Freshwater shrimp appeared in the collections of Russian lovers not so long ago, and have already managed to win new fans. One of their main advantages is their small size and, therefore, the ability to live in small-volume aquariums, which can easily fit into any city apartment or even on an office desk. What requirements do these crustaceans make for their home?
Any aquarium from 10 liters is suitable for a shrimp tank. There is an opinion that cherry shrimp look better on black soil, but I think that this is a matter of taste; personally, I did not notice the difference.
Since the use of CO2 in a shrimp tank is undesirable (especially for beginner aquarists and in small volumes, pH jumps and, as a result, death are possible), plants should be unpretentious. Such as nayas, Cryptocoryne Wendt, Thai fern, bacopa carolina, pinnate, hornwort, riccia, etc. small-leaved plants, of course, Java moss (shrimps release fry there, it is also an excellent refuge for both juveniles and adult shrimps).
Shrimp are very sensitive to oxygen levels; aeration (at least at night) is required. There is an alternative: either aeration or a filter (internal or external for large volumes). When using internal filters (for example, Fan-mini), I remove the glass from the sponge, otherwise juveniles will get clogged there and this is fraught with losses when cleaning the filter.
The soil layer should be at least 4 cm (my plants did not grow well in a smaller layer, as soon as I added up to 5 and 7 cm at the back wall, everything began to grow). When I first plant, I add clay tablets, then I add them once a year.
You need a heating pad, shrimp can live in the range from 150C to 310C, I came across information that when shrimp are kept for a period of 7 days at high temperatures (from 300C), their complete or partial sterilization is possible. I don’t know, I don’t want to check somehow
The optimal temperature for a shrimp tank is 21-260C. High temperatures (especially in small displacement conditions) can cause problems. This topic will be discussed on our forum. Let us remember that shrimp are very sensitive to the content of oxygen dissolved in water and when there is a lack of it (which is caused by elevated temperature), they begin to experience suffocation.
The presence of these animals in water with a temperature above 32°C is generally unacceptable, since it can lead to protein coagulation in the body of invertebrates and, as a consequence, their death. Shrimp prefer water whose active reaction is close to neutral or shifted to the alkaline region (pH 6.8-8.5). An acidic environment (pH below 6.2) causes the destruction of the chitinous cover. For the same reason, it is not recommended to keep them in soft water, which is poor in calcium salts, which serves as the main building material for shrimp armor.
Recommended replacement regimes: every day 5-7% (approximately), or 35-50% once a week.
Shrimp are practically omnivores; I find it difficult to name any food they have ever refused. They also easily endure “hunger strikes” (when you go on a business trip or vacation), while feeding on algae and dead parts of plants. But if the planting is dense, I still strongly recommend fertilizing. The main thing is to avoid overfeeding.
By the way, about fish. For the most part, they do not pay any attention to the shrimp. The only exceptions are large cichlids and other active predators, which may well encroach on the health and life of these beneficial invertebrates, perceiving them exclusively as a delicacy.
Large cyprinids are also not the most suitable company for them: insatiable curiosity, a passionate desire to “play” with any less mobile object and, I dare to add, some of their characteristic, in my opinion, stupidity can seriously damage the nerves of shrimps, although the physical integrity of the animals in this situation almost nothing is in danger.
On the other hand, such fish are usually not placed in aquariums with live plants, which means that these warnings are rather theoretical. Small characins, cyprinids, spawning and viviparous cyprinids, as well as other typical populations of underwater gardens, including most dwarf cichlids such as pelvicachromis, are not dangerous for shrimp.
What to choose: a separate aquarium for shrimp or a shared aquarium with fish?
If you already have a small aquarium with small peaceful fish, such as Endler’s dwarf guppies, neons, rasboras, algae eaters: Otocinclus, Ancitrus, Siamese algae eater, then you can easily add shrimp to them. True, it is necessary to check and take into account the water parameters - whether they are suitable for the life of shrimp.
Under no circumstances should shrimp be allowed to come into contact with cichlids or other large and predatory fish. Even if your fish are large, but peaceful and “wouldn’t hurt a fly,” they may quite accidentally or deliberately feast on a small shrimp if it fits into their mouth.
