Aquarium shrimp differ not only in the size and color of their shell, but also in the degree of adaptation to artificial conditions. Some species are unpretentious, while others may die at the slightest failure to comply with the requirements for their maintenance. These exotic crustaceans can coexist peacefully with many fish and shellfish.
General description of aquarium shrimp
Aquarium shrimp are omnivorous crustaceans. Under natural conditions, they can live not only in fresh water, but also in salt water. Homeland - Asian continent.
Marine and aquarium shrimp differ in size and body structure. The latter have a small segmented body, a long tail and limbs - 5 pairs. The long tail helps the shrimp quickly escape from danger. Three of the five available body segments are fused with the head and have a hard shell, which makes pets fearless before predators.
Shrimp have whiskers, a tactile organ. The oral apparatus consists of 3 jaws. The eyes can rotate in different directions, which allows you to quickly see prey or an approaching threat.
Aquarium shrimp have long won the trust of experienced aquarists
Habitat
Natural habitat –
river mouths, salt and fresh water bodies, small streams. The water should be well saturated with oxygen. Habitat: Southeast Asia.
Structure
How many legs does an aquarium shrimp have? If you study the anatomy further, it is part of the order of 10-legged crustaceans. The body consists of a cephalothorax and an abdominal part. The eyes and main limbs are located on the cephalothorax, and additional limbs are located on the abdominal part.
The tail is springy, so it can be difficult to catch the shrimp from the aquarium. If the body structure of all species is the same, then the size and color differ significantly. Small species grow no more than 5 cm in length, and the largest ones reach 15 cm.
Aquarium Basics
They are unpretentious in care (it all depends on the species), with the exception of Sulawesi shrimp. In terms of size, it is better to choose containers larger than 10 liters, placing 10-15 individuals there. The temperature range is +15…+30 °C.
It is necessary to fill the water with oxygen, so you should take care of aeration in advance. The presence of living plants is also important; you can plant pistia or hornwort, but the best option would be Java moss, which is well used by pets for shelter.
Due to the hypersensitivity of shrimp to the composition of water, you should monitor its chemical composition, as well as the microclimate in the room, and avoid various types of aerosol sprays and cigarette smoke. It is necessary to install filters with a pre-filter on the intake pipe, otherwise crustaceans may be sucked in.
Features of character and lifestyle
Shrimp can be overly active or, conversely, be apathetic. If vigorous activity is a normal state, then a manifestation of indifference should alert the aquarist.
If everything is in order with health, the pet will tirelessly move along the bottom of the aquarium and look for something with its paws. When the owner performs a water change, the shrimp become very active – they begin to “fly” around the aquarium. This is normal if there are no other inhabitants in the aquarium.
Attention!
If, in addition to shrimp, there are other fish in the aquarium, then the first ones may behave restlessly due to the fact that their neighbors eat their offspring. Therefore, it is wise to keep shrimp in a species aquarium.
Dirty water in an aquarium is harmful to underwater inhabitants. Shrimp can sit in one place for a long time and do nothing. In dirty water the amount of:
- nitrates;
- nitrites;
- ammonia.
Any disease is possible in such liquid. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly change water by 1/3 of the volume.
Crustaceans behave curiously when entering a new environment. They are interested in everything, they try to explore every corner.
Molting of decapods is a normal process. Shrimp shed their skins after a water change or when entering a new environment.
Shrimp feeding regime and diet
Shrimp are omnivores and spend most of their waking hours searching for food. They are real orderlies of the underwater world - they eat dead areas of plants, the remains of other inhabitants (if any are found), and even microscopic particles of food that have settled on the ground. In general, everything you can profit from.
The main menu of shrimp is already available in the tank; the owner only needs to feed his charges a couple of times a day. It is not recommended to do this more often. You should not give food to crustaceans on the day of a water change when they feel hungry; they are more resistant to stressful situations and other undesirable changes.
Shrimp will eat any food that is offered to them. This can be either dry daphnia or concentrated, balanced branded diets. Some manufacturers produce special menus for shrimp; they meet all the needs of these unusual creatures and are considered the best option. It is advisable to alternate food so that the inhabitants receive everything they need and their menu is varied.
Top 17 types of aquarium shrimp
Thanks to breeding work, many varieties of shrimp have appeared, which differ in size and color, as well as in their behavior.
