[AquaAurora]

So I do not own any yet, but am looking into them, not even sure if I can keep them... I am still researching but I've run into a few things that I wanted to ask you experts/owners about:

My pH is 7.5 ( think... api doesn't have an actual color map for 7.5 but it reads 'low' pH 7.6 and 'high' pH 7.4 on test kit...), GH is 160s, KH 70s. I don't know what my TDS is (what do I need and where do I get it to test this?)... I do not want to tamper with lower pH/Gh etc... What shrimps would do well in this?

I have city water and it enters the house through a copper pipe.. I hear copper is death for shrimp, but how can you tell how much copper is in your water? And at what level is it harmful to them? Aside from RO-DI water what can be done to safely (and cheaply) remove copper from water?

I've read Seachem Flurish is bad for shrimp tanks but it only has 0.0001% copper.. pretty minimal, I'd suspect my tap has higher copper readings... Are people saying this being over perinoid or will that tiny bit really hurt them only dosing x2 a week with good water changes done?

If the only way to keep them is with ro system/distilled water I'm not going to bother.

Any other tips for a shrimp noob would be appreciated too, thank you ^^

 

[AquaAurora]

I'd start here. lots of great info for beginners and everybody else.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=176557

I actually read that before I made this post, but thank you. Is the cupsorb really a fix-all-worries for copper solution though?

do some reseach on neocaridinia shrimp. they will tollerate higher ph and are good start shrimp. yellows and blue diamond are said to be a bit more picky.

Thank you for the info, I'll look into them.

 

[AquaAurora]

+1 on the neocaridinia shrimp. Specifically the common "Cherry".

They are as beginner friendly as they get. In my experience even more so than the ghost/glass types. I suspect because the Neos are expected to last past the next feeding unlike the glass/ghost.

They can handle about any water conditions and when they are young, they adapt pretty well. I would suggest looking around to get some from a local breeder or hobbyist. Almost anybody who keeps cherries can part with 10, and thats more than enough to get a colony going. If they need convincing, $20 would likely do the trick as its hard for anybody but the LFS to get more than $1 for a common cherry. But with them being local, you will save on shipping and they are more likely to be comfortable with your water params.

Set them up in a tank all their own and add some moss. Any moss. Then its largely just leave them alone to do their thing. Feed periodically (1-2 times a week, not daily) May take a bit, but you should start seeing tiny shrimp. In 3-4 months you should be able to get the colony off the ground.

As for copper, I wouldn't be concerned unless the shrimp were actually dying. I've never had any problems, and I have kept them for years in a old house with copper pipes, never changing water (just topping it off), and adding periodic ferts. I'm sure that my copper after 3 years of no water changes was far above anything Seachem will add.

TDS in a couple of my shrimp tanks (aka kiddie pools with airstones or sponge filters) was 3-400 higher than it was in my other tanks because I never changed their water -- because I couldn't siphon out of a kiddie pool on the floor and I wasn't about to spend $ on a water pump or time bailing it out with a bucket. Just kept adding 5 gallon pails of tap whenever it got low enough that the whistling of the air stones or sponges annoyed me. No substrate, just piles of moss.

Bottomline, common cherries are cheap, easy keepers, and an excellent place to start your shrimping. You can make plenty of mistakes and even if you really screw up it, it prolly wont result in a tank wipe. Even if it does, another $20 and you can try again with a better understanding on what not to do.

Thank you very much for the helpful info!

Check the classified board here too....I recently purchased cherry shrimp from two different people. It was far cheaper to purchase and ship them than the $4 apiece I've seen them going for retail.

Oh yeah. Don't bother with retail. Either find a local hobbist or breeder, or go online. Even with shipping, you will be far cheaper than buying at retail.

If you are going to have them shipped in I recommend getting at least 20+ though. Most of your cost is going to be eaten in shipping and so doubling the shrimp really wont add much cost, but it will get your colony off the ground that much faster. Plus its a nice buffer incase of DOA or problems acclimating them to your water.

I know msjinkzd lives kinda close (as in easy/cheapear 1 day shipping) don't know any closer fresh water hobbiest by me though. Agree about the lfs, mine want 20$ for a crayfish they labeled as a "lobster" pft.