But even when kept with the small fish mentioned above, the aquarium should be abundantly planted with thickets of plants, equipped with many shelters, so that the shrimp and their future offspring can hide and feel safe.
Easy-to-keep cherry shrimp and large Amano shrimp can be kept in a general aquarium, but expensive and demanding ones, such as crystal shrimp, are best kept in a separate shrimp tank.
Features of cohabitation
When deciding this issue, the type and characteristics of crustaceans should be taken into account. If we are talking about large decapods, for example, macrobrachiums or amanos, then they coexist freely with all kinds of fish. The exception is the predatory large cichlids, but in the case of adult macrobrachiums, it is the fish that will most likely suffer.
Shrimp get along well with some types of fish
And undemanding crustaceans (cherry crustaceans, etc.) develop well and live with non-aggressive small and medium-sized fish:
- all kinds of algae eaters;
- neon;
- viviparous;
- rasborami.
Yes, some of them eat young shrimp. But if the shrimp tank contains a sufficient amount of small-leaved plants and moss, then in such an environment the baby crustaceans can camouflage themselves perfectly.
Important! Experts recommend keeping purebred small shrimp (wild Sulawesi specimens, high-quality crystals) in a separate container.
Which shrimp aquarium to choose?
An aquarium of a simple rectangular or cubic shape is better suited for shrimp. They are universal, easy to care for, and do not visually distort small shrimp. There is no need for a high tank; shrimp spend most of their time on the bottom or other surfaces, and only occasionally swim across. If you get a high container, you can decorate and create additional living areas for pets in the form of tall tiered plants, snags, tall stones, etc.
Aquarium volume
Most aquarium shrimp are small, up to 5 cm. Therefore, they do not require a large volume of shrimp tank. And in a 20-liter mini-aquarium, up to 50 cherries can be kept and propagated. Often, stores sell special shrimp tanks, or even completely ready-made shrimp aquariums with cubic-shaped equipment, the so-called nano-cubes. They are usually 20-30 liters in volume.
But it is worth knowing that in such small volumes it is very difficult to maintain the physical and chemical parameters of water , as well as biological balance. And even changing the water can bring a lot of trouble. This is difficult for beginners to cope with.
For setting up a shrimp farm, especially for beginner shrimp farmers, containers with a volume of 50 to 100 liters are recommended . These are no longer small jars, here the balance of water indicators is more stable, but also not too large, where small shrimp will simply be lost from sight in a large volume.
You also need to take into account the requirements for the volume of the inhabitants themselves. Some demanding species, such as crystals and brindles, will completely refuse to reproduce in a tank of up to 40 liters.
The shrimp tank should have a good lid or cover glass to prevent jumping shrimp from jumping out.
What equipment is needed in a shrimp tank?
Lighting
The shrimp themselves do not require bright light, although in good light their color looks better and brighter. But light is necessary for living plants, which are necessary in shrimp gardens. Therefore, the choice of lighting must be approached carefully. True, as a rule, demanding plant species are not planted in an aquarium with shrimp. Therefore, simple light from fluorescent lamps, energy-saving lamps or LEDs is quite suitable. You only need to select color temperature and power. In another article I already talked about the choice of lighting and other equipment.
Filter
If the aquarium is not very small, there are a lot of living plants, no fish and a low density of shrimp, then it is possible to do without a filter. A compressor will suffice. However, I would still recommend having a filter even in such an aquarium. A filter, even a simple but effective one, will still help maintain balance in the water, which is so important for shrimp. It certainly won't interfere.
Since the biological load in the form of waste products, with the resulting nitrites and nitrates, from shrimp is not as great as from fish, a small simple filter will do in the shrimp tank.
You can, of course, install an external canister filter of appropriate power, but there is no such need, and here it will be necessary to protect the filter inlet tube by hanging some kind of mesh or sponge so that the shrimp and their babies do not get sucked in. There is only one big plus about the exterior - it does not take up space in the aquarium and does not spoil the view.
It is often recommended to install simple airlift filters , consisting of a fine-porous biosponge (for habitation of beneficial nitrifying bacteria) with an internal airlift, which is connected to a compressor. The advantages of such a filter are ease of maintenance, low cost and sufficient efficiency. In addition, it aerates the water, and additional aeration can be dispensed with.