Cherry
The inhabitant of freshwater reservoirs has a cherry color. Life expectancy is 1 year. Cherry shrimp are very prolific. Peace-loving underwater inhabitants are recommended for beginners, as they are easy to care for and are undemanding to living conditions. Aquarists began breeding the graceful invertebrate in 2004. If you populate the aquarium with a large number of shrimp, they will be interesting to watch.
Cherry shrimp - an elegant and miniature invertebrate
Amano
Representatives of discreet colors cope well with algae in the aquarium. Named after Takishi Amano, a famous designer. They helped him clean up his masterpiece aquariums. The only drawback of Amano is that it is capable of taking food from aquarium fish.
Amano shrimp are hardworking aquarium cleaners
Japanese river
At first glance, the eastern shrimp appears to be glass. Industrial look. You should know that sometimes it behaves aggressively, so it is better to select species of similar size for the neighborhood. When keeping in an aquarium, it is recommended to create conditions that are close to natural. Natural species prefer to live in clean water enriched with oxygen. The Japanese river shrimp is not a companion to small aquarium fish - arthropods tear off their fins. Decapods also cause a lot of trouble for mollusks. Therefore, it is recommended to keep this species separately in a shrimp tank.
Japanese river shrimp has an attractive color
Babaulty
The green babaulti lives in bodies of water: streams, lakes, and ponds in India. The original hereditary coloring can be enhanced by including green vegetables in the diet. Her body can be colored orange, brown, green, yellow, red. The color of the arthropod depends on the place where it was caught. Babaulti, if it gets into a stressful situation, changes color itself.
Green Babaulti shrimp can change the color of their body
Blue Dream
The body length of a small shrimp reaches 3 cm. Females are more brightly colored than males, and their body is also much larger. Pleopods - small legs that are located in the lower part of the abdomen, help Blue Dream to bear eggs. The shrimp's body color can be purple, almost black, or light blue. The blue color is better valued, so breeders strive to breed just such shrimp.
Blue Dream is very interesting in behavior
Far Eastern
The body of the shrimp is almost transparent. Transverse stripes and small specks are clearly visible. The body length does not exceed 5 cm. The color of shrimp is greatly influenced by food and the color of the soil. A characteristic feature of this beauty is her mustache. Their length is 1.5 times the body length. The average temperature is suitable. This species lives longer in cool water than in warm water.
Important!
When kept in a tank with a volume of 100 liters, it is necessary to populate no more than 12-15 individuals.
Representatives of the species behave peacefully. Sometimes you can observe clashes in a limited area.
Far Eastern almost transparent shrimp with dark transverse stripes
Crystal
Pets require certain living conditions. Changes in water parameters: temperature, presence of nitrogen compounds, decrease or increase in acidity are detrimental to the species. They reach sexual maturity at 4 months. They spawn well in soft, slightly acidified water. The body color is very beautiful and unusual: red and white or black and white. The stripes alternate with each other.
Crystal shrimp are not an easy type of aquarium shrimp to keep.
Macrobrachium
In natural habitats it can be found in water bodies of Asia and America. Depending on the color of the soil, they are able to change their color and adapt to the conditions.
Shrimp, depending on the variety, can be bred for decorative and industrial purposes. The long-armed aggressor uses its broad claw (first pair of legs) to capture food and hold on to its mate.
When buying macrobrachium, you should know that shrimp are territorial. If one aquarium contains several individuals, then one will definitely become the leader - the main one. A dominant male will definitely defend his title, no matter what the cost. They are clumsy by nature. They are active at night. Their clumsiness is interesting to watch.
The Macrobrachium shrimp is constantly in motion, cleaning the bottom with its claws
Riley
The appearance of Riley shrimp is similar to cherries. The difference between the two species is only in body color. Riley's cephalothorax and tail are colored, but the central part is devoid of color. Shrimp can be orange, yellow or red. Blue and black colors are rare. Individuals in which most of the body is transparent are of great value. This sign is strictly classified. It is recommended to put dark pebbles in the aquarium. The shrimp will look impressive against its background.
