroy]

I would imagine it was quite the slaughter. I almost feel bad for the little bastards.

I used betta channoides to get rid of mine they did a great job, after all, there was no moss or plants left to hide in, haha.

I ordered mine originally from a live food supplier, so I don't know what species they were.

 

[sayurasem]

Scuds eat moss. My flame moss were *bald* until I overdose the tank with co2 for couple of days.

 

[posmlady]

Ok, so maybe a better question is... What would be a good colony of small creatures with which fish would enjoy, but would also eat decaying material? Without destroying plants or fish?

 

[Colorful]

Ok, so maybe a better question is... What would be a good colony of small creatures with which fish would enjoy, but would also eat decaying material? Without destroying plants or fish?

Have you considered shrimp?

or look at this:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=191931

 

[mordalphus]

Cherry shrimp, Ramshorn snails, dwarf cajun crayfish

 

[NeonFlux]

Hi posmlady, I think you should first experiment and put them in a container with plants and see if they eat the plants once you get them. If they don't then it should be safe. Just be cautious and observe for a few days.. I wonder if they are capable to taking down my thick java ferns or maybe bacopas lol. I have some of them in with my daphnia culture. Hopefully I don't have the species that mow down plants.. We'll see..

 

[posmlady]

Cherry shrimp, Ramshorn snails, dwarf cajun crayfish

I guess I should mention I was thinking of small live breeders, don't the shrimp grow pretty large? And from what I've seen , at least cost wise are they not more of another pet than food source?

 

[mordalphus]

The shrimp grow to around an inch, but they take 4-6 months to get that size. They stay Gammarus size for months

They cost about a buck each to start with, but if you get breeding adults, they'll multiply in no time.

When I was raising live food, I had 3 rubber maid bins outside, one for daphnia moinia, one for Gammarus and one for most up to and bloodworms. It was easy, they take absolutely no maintenance here in Seattle, the rain would top them off and the sun made algae for them. And to harvest just run a fish net through the tank and you've got thousands of critters ready to go.

I don't need live food anymore, but tree frogs have taken up residence in my ponds and the tadpoles now enjoy the different larvae and invertebrates.

 

[posmlady]

The shrimp grow to around an inch, but they take 4-6 months to get that size. They stay Gammarus size for months

They cost about a buck each to start with, but if you get breeding adults, they'll multiply in no time.

When I was raising live food, I had 3 rubber maid bins outside, one for daphnia moinia, one for Gammarus and one for most up to and bloodworms. It was easy, they take absolutely no maintenance here in Seattle, the rain would top them off and the sun made algae for them. And to harvest just run a fish net through the tank and you've got thousands of critters ready to go.

I don't need live food anymore, but tree frogs have taken up residence in my ponds and the tadpoles now enjoy the different larvae and invertebrates.

So down here in Portland that should work to? Do they need to be in shade?

 

[mordalphus]

Indirect sun, it takes about a month for the algae to make water green. You can feed a pinch of bakers yeast or spirulina powder until it's green.

 

[posmlady]

Indirect sun, it takes about a month for the algae to make water green. You can feed a pinch of bakers yeast or spirulina powder until it's green.

Ooh what about mosquito larva?

 

[SBPyro]

Ooh what about mosquito larva?

+1
Was thinking about starting a Daphnia culture in the backyard but the mosquito and other nasty buggers (dragonfly nymphs etc) worry me.

 

[mordalphus]

Mosquito larvae are really good food too, but I keep dragon fly and damsel fly out with hardware cloth (small mesh). If you want to keep mosquitos out, use screen