Recently, the so-called Hamburg Matten Filters (HMF - Hamburger Matten Filter) . They are a sheet of foam rubber sponge with fine porosity and a large area, installed in the aquarium, with an airlift or small pump located behind it. The advantages of such a filter are simplicity (you can make it yourself), safety even for small newborn shrimp, as well as high performance and efficiency. Due to the large surface of the sponge, the speed of water flow through it is low, due to which, firstly, even the smallest inhabitants will not be sucked in, and secondly, the efficiency of bacterial colonies is very high. In the near future, I plan to write a separate article about this filter and how to make it yourself.
Sometimes a waterfall filter is recommended. It is also quite effective, including in saturating water with oxygen. The disadvantages of such a filter are the constant noise of flowing water and the difficulty of installing it into a standard aquarium lid.
The main thing when choosing a filter for a shrimp tank is not to create a strong flow at the outlet (shrimps do not really like strong currents), in addition, the filter inlet that sucks in water should be protected with a mesh or sponge so as not to suck or draw in shrimp and their young.
Thermostat
Most shrimp are fine at normal room water temperatures of 22-24°C . If your apartment is cooler, you like to ventilate the room for a long time, or you are away from home for a long time and the heating may turn off, in general, if the ambient temperature is unstable, then a heater with a thermostat is needed. For heat-loving Sulawesi shrimp, it is a must.
This is precisely one of the advantages of large-volume shrimp aquariums (from 70 liters) - even when the room is ventilated, the water will not have time to cool quickly.
In the summer heat, on the contrary, sometimes it is necessary to cool the water in the aquarium. Since a long-term increase in temperature to 28 - 30°C even cherry shrimp will lose their ability to reproduce. There are many ways, from installing computer fans in the lid to buying expensive external coolers. As a last resort, you can briefly throw a bottle of frozen water into the container to float or simply open the lid of the aquarium for a while, but you need to constantly monitor this.
Priming
For simple shrimp, like cherry shrimp, a simple chemically neutral soil , for example, quartz, basalt sand or gravel ( size 2-4 mm ), is quite suitable.
Special soils for shrimp aquariums are more expensive, but they normalize the composition of the water, improving it and saturating it with important beneficial microelements, which is very important especially for demanding types of shrimp. Nutritious herbal soils can be used, but they must be safe for shrimp. Such soils can even serve as useful feeding for shrimp.
The color of the soil is recommended dark , since against its background the color of the shrimp not only looks more beautiful, but actually becomes more saturated due to the ability of the shrimp to change depending on environmental conditions.
The soil layer should be sufficient for bacteria to develop in it, but not too large to avoid souring in the lower layers. 4-5 cm is recommended. Specialized soils for shrimp tanks can be poured in a smaller layer, following the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Stones and driftwood in a shrimp tank
Natural rocks and driftwood offered in aquarium stores are collected from nature, so they should always be tested before you use them in your aquarium.
I carefully wash wood or stones with a stiff brush. If possible, I process it by boiling for several hours (3 – 4 hours). Then I soak them for a week and change the water daily. After a week of exposure, I conduct a toxicity test - I add several rejected shrimp, having previously provided them with aeration and suitable conditions, and observe for up to 2 weeks. If they feel good, then the decorations can be safely used. The most proven stone decorations for an aquarium with shrimp are Carpathian stone, Dragon stone, and Lava. With driftwood wood, it would seem that everything is simple; you need to choose from the dead roots of strong tree species. Mopani, Mangrove, Azalea and Willow are now available for sale. I learned from my own bitter experience that Willow roots are not suitable. Azalea roots also come in different qualities. Not long ago I gave up the driftwood from Azalea, the shrimp felt bad, although the other driftwood from Azalea has been lying around for more than 3 years and everything is fine in that aquarium.
Need for a filter
Installation of such equipment is not a requirement. If the shrimp farm has a lot of vegetation, a small number of crustaceans (with the exception of filter-feeding shrimp) and no fish, then installing a compressor will be sufficient. But the filter is more reliable and provides normal conditions for the existence of aquatic life.