Riley shrimp – a selective form of cherry shrimp
Glass
This type of shrimp is a kind of cleaner. Individuals help maintain cleanliness in the aquarium by eating leftover food after small fish. Life expectancy is 1.5 years. The Indian ghost, as this species is also called, knows how to blend well with its environment. Sometimes aquarists have to look for a pet for a long time with their eyes, but everything is in vain. The shrimp blends so well with the objects located in the aquarium that until it moves, it is simply impossible to see it.
The warmer the water in the tank becomes, the more mobile the glass shrimp become. Sometimes an increase in temperature leads to aggression, which is also undesirable. You need to monitor the parameters.
Attention!
Young glass shrimp are very small, so they easily fall into the filter. For this reason, it is not recommended to use an external filter.
The glass shrimp is not large, but is capable of attacking smaller counterparts
Sulawesi
The color of the Sulawesi Cardinal shrimp is dark or light red. White spots are scattered over the entire surface.
Decapods are demanding regarding water parameters and acidity. Representatives of the species prefer soft, warm water. After the purchase they behave modestly. If you place them in a common aquarium, they will first hide so that they cannot be seen. They will begin to show their character only after they adapt to new conditions of detention.
Sulawesi shrimp are one of the most adapted exotics to be kept in captivity.
Filter
The inhabitant of freshwater reservoirs and slow-flowing rivers is sold under other names: bamboo, banana (based on body shape) shrimp, and athyopsis. The first 2 pairs of filter feeder legs are equipped with small hooks; their shape resembles a fan. She uses them to catch prey, as if filtering it from the water surface.
Body color depends on many factors. Even your mood plays a big role in this. In addition, the color of the body depends on the place where the shrimp was caught, the time of molting, and the food. You can find sandy, yellowish, red and brown individuals.
The shrimp is a filter feeder, unlike other shrimp it is clumsy
Black Tiger
The species gained popularity due to its all-black body. As a result of breeding work, scientists have achieved the desired body color, but the genetics of shrimp leaves much to be desired. The species is susceptible to diseases and has weak immunity. One variety has orange eyes, the other black. The former are more highly valued. They prefer to live in cool alkaline water. The sensitivity of the Black Tiger to copper makes it impossible to use preparations containing copper for treating an aquarium.
There are two types of Black Tiger shrimp - with normal black eyes and with orange ones.
Red-Nosed Pinocchio
In nature, the red-nosed Pinocchio prefers bodies of water with weak currents. When kept in an aquarium, the water should not be allowed to become warm, otherwise it may dissolve the pet’s shell. For one individual you will need a tank volume of 4 liters. Pinocchio prefers to live in a family of 4-5 individuals. You can choose non-aggressive fish species as neighbors. A notable feature of the Pinocchio rednose shrimp is its ability to regenerate tissue. If, while moving around the tank, she stumbles upon something sharp and breaks her nose, it will grow back over time. They are not picky about their diet; they love algae.
The rednose shrimp is not only very beautiful, but also useful in the aquarium
Blue Pearl
Obtained through selection. Blue body color. Adult representatives of the species reach a length of 3.5 cm. In good conditions, they can live more than 2 years. Keeping blue neocardines with aggressive fish is unacceptable.
To meet the needs of shrimp, the bottom of the aquarium should be equipped with various kinds of decorations: grottoes, caves, houses, clay pots and driftwood. In case of danger, the Blue Pearl will have the opportunity to hide among the decor.
Blue pearl is not found anywhere in natural conditions
Harlequin
Content-wise, Harlequins is complex. In their natural habitat, they swim in the volcanic lakes of Sulawesi. There are no water changes in these reservoirs; all parameters are almost always the same.
When kept in an aquarium, the water temperature should not fall below +28°C. It is interesting to watch a pair of Harlequins, especially during feeding. The male gives way to the female so that she can taste the food first. A couple of shrimp require a tank with a capacity of 80 liters. Harlequins are demanding on food, water temperature, acidity level and aquarium volume.
Harlequin shrimp are specialized hunters, their main prey being starfish.
Cardinal
It also has another name - Denerly. In nature, it lives in Indonesia, inhabiting shallow water bodies located among the rocks. It got its name thanks to the German company that opened it. The crustacean is difficult to maintain.
The species is on the verge of extinction. In natural conditions, there are very few Cardinal shrimp left.
Cardinal shrimp has high decorative qualities
Shrimp fry, how to care for them
If shrimp go through the larval stage, then special conditions should be created for their reproduction in the aquarium.
