Worried about shrimp

[KentFishFanUK]

I added 8 orange cherry shrimp 🦐 to my tank on Monday early afternoon, by the evening I could only find 3 of them, next day I could only find 3 again but later counted 5, today I seem down to 2 as far as I can tell (I've checked like a hundred times). Should I be worried? I'm sure they are good at hiding but it's only a 20 gallon tank, it's moderately well planted but nothing I have is particularly dense and I can't figure out where they could be hiding. No bodies or anything either, I've even checked inside my filter and can't see any dead or alive, though unfortunately my filter is a horrible big bulky internal filter that you can't see into the pump housing compartment (so only looked where the sponge/media and heater are). Are they just really shy and adept at hiding or have they got sucked into the pump or something? If that happened would they be killed and their bodies be spat out of the pump/filter? 

[JettsPapa]

They can certainly be sucked up into filters if you don't have the intake covered with a sponge or something similar, which is why many experienced shrimp keepers use sponge filters.  They are also very good at hiding.

Are there fish in the tank with them?  Almost all fish will eat shrimp if they can fit one in their mouth, and I've even seen some attack and tear apart a shrimp that was too large to swallow whole.

[KentFishFanUK]

On 8/25/2021 at 6:49 PM, JettsPapa said:

They can certainly be sucked up into filters if you don't have the intake covered with a sponge or something similar, which is why many experienced shrimp keepers use sponge filters.  They are also very good at hiding.

Are there fish in the tank with them?  Almost all fish will eat shrimp if they can fit one in their mouth, and I've even seen some attack and tear apart a shrimp that was too large to swallow whole.

Thanks for replying, wouldn't I see like body parts or something if they got sucked into the pump? 

My fish are all small and peaceful so doubt it's that, I have oto's, panda cories, endler fraternity and neon tetras. I thought all of which were adult shrimp safe?

[Ragnarok12]

I wouldn't be to worried. I added 12 light orange shrimp to my 12 gallon long planted tank, and there have been times when I have to look for several minutes to find any of them. I would recommend putting some shrimp food in a visible part of the aquarium, and if your other fish don't eat it first, you should see your shrimp collecting to chow down.

[Griznatch]

They are very good at hiding. Another thing to consider is that when they molt they will hide until their shell hardens up. You can always tell when a female molts, because all adult males will swim around like crazy trying to track down the source of the pheromones she releases.

[Atitagain]

On 8/25/2021 at 2:17 PM, Ragnarok12 said:

 I would recommend putting some shrimp food in a visible part of the aquarium, and if your other fish don't eat it first, you should see your shrimp collecting to chow down.

I second this, I have about 150-200 cherry shrimp in a 60G hardscaped with dragonstone and sometimes I can only see maybe 30

then I drop in some crab cuisine or shrimp pellets come back 10 min later

[sudofish]

I'd bet they are hiding. I've lost a pleco in an 8.75 gallon tank for days trying to figure out where it was hiding. I think shrimp are similarly adept at hiding.

[KentFishFanUK]

On 8/25/2021 at 7:17 PM, Ragnarok12 said:

I wouldn't be to worried. I added 12 light orange shrimp to my 12 gallon long planted tank, and there have been times when I have to look for several minutes to find any of them. I would recommend putting some shrimp food in a visible part of the aquarium, and if your other fish don't eat it first, you should see your shrimp collecting to chow down.

Thanks I will try that, I haven't actually got any shrimp specific food, what do you recommend? Something which will attract them out of hiding! 

[KentFishFanUK]

On 8/25/2021 at 7:51 PM, Atitagain said:

I second this, I have about 150-200 cherry shrimp in a 60G hardscaped with dragonstone and sometimes I can only see maybe 30

then I drop in some crab cuisine or shrimp pellets come back 10 min later

Wow ok well I know your tank is three times the size of mine but you have 150+ shrimp and I bought.. 8 lol. Maybe I need a few more. I don't have any dragonstone but do have a bunch more plants as well so hopefully I'm over worrying! 