Typically, frameless internal sponge-type filtration systems are used for shrimp tanks. Such devices are unpretentious in maintenance, provide reliable biological and mechanical cleaning, and do not attract young crustaceans. In some cases, external filters are used—backpacks or waterfalls. They optimally saturate the water with oxygen and purify it. But to install such devices, you will have to make a cutout in the lid of the aquarium.
When creating a shrimp tank with your own hands, you can use a canister external filter, which will save the internal space of the container. It is imperative that the intake tube be protected with a sponge to prevent the young animals from escaping.
Maintaining temperature in shrimp aquariums
Stability of parameters, including temperature, is an important factor in keeping shrimp in an aquarium. High classes of Crystal and Taiwan shrimp (Caridina cantonensis) are especially intolerant of sharp temperature fluctuations. For many types of shrimp, the optimal temperature range is 20 - 24 ° C, so this temperature is often easy to maintain. If you are keeping heat-loving shrimp species that require a temperature of 26-30°C, then you will need an aquarium heater with a thermostat. However, during the summer, the temperature in the aquarium often rises above the optimal temperature and therefore must be lowered using a room air conditioner or special aquarium devices, otherwise the shrimp may die. Let's look at what aquarium thermal cooling equipment exists today:
1. Aquarium coolers or chillers. They may have different appearance/design. They are usually mounted on the side glass of the aquarium. Some of them can change the angle of the cooling air flow. 2. Thermostat, this name is stated by the manufacturer. In our understanding, this is a thermostat. It has a temperature detector that measures the temperature in the aquarium and regulates it by turning on the cooler, cooling the aquarium water to the desired temperature, then turning off the cooler. 3. An aquarium temperature air conditioner is a device that can operate for both heating and cooling. Its body, the size of which may vary depending on the volume of the aquarium it is designed for, is installed outside the aquarium, at a distance of more than 10 cm, in order to promote air circulation. At the bottom of the air conditioner body, 2 hoses are connected (intake and return), through which circulation occurs
aquarium water. The device has a temperature detector in the form of a nozzle, which is usually attached inside the aquarium with a suction cup. On the body itself there is a display on which the desired water temperature is set. I don’t use such devices in my aquariums yet. What helps me is that I placed the aquariums away from sunlight. On rare very hot days I turn on a room fan, which provides the desired mode for shrimp in aquariums.
Lighting, ventilation and heating
For the correct formation of seasonal and daily biological rhythms in domestic shrimp, it is necessary to use light. It is also needed by the plants that inhabit shrimp. For this purpose, it is customary to use special LED or fluorescent lighting devices.
The optimal temperature for keeping shrimp varies from 23 to 26 degrees; for this reason, heaters are often installed in water containers. The best option would be models equipped with a thermostat that maintains the set temperature in the aquarium. In summer, the water can warm up by more than 26-28 degrees. A fan can solve this problem; if necessary, it can be replaced with a special cooler.
Don't forget about proper lighting
Decorations and plants in a shrimp aquarium
A shrimp aquarium should have plenty of hiding places . They can be made from stones in the form of caves and grottoes, shards, coconut shells and other decorations. The shrimp themselves, and especially the small shrimp, will only be grateful.
It is useful to add driftwood. They are not only a favorite place and shelter for shrimp, but also saturate the water with useful humic substances, which soften and acidify the water.
Shrimp plants are highly recommended. These should be unpretentious, undemanding species , since additional addition of CO2 and fertilizers to the water, so necessary for complex plants, can have a bad effect on shrimp.
Fish and shrimp
As mentioned above, keeping shrimp in a community aquarium is undesirable. Most fish happily hunt small crustaceans. An exception is the chain-mailed herbivorous catfish (Ancistrus, Otocinclus), their mouthparts are designed for scraping off algal growths, not for eating animal food. Reproduction of shrimp in a community aquarium is also hardly possible due to constant stress. In addition, freshly molted and young shrimp will become especially desirable prey for fish.
Plants in a shrimp tank
You can often see photos of an aquarium with shrimp, where the decorative nature of the mini-reservoir is emphasized by dense thickets of plants. In fact, shrimp have no need for plants, because they use most of the resources for the development of bacteria and algae, and all this is exactly what the shrimp eat in the aquarium.
