[shrimpzoo]

I'm planning on buying Hikari food products for part of my Red Cherry Shrimp's diet. I've already decided that I would get Hikari's Crab Cuisine + Algae Wafers (for sure) since both these products do NOT have copper in them.

I decided to avoid food that has copper in it. But, there is an argument that Shrimp need a SMALL amount of copper for blood regeneration.

Hikari's Shrimp Cuisine does have copper so my question is...

If I don't give them a small trace of copper (by giving them food like Hikari's Shrimp Cuisine), how would shrimp naturally obtain copper?

I guess it goes down to should I buy the Shrimp Cuisine?

P.S: Do these Hikari food products have astaxanthin? I'm hoping they do.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Eden Marel]

A little bit of copper is going to be fine. I been feeding Hikari shrimp cusiine and it's fine. Even some of the other special shrimp food I feed have copper in them. Shrimp cuisine does have asthanx in it.

I'm not sure how they obtain copper naturally, but guessing is that natural vegetation and dead bodies of other animals have some minute amount of copper in them.

 

[oblongshrimp]

General consensus is Copper in food is fine, Copper in medications and algicides are not. As you mentioned they need some copper for their blood (copper based vs iron based like us)

 

[shrimpzoo]

Thanks for the replies Eden Marel & oblongshrimp

How often would you feed Hikari Shrimp Cuisine (or any food that has copper)? Because I'm worried that maybe the food could cause a Copper build up in the water to a dangerous level.. is that possible? (I have a 5.5 gallon tank)

Otherwise, I'm thinking I'd feed it to the shrimp every 2 or 3 days..

Also, is there much of a difference between Hikari Shrimp Cuisine and Hikari Crab Cuisine? if not I might just get only the Shrimp Cuisine.

 

[GeToChKn]

Thanks for the replies Eden Marel & oblongshrimp

How often would you feed Hikari Shrimp Cuisine (or any food that has copper)? Because I'm worried that maybe the food could cause a Copper build up in the water to a dangerous level.. is that possible? (I have a 5.5 gallon tank)

Otherwise, I'm thinking I'd feed it to the shrimp every 2 or 3 days..

Also, is there much of a difference between Hikari Shrimp Cuisine and Hikari Crab Cuisine? if not I might just get only the Shrimp Cuisine.

Hello fellow Canadian. The copper in food is fine, its not going to build up, its not going to kill them. Its there cause they need it. No worries. I feel my shrimp every other day with a variety of foods, that all probably have copper in them.

 

[shrimpzoo]

Alright thanks for the reassurance much appreciated GeToChKn

 

[oblongshrimp]

If your shrimp die from overfeeding it wont be from the copper but deteriorating water quality.

 

[shrimpzoo]

I'm probably going to feed only every 3 days. No overfeeding will occur.

 

[OverStocked]

You could feed it exclusively and copper would NEVER be a problem.

Elemental copper from medications in HIGH, toxic doses is the problem.