After 20-50 days (this depends on the temperature and type), the larvae emerge from the eggs. They go through several stages of development and molt frequently. Larvae are different from adults and need proper food and clean water. They can be fed dust and aquarium shellfish, cut into small pieces. Half an hour after feeding, the remaining food is removed, otherwise rotting processes will begin. It is imperative to aerate the water.
Shrimp larvae detach from their mother only when they become completely independent small copies of their parents.
Under successful circumstances, approximately a third of the total number of larvae survive.
If fry immediately emerge from the eggs, they are practically no different from adults. For the first few days, the young hide in the thicket of plants, and then begin to swim and look for food. They can be given small food. You can use special feed.
When fish and shrimp are kept together, the former pose a danger to newborn fry.
Small shrimps stop hiding in thickets when they reach a size of more than 0.8 mm
Shrimp fry feed on algae, yeast, and derite. At the age of 1-1.5 (sometimes two) months they reach sexual maturity, and can produce offspring in the amount of 15 individuals approximately once a month.
Shrimp are colorful and fascinating representatives of the aquarium fauna. In order for small crustaceans to feel safe, it is necessary not only to maintain the necessary water parameters, but also to organize a separate corner with plants and various decorations where they can hide from their neighbors in the aquarium.
How to choose and buy
If the apartment already has an aquarium with underwater inhabitants, it is recommended to study the compatibility of fish with crustaceans.
On a note!
You shouldn’t buy a lot of shrimp at once; a couple of them will be enough. Before placing them in a community aquarium, it is recommended to quarantine them for several days.
You should not buy shrimp that have just been imported from a pet store. It is possible that they are sick with something and may die. It is recommended to wait a few days to make sure they are in a healthy state of mind.
Avoiding Mistakes
You need to carefully monitor the hardness and acidity of the water. These parameters are extremely important for maintaining the life of these crustaceans. The water temperature must also be maintained. To control it, you should install a thermometer in the aquarium. It is recommended to use an aerator to saturate the water with oxygen.
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Conditions of keeping with fish and separately
If you create suitable conditions for keeping shrimp in an aquarium, almost all species get along with each other.
Suitable fish species for keeping and caring for with shrimp:
- micro-assessments;
- iris;
- guppy;
- epilate.
Attention!
However, small fish are not averse to eating baby shrimp.
Choosing an aquarium
A rectangular wide tank is the most suitable aquarium for shrimp. The fact is that decapods lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, so they need a large space for movement. The volume of the tank is selected depending on the number of shrimp. One individual requires at least half a liter of water.
Since shrimp can jump out, the top of the aquarium should be covered. If you plan to equip a common tank, then many shelters should be installed at the bottom of the tank: snags, caves, artificial plants, so that arthropods can hide from the obsessive curiosity of fish. But it’s better to make a shrimp tank.
Water and soil
After purchasing an aquarium, it is necessary to equip it and create favorable conditions for keeping it. River sand can serve as soil for an aquarium with shrimp.
Before placing it in a container, the soil should be thoroughly washed and calcined in the oven at high temperature. Within half an hour it will be disinfected.
Shrimp are so unpretentious that you can use regular tap water for them. Everyone knows that tap water is too hard. Nothing wrong with that. Shrimp will use the elements to strengthen and build their shells during their molt. But if the level of rigidity is too high, the reproduction process may slow down.
It is recommended to maintain the water temperature in the tank at +22-28°C. If kept at a low temperature, the shrimp will move little and stop reproducing, and if kept at too high a temperature, they may die. If a temporary drop in temperature occurs and the aquarist notices it in time, then such changes will not affect the normal functioning of the pets.
Some species require certain water parameters. These include acidity and hardness. To obtain a zero level of hardness and neutral acidity, you need to add special salt to the water - this is the easiest way.
Important!
Before purchasing finicky species, it is recommended to pour water into a separate container so that it can settle for 14 days, only after which it can be poured into the aquarium and underwater inhabitants introduced.
It is recommended to change ¼ of the water weekly, pouring out the old water and adding new water, also settled.
In the room where the aquarium with arthropods is located, it is not recommended to use sprays, hairspray and other deodorants, as their particles can settle in the water.