In such cases, even with additional feeding, the crustaceans do not receive enough substances important for health and may die. A shrimp tank with a layer of leaves at the bottom where microorganisms will develop is considered ideal. Although we must admit that it does not look particularly aesthetically pleasing and causes difficulties in how to catch shrimp from the aquarium.
If you are choosing plants for a shrimp tank, then it is better to focus on slow-growing varieties: aquatic ferns, cladophora, mosses.
It is strictly forbidden to use fertilizers for plants; freshwater shrimp for aquariums perceive them as poison and will most likely die.
Feeding
An important question: what do shrimp eat in an aquarium? Shrimp are detritivores, the basis of their diet is unicellular flora and fauna that develop in detritus. Therefore, by carefully taking care of the cleanliness of the bottom, you can only harm your pets. Caring for shrimp in an aquarium is necessary, but without being pedantic. Place dry leaves of oak, hazel, beech, and any other broad-leaved species on the bottom of the shrimp tank. This will be a kind of plantation for cultivating shrimp food.
In addition, the question of what to feed shrimp in an aquarium can be answered as follows:
Tiny crustaceans will happily accept any granular or flake fish food, but do not use it often - it contains too much protein, and it will cause problems with molting of shrimp in the aquarium.
Pet stores sell specialized food for shrimp; it is better to stick with them. Feeding is done once every one or two days, in small portions, so that food debris does not begin to decompose and pollute the water.
Reproduction
In most cases, it is not necessary to create special conditions to see how shrimp reproduce in an aquarium. Many species have direct development, that is, there is no larval stage, and a tiny copy of the adult crustacean emerges from the egg. This fact means that shrimp breeding can occur in a community aquarium. There are also exceptions to the rules. For example, Rednose and Amano shrimp go through a free-swimming larval stage that develops exclusively in brackish water.
As a rule, gender differences between males and females (including the most undemanding cherry shrimp in the aquarium) are as follows: females are larger in size, have enlarged lateral lobes of the abdominal segments, and have a massive build. Mating occurs in a short period after the female molts, since it is at this time that the eggs mature.
Many photos of shrimp in an aquarium show that the eggs are located in the cephalothorax of the female (this is especially visible in species with a translucent body). If you carefully look at the video of an aquarium with shrimp, you will notice: in non-intensely colored species, the eggs are clearly visible as a darker (sometimes, on the contrary, lighter) area immediately behind the eyes.
For those that are easy to keep in an aquarium (such as cherry shrimp or any neocardina), the question of how to breed shrimp in an aquarium is not relevant at all, since after a short time they reproduce many of their own kind. After a short courtship period, the male fertilizes the eggs, which emerge from the ovaries and attach to swimming limbs on the abdomen.
Shrimp living in an aquarium carry eggs, constantly shaking them, removing dead ones and aerating them. As mentioned above, the offspring of such undemanding shrimp as cherries appear completely independent in the aquarium; they do not need care from their parents. Babies molt very often, are very vulnerable, and need numerous shelters (which, by the way, is difficult to provide for shrimp in a round aquarium). Adults are absolutely not dangerous to young animals.
The lifespan of shrimp for a nano aquarium does not exceed one to two years, so the ease of reproduction of the population is only to the benefit of the aquarist. However, remember that too frequent inbreeding will lead to degeneration of the shrimp. The price of the shrimp you choose for your aquarium will depend on how simple the breeding process is. Those species in which the larva requires brackish water for normal development will cost more, since they reproduce in natural conditions or in complexly organized tanks.
Compatibility
Peace-loving shrimps
Shrimps get along well with aquarium fish. Most often, there is warmth and mutual disregard between them. But the same cannot be said about predatory fish. Which, due to their instincts, cause harm and damage to shrimp. You need to be especially careful in these matters. After all, if the size of the shrimp is smaller than the predators, then the spineless inhabitants will inevitably be eaten by the fish. And despite the fact that there will be plenty of food. Large cyprinids can also become problematic neighbors.
