[Boz]

Ok shrimp masters, I have a small setup for my RCS, and I'd like to upgrade it to a planted 10g. Currently they're in a planted with flourite and Aquasoil mix. It's hard for me to clean this tank because I'm constantly getting new babies and I'm sure I've already had my share of casualties from sucking them into the airline tubing I use.

So, to make a short question way too long...How would you propose I move the inhabitants out of this tank and into the new one? Should I try to siphon out the babies into a bucket and place them in the new tank? Then just net the adults? I find them extremely difficult to catch! What about stragglers in the substrate? Will the siphon harm them?

Sorry if this is such a ridiculous question, but I've never transferred them from one tank to another and I'm so nervous to start that I just keep putting it off. :redface:

 

[toddnbecka]

Easiest way would be to strip the tank and use a fine-mesh net to scoop out as many as possible, then siphon out stragglers. If you don't want to strip the tank, net the adults (and as many small ones as possible) then wait for the stragglers to grow large enough to see/catch. As long as there aren't any breeding adults left, you'll get the rest cleaned out over time. In any case, it's going to take some work, time, and patience to transfer all of the shrimp.

 

[Boz]

Thanks for the response. What do you mean by "strip the tank"? I'm thinking that you mean that I should take everything out except the substrate? I guess waiting them out is probably a good idea. I hadn't thought of that because I planned on putting the upgraded tank in the same spot.

 

[toddnbecka]

If you're moving the tank, you'll need to empty almost all the water out first. By stripping the tanl, I mean removing the plants and whatever else gets in the way of the net. I had to move the shrimp out of my planted 10 gallon some time ago to eradicate a hydra infestation. I moved out most of the snails then netted and siphoned the shrimp. There were more tiny young ones than I had thought, the whole process took several hours. After the tank was treated with copper sulfate and rinsed several times with fresh dechlorinated water the next day, they were all moved back in. No problems since then, and the only casualties were a few shrimp and snails that I missed when I emptied the tank.

 

[Boz]

I moved out most of the snails then netted and siphoned the shrimp.

Aha! You siphoned them! I was just asking Wood if that was ok to do, or if a turkey baster was a better choice.
So the siphoning caused no fatalaties?

Thanks to you and Wood for your help with this.

 

[toddnbecka]

I used an airline to siphon the tiny ones, no problems there.

 

[A Hill]

Easiest way would be to strip the tank and use a fine-mesh net to scoop out as many as possible, then siphon out stragglers. If you don't want to strip the tank, net the adults (and as many small ones as possible) then wait for the stragglers to grow large enough to see/catch. As long as there aren't any breeding adults left, you'll get the rest cleaned out over time. In any case, it's going to take some work, time, and patience to transfer all of the shrimp.

I really have to disagree. This is very stressful for you, and the shrimp. The easiest way is the inverted soda bottle trick. Take a plastic soda bottle, 1L 2L 20oz whatever and cut the neck off. Then put the neck back into the bottle so the threaded head of the bottle is pointing to the bottom. Then put some good food in the bottle and put it in the tank overnight, You will catch most of your shrimp in one or two nights. Don't leave them in that soda bottle for the day though, the next night or that morning take them out. Now that was easy:hihi:

Aha! You siphoned them! I was just asking Wood if that was ok to do, or if a turkey baster was a better choice.
So the siphoning caused no fatalaties?

Thanks to you and Wood for your help with this.

siphon them with a larger tubing like 1inch and that will also work, but I really wouldn't want to do that if I where you... Too many chances for something wrong to happen.

-Andrew

 

[Boz]

That's an interesting idea, Andrew. Not sure I understand the directions, though. Cut the neck off and then put the neck back into the bottle?

Sorry...does not compute. Wouldn't it be easier to cut the bottom off and turn it with the threaded end pointed to the bottom?

Sorry, I probably had too many lattes today.

 

[A Hill]

Sorry, I probably had too many lattes today.

I don't blame you...

Anyways....

Soda bottle... Kinda like this

o ----- Top threaded part
/ \
| |
| |
ww ------- Bottom.

Now cut the red part off

And stick in the bottle like...

|\ /|
| o |
| |
ww

Like that. Sorta like a fish trap.

Hope you love the illustrations!:tongue:

-Andrew

 

[Boz]

oooh, put the neck in upside down! Ok, gotcha! I do that for wasp traps in my yard in the summer! Sorry for the synaptic misfirings!

Great illustrations, btw!

 

[A Hill]

oooh, put the neck in upside down! Ok, gotcha!
Great illustrations, btw!

Yep, As for the illustrations they're a bit lacking... Some of the lines didn't line up like I wanted... but adding the color screwed that up I think. I hadn't done any in a long time I used to do some pretty elaborate ones when I got bored lol...

-Andrew

 

[Color Me Blue]

If you just want to net them, put a piece of food in the front area and wait for them to gather, then net them.

Better yet (I brought up this idea in another thread), put the piece of food in the net and then when you get a good amount in the net, just lift them out and start over. I would use a large brine shrimp net so the lil ones don't escape thru holes in the regular nets.