Many species cannot exist in water with a high concentration of nitrogen compounds. It is also recommended to take this point into account.
Aquarium shrimp feel most comfortable and calm on dark soil.
Scenery
Underwater scenery and shelters are a must. If you keep shrimp in a community aquarium, there should be a lot of such underwater decorations - the more, the better. It is necessary to install grottoes, ceramic flower pots, caves, houses, castles, put driftwood, and populate the aquarium with algae.
If finished products are purchased as covers, then before purchasing you should make sure that the products are not varnished.
Decorations made of wood, after purchase, must be placed in water for 2-3 days in a separate container so that the coloring pigments are released from the wood. Once installed in an aquarium, wood products prepared in this way will not affect the clarity of the water.
Plants
Algae and floating plants can be added to the shrimp tank. These can be: richia, hornwort, pistia, ceratopteris.
Equipment
The presence of equipment in the aquarium is necessary to ensure normal functioning of the shrimp. You will need to buy a filter and compressor.
The filter helps clean the water in the tank from accumulated mechanical and organic debris. The compressor saturates the aquarium water with oxygen.
If you keep only shrimp in the container, you can do without a filter. When breeding many types of shrimp and fish in one tank, it is better to opt for an internal sponge filter or an external canister filter.
Attention!
To protect the population of young shrimp from being sucked into the filter tube, you should put a small sponge on it.
Shrimp are active during the day, so they need long daylight hours. Whether lighting is necessary or not depends on where the aquarium is located. If the tank is installed deep in the room, it means that the underwater inhabitants do not have enough natural light. In this case, additional lighting is simply necessary. It can be illuminated with LED or fluorescent lamps, which do not consume a lot of energy and do not heat the liquid, but provide high-quality lighting.
In order to maintain the water temperature at the same level, you should buy a special heater with a thermostat designed for aquariums. Such a system will allow you to keep capricious species of shrimp that require certain water parameters. To ensure that your aquarium heater is working properly, you should measure the temperature of the liquid from time to time with a simple thermometer.
In hot summers, the temperature in the room is high, and the water in the aquarium heats up accordingly. During such a period, it is necessary to use all possible means to reduce it to the required level.
You can cool the water using a special refrigeration unit or a simple fan. You also need to buy a bottom siphon to be able to remove fish and shrimp waste from the ground, as well as food residues.
If you do not clean the soil, organic matter will begin to decompose and release ammonia. As a result, decay products will poison the body of bottom dwellers and they will get sick.
Aquarium shrimp love to scurry around in thickets of small-leaved plants.
Settlement of shrimps
It is necessary to start populating the aquarium with shrimp only after it has been fully prepared. A new habitat can throw shrimp into shock, so you need to gradually accustom your pets to new conditions.
Important!
It is better to buy young shrimp at the pet store. Of course, their appearance is less attractive than that of adults, but young animals endure the road more easily and quickly get used to their permanent place of residence.
After purchasing the shrimp, you can place them in a plastic bag or transparent container. Be sure to fill the container with water from the aquarium in which they were kept before purchase. It is advisable to take several green plants from the same tank and put them in a bag for your pets.
Upon arrival home, the shrimp are moved to a new tank along with the water in which they lived before. Algae is also placed in the new house.
When the shrimp look around a little, the aquarist should slowly add new, settled water. At this time, it is recommended to observe how the new owners of the aquarium will behave. If the decapods behave restlessly and “fly” around the tank, it means that the water parameters do not correspond to those to which they are accustomed. The aquarist checks the temperature, corrects the error and continues to fill the container with water, again paying attention to their behavior.
Only in settled water in a dark room does the microflora necessary for shrimp develop. You need to stand for at least 14 days.
Smoking is prohibited in the room where the shrimp tank is located. Underwater inhabitants cannot tolerate the smell of tobacco. If they are in a constantly smoky room, they will soon die.
Shrimp are also sensitive to drugs. Arthropods should not be introduced into a common aquarium in which preventative work has been carried out before. The use of a water stabilizer also has a negative effect.
If any chemicals have been used in the tank, the container must be rinsed and the water completely changed. If this is not done, death is possible.