Hot temperament and increased activity will not pose a threat to the life of shrimp. But persecution and deterioration of life cannot be avoided. It is quite cozy and convenient for shrimp to live side by side with spawning and viviparous carp, dwarf cichlids and small characins. And they are also comfortable with their brothers, even if they are different. But there is one caveat - some species mate with each other, and this is very undesirable, so you need to know the exceptions. Keeping shrimp in general is a hassle-free and enjoyable activity that will bring colorful colors and fun movement into your life. And add exoticism and specialness to your aquarium. And if you remember and try to follow these rules for caring for them, they will rush to please you with colorful offspring
Scenery
If there is vegetation in the aquarium, then the crustaceans will feel safer, even if there are no fish or other inhabitants in the reservoir. It is worth giving preference to plants that have very small leaves and develop slowly. Most often, mosses are planted in shrimp gardens. The following plants are suitable for a shrimp aquarium:
- naiad;
- cabomba;
- Cladophora;
- Indian fern.
A plant that is ideal for shrimp
For the shrimper, the red majaca or rotala walliha is the best choice. This plant has a large number of small leaves that can turn a pleasant pink color. The plant can be rooted or placed in the water column. Rotala prefers to grow in shallow containers up to 20 cm, at a temperature of + 22 C with good lighting. If water hardness exceeds 6, then the plant stops growing. Rotala, just like shrimp, needs constant water replacement.
Rotala Walliha red mayaka not only maintains the water in a suitable condition, but also perfectly shades the shrimp, which become brighter against its background.
When there is insufficient lighting, the algae begin to stretch and lose their attractive color. It is best to organize artificial lighting, which can consist of fluorescent lamps and incandescent lamps. It is necessary to provide plants with at least twelve hours of daylight.
Red mayaka propagates well by stem cuttings.
Plants that grow very quickly require pruning and frequent weeding. At the same time, juice is released into the water, which the shrimp do not really like, and the soil becomes agitated.
Other decorations
It is worth placing a sandstone stone with a large number of holes, or a large piece of driftwood, which will release humates that acidify and soften the water. It is also recommended to place alder cones, coconut shells, dried oak, beech or Indian almond leaves.
To decorate shrimp tanks, owners most often adhere to the naturalistic style of Tokashi Amono.
To set up a shrimp tank, beginning aquarists should purchase small containers of good quality. When choosing pets, you should give preference to species that are small in size and do not require special conditions.
Species diversity and other features
The taxonomy of freshwater ornamental crustaceans is only at the beginning of development. Many types of aquarium shrimp do not have scientific names. They can be said to be mainly divided into the genera Caridina and Neocaridina . For example, cherry shrimp in an aquarium belong to the Neocaridin, and if you have Amano shrimp in an aquarium, then it would be a good idea to find out about their belonging to the genus Caridin. External differences between genera come down to only the nuances of the structure of the swimming legs, which can only be seen under a microscope.
Before purchasing these amazing crustaceans, think carefully about whether you need shrimp in the aquarium and whether you can provide them with comfortable living conditions. Do not forget to add iodinol to the water (1 milliliter per 10 liters of water) once or twice a month; this is an important element for all crustaceans, including aquarium cleaner shrimp. Study the question in all its nuances: what to feed shrimp in an aquarium. Beginners are advised to start with undemanding species - for example, keeping cherry shrimp in an aquarium.
Don't be alarmed if you see a "dead" shrimp on the bottom; it may just be its shell. Do not transplant pregnant females - they will shed their skin and lose their eggs.
After purchasing and planting in the aquarium, shrimp also molt almost immediately, keep this fact in mind. Find out what exactly your shrimp eat in the aquarium and do not forget that they mainly need plant food (tablets for catfish with spirulina are very good), but they will not refuse bloodworms either. Do not overfeed them under any circumstances - this will lead to metabolic disorders and death of the shrimp.
CRUSTACEANS: DESCRIPTION, TYPES, PHOTO
MARBLE CANCER: DESCRIPTION, CONTENT IN THE AQUARIUM, PHOTO, BREEDING
GLASS SHRIMP: CONTENT IN AQUARIUM, PHOTO, COMPATIBILITY
ROYAL LEOPARD CRAB: DESCRIPTION, CONTENTS, BREEDING, PHOTO
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.