Nutrition
Crustaceans have their own food preferences, and an aquarist who decides to get shrimp should be aware of them. The inhabitants of the underwater world lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle (mainly), so their diet includes dead organic matter, which gradually accumulates in the ground. Organic residues include thread-like algae, remains of fish and shellfish, fish food, and dead plants.
Shrimp also feed on tubifex worms and oligochaete worms. Low-fat meat and fish can be given to bottom dwellers as food. But the best thing would be ready-made, specially selected food, ideal for feeding aquarium shrimp. The balanced composition of the feed has all the useful substances and vitamin and mineral composition for the normal development of arthropods. Since shrimp love to eat, that is, they have a good appetite, you should not give them a lot of food at one time. They may be obese.
Important!
If 2 hours have passed since the start of feeding and there is uneaten food left at the bottom, it should be removed so that it does not begin to decompose and does not enrich the liquid with nitrates. There must be enough oxygen in the water - this is a mandatory condition for keeping it.
Shrimp eat absolutely everything; they are so-called omnivorous aquarium cleaners.
Third - Aquarium
How to choose an aquarium for shrimp?
The minimum volume of an aquarium for keeping shrimp is 5 liters; maximum - as much as your heart desires. Preference should be given to a wide and low aquarium, with a large bottom area - shrimp most often walk along the bottom rather than swim.
Now on sale there are aquariums fully equipped for creating a shrimp tank. For example, the companies Aquael (Aquael Shrimp Set) and Dennerle (Nano Cube), the so-called “cubes”. The fact is that the shape of these aquariums is almost a regular cube.
Sizes are 10, 20 and 30 liters. They are made of glass with increased transparency, with a glass lid. You can buy an aquarium separately or as a set: an aquarium, a lighting module, a filter, a water heater, a background, a mat and shrimp food. The set is, of course, more expensive than a regular aquarium, but it is very convenient to purchase everything at once in a set.
A cube is usually taller than it is wide. This was probably done for the free growth of plants.
In an aquarium with a small volume, up to 30 liters, it is better to keep simple types of shrimp - neocaridine, amano. For other species, it is better to choose a larger aquarium: in a container smaller than 30 liters it is difficult to achieve a stable balance, the indicators will change frequently, and jumps in the nitrogen content in the water negatively affect the health of the shrimp. But some amateur aquarists manage to create excellent conditions in 10 liters, and even crystals live there and enjoy life.
Also keep in mind that the population of neocaridins, and other types of shrimp, will constantly grow, and the biological load on the aquarium will also grow. If you are a beginner hobbyist, then do not take risks, buy an aquarium of at least 30 liters. For expensive and elite species of shrimp, various sources recommend aquariums of at least 100 liters.
Breeding and how to distinguish a female from a male
To start breeding aquarium shrimp at home,
It's best to start with simple types. Cherry is an ideal variety for beginners. During molting, females secrete special pheromones that attract males.
The most active and mobile males will be able to fertilize females. You have to wait a month for the offspring to appear.
Only after this time do the fry acquire independence. The cubs grow up very quickly and by the age of one and a half months they are ready to reproduce.
Females and males differ from each other in body color and size. Females are much larger than males and more brightly colored. The male has a narrow tail because he carries eggs.
During the period of bearing eggs, you can easily distinguish between a female and a male. The female is frightened of everything in the world, hides in secluded corners and shudders, as if ensuring a normal flow of oxygen to the eggs. And under the male’s tail you can see eggs.
Males and females can be distinguished by appearance
Fifth - Starting a shrimp tank
- Clean gravel is poured into a clean aquarium, washed with tap water (without any detergents or cleaning agents), and water is added. To prepare water, it is better to use a conditioner that purifies the water from chlorine, chloramine and heavy metal salts. Install the filter immediately and turn it on. The gravel may make the water cloudy, but within a couple of days it should become clear. Install the thermometer.
- Within 24 hours the water will probably warm up to room temperature. After this, you can start planting plants. Plants with long stems are usually planted in the background. Rosettes in the middle part of the aquarium. Small foreground plants and mosses are placed closer to the front glass. Remember that shrimp are very fond of all types of aquarium mosses - they serve as both shelter and a source of food.
- After another day, you can start populating the shrimp - this will start the cycle. The shrimp must first undergo acclimatization. The bag with shrimp is dipped into the water of the aquarium for several hours or simply left next to it. This is necessary so that the water temperature becomes the same. Also, water from the aquarium is gradually added to the shrimp bag. And only after several hours of acclimatization, new residents are released into free swimming.
- A week after launch, the first water change is made - 10-20% of the total volume. Further changes are made regularly every week. At least once every two weeks, you must “vacuum” the soil using a siphon, otherwise debris will constantly accumulate at the bottom of the aquarium, but shrimp spend most of their time on the surface of the gravel.
- After 2-4 weeks of the cycle, we do water tests: we check pH, nitrates, nitrites and ammonia. Water tests can be purchased at pet stores. For most types of shrimp, a pH in the range of 6.0-7.5 is normal. Nitrites and ammonia should be 0, or very close to zero. For more precise pH values required for your shrimp species, read the species descriptions.
For beginners, it is advisable to start with the simplest type of shrimp - neocaridine. The most popular neocaridine variety among beginners is red cherry. These shrimp are not demanding on water parameters (pH, hardness, temperature), are inexpensive and easy to buy. However, like any fish and shrimp, red cherry shrimp are sensitive to the content of ammonia and nitrites, so almost all beginners experience losses - the shrimp, unfortunately, may die.
Shrimp diseases
Not only improper living conditions lead to various diseases. Sometimes you can buy an already sick individual and it will infect everyone else. To prevent this from happening, after purchasing new inhabitants of the aquarium, they should be kept in quarantine and only then released into the general tank.
Arthropods, when kept at home, may be susceptible to:
- necrosis of muscle tissue;
- bacterial and viral infections;
- burn and rust stain syndrome.
In addition, shrimp are affected by milk, porcelain and cotton diseases.
All diseases have their own manifestations. Fish are often affected by a viral disease called white spot syndrome. Symptoms of the disease are white spots. At the initial stage, arthropods lose interest in life, become lethargic, and there is a lack of appetite.
Disease prevention should be carried out regularly; it is the measures taken that can prevent the development of diseases and reduce the likelihood of diseases.
The health of arthropods depends on the purity of the water and correctly set parameters. Infrequent cleaning of the aquarium leads to contamination of the liquid. As a result of deteriorating water quality, the immunity of shrimp decreases.
Sudden changes in water temperature play a negative role. If the aquarium is overcrowded, then even regular cleaning of the tank will not help. As a result, there will be a lack of oxygen and the fish will die. Excess food settles to the bottom and begins to decompose. All residues, if they are not eaten in time, must be removed to avoid their oxidation.
Fourth - Equipment
The most optimal aquarium volume for beginner shrimp lovers is 30 liters - such an aquarium is easy to start, it is not too big and not too small, and it is inexpensive. Over time, you can choose a larger container if you want to grow mass colonies or rare species. Now start small to gain knowledge and experience.
After you purchase an aquarium, you need to purchase an aquarium filter. You can find filters at your local pet stores.
Filters in which the filter material is a sponge are well suited for shrimp tanks. Such filters are usually inexpensive and accessible, just what a beginning hobbyist needs. Sponge filters are safe for baby shrimp and easy to clean. Filters that are not protected by sponge material should not be used: shrimp may be drawn inside and die there.
You also need a lamp, a thermometer and a water heater. If you are going to plant an aquarium with live plants, then light is a must. In addition, the presence of living plants in a shrimp tank is very desirable; for shrimp they will become both home and food, and will speed up the start of the biological cycle.
Some aquariums are sold with lids with a built-in light, but you can choose your own aquarium light. It is advisable to choose lamps or LEDs with a spectrum of “sunlight” (sun glo) or with white light, since shrimp are colored best under such lighting, and plants with such light grow faster. For a shrimp tank with live plants, the daylight hours should be at least 7 hours.
Buy a small thermometer and a heater. If the temperature is too low or too high, shrimp stop reproducing and may die. You can find out what the optimal temperature for shrimp should be by reading the descriptions of the types of shrimp. Each species has its own requirements for water parameters (hardness, pH), temperature, so read about this in advance.
The next step after purchasing the necessary equipment is purchasing gravel. Since the presence of aquarium plants for a shrimp aquarium is highly desirable, the soil must be suitable for plants. If this is ordinary neutral gravel, then it should be of a fraction of 2-5 mm, no more. Or sand, at least 1 mm.
Of course, the best option for a shrimper is nutrient-rich soils, since they can lower the pH of the water, and this in turn will help the shrimp live happily ever after. Examples of nutrient soils: Fluval Shrimp, Manado, JBL ShrimpSoil, Amazonia and others.
Aquarium soil or substrate can be purchased at a regular pet store, but if not, you can always make a purchase at an online store.
Now the water cycle must be established in the aquarium - this is extremely important. The process may take 2-4 weeks or more (for a full cycle).
Before pouring water into the aquarium, it is recommended to use water conditioners, or let the water sit for a day. Settling does not completely remove all chlorine impurities, but during this time most of the gases from the water evaporate, the pH stabilizes, and the water warms up to room temperature.
Why do shrimp die in an aquarium?
In good keeping conditions, the life expectancy of shrimp varies from 1.5 years to 2 years. If conditions are violated, pets may not live to this age. If a shrimp dies in an aquarium, a month after purchase, the owner is perplexed, how could this happen? Of course, heredity or some kind of viral disease cannot be ruled out. But more often the cause of death is poor water quality and inappropriate living conditions.
Unlike aquarium fish, arthropods sense the purity of water more sensitively. Some species generally require that the water be so pure that it can be drunk. However, water is polluted by many factors.
Chlorine and chloramine come first. Both the first and second substances lead to the death of crustaceans. If tap water is used for water changes, then aquarists living in the city should find out what is used to chlorinate the water. If water purification was carried out with the addition of chlorine, then during settling the chlorine dissipates. If the treatment was carried out using chloramine, then in order to dissolve this substance, you will need to add special products. In addition, chloramine tends to accumulate, so disaster cannot be avoided.
Unsuitable living conditions weaken the immune system and make the body susceptible to infections
For your information!
Various waste accumulates at the bottom of the aquarium. As a result, ammonia accumulates in the water, which negatively affects the health of pets.
Shrimp are voracious. They happily approach the food that the aquarist puts in front of them. Large amounts of pellets or flakes can lead to overeating. The condition of the arthropods will tell you about this. They lose activity, sit in the same place for a long time, and lose their bright color. At this time, they are no longer interested in food and do not approach it.
Arthropods are given food once a day. They must eat the allotted portion within 1 hour. If after a while there is food left, it will have to be removed so as not to provoke overeating and not allow the food to oxidize. Crustaceans need a fasting day once a week.
In a tank in which diseased shrimp were found, it is recommended to clean the soil and change the water by one third of the volume.
Who do shrimp get along with?
Various aquarium inhabitants love to feast on these small crustaceans, while the shrimp themselves are peaceful, friendly and unobtrusive. In order not to endanger them, you should take the issue of choosing neighbors seriously. It is best to attach shrimp to small, non-aggressive fish - neon, guppies or zebrafish. They also feel good in the company of snails - both of them will not be attacked.
But when keeping crustaceans with barbs, angelfish, some large cichlids, loaches or even swordtails, you can expect trouble - the shrimp will have a hard time. Salvation for arthropods can be various shelters and dense vegetation; this is the only way they can avoid reprisals from determined predators.
Reviews
The health of arthropods depends on the conditions created. The more the aquarist takes care of his pets, the longer they will live in the aquarium.
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How to choose the right type for your home
You need to choose the type of shrimp to keep taking into account the experience of the aquarist. The easiest way is to create conditions for freshwater shrimp.
If there is no experience in keeping such animals, it is better to give preference to species bred through selection. These shrimp are better adapted to the aquarium.
Eighth - Reproduction
For successful reproduction, most species of shrimp for a home aquarium require: water with the characteristics required for the species, stability, regular feeding with food containing chitin, and the presence of males and females. Under these conditions, even crystals multiply like cockroaches, and there will soon be so many neocaridins of any variety that a biological overload of the aquarium can occur.
Shrimp are ready for reproduction, usually reaching a size of 1 cm. Neocaridin, ready for mating, can be recognized by the bright yellow “saddle” - a spot on the back. These are eggs ready for fertilization. Fertilized shrimp eggs are incubated for about 30 days, and then offspring emerge from them and the young shrimp set off on their own.
Some species of shrimp, such as amano and pinocchio, require special breeding conditions; they will not produce offspring in a regular aquarium.