What food do you recommend for attracting them out of hiding? 

[Ragnarok12]

I use Hikari shrimp cuisine from the Co-op. It works very well for me. And no worries, those 8 shrimp could turn into a lot more very soon if you give them enough cover 😉

[KentFishFanUK]

On 8/25/2021 at 8:33 PM, Ragnarok12 said:

I use Hikari shrimp cuisine from the Co-op. It works very well for me. And no worries, those 8 shrimp could turn into a lot more very soon if you give them enough cover 😉

How often do you feed yours? Don't hate me but I mostly got the shrimp to help a bit with algae and cleaning the tank haha so don't want to feed them too much - but also don't want them to be deficient in anything! 

Good point actually, while I'm here, @Guppysnail what should I be feeding a single nerite to make sure it is healthy? (But keeps eating the algae lol)

[Guppysnail]

@KentFishFanUK I grow algae rocks and rotate. Repashy super green fluval veggie granules steamed veggies.  I never clean the back half of glass. To be honest though I rarely see mine eat veggies or repashy but every blue moon or so he does. He loves having his caves to sleep in. I gave Nemo an algae covered pleco cave I grow and rotate. Wafers should be vegetarian they normally won’t touch regular algae wafers because of meat protein in my experience. Hope that helps 🐌😁

Edited August 25, 2021 by Guppysnail

[Guppysnail]

For your shrimp nuke a cucumber slice put a weight and sink or use a wafer of any type. Be patient they will come. 😁

[KentFishFanUK]

On 8/25/2021 at 9:24 PM, Guppysnail said:

@KentFishFanUK I grow algae rocks and rotate. Repashy super green fluval veggie granules steamed veggies.  I never clean the back half of glass. To be honest though I rarely see mine eat veggies or repashy but every blue moon or so he does. He loves having his caves to sleep in. I gave Nemo an algae covered pleco cave I grow and rotate. Wafers should be vegetarian they normally won’t touch regular algae wafers because of meat protein in my experience. Hope that helps 🐌😁

Thanks! I feed repashy soilent green occasionally, I wonder if he/she will take to it. Won't need to rotate algae rocks at the moment as there's plenty in there anyway! Already was leaving the back panel growing algae for the oto's too so that's good. Do I need to worry about putting in calcium source like cuttlefish bone or anything? I think my water is high in calcium anyway though so should be good? 

[Atitagain]

On 8/25/2021 at 3:31 PM, KentFishFanUK said:

Wow ok well I know your tank is three times the size of mine but you have 150+ shrimp and I bought.. 8 lol. Maybe I need a few more. I don't have any dragonstone but do have a bunch more plants as well so hopefully I'm over worrying! 

What food do you recommend for attracting them out of hiding? 

I started with 12 about 9 months ago got it going in a 20G shrimp only tank with a few little snails, a lot of xtreme shrimp pellets then I would rotate daily on top of the pellets xtreme krill flakes, wafers, crab cuisine, xtreme micro pellets.( snail population took off as well my dwarf puffers were so happy 😁) at approximately 100 moved them to the 60G has cardinal tetras and a few otocinclis with the numbers and dragonstone not to worried about a few getting picked of by the cardinals 

good luck hope this helps 

 

[Dkshadowwolf]

If you still can’t find them, open up your canister filter, you might be surprised. They can often survive and thrive inside a canister filter. I have found many shrimp alive and happy when servicing my canister and I simply collect them and put them back in the tank. I have since  stopped using canister filters for a variety of reasons, but many a time when I bothered to clean them  I would find a number of live shrimp.

 

 

 

 

 

[KentFishFanUK]

On 8/25/2021 at 9:52 PM, Dkshadowwolf said:

If you still can’t find them, open up your canister filter, you might be surprised. They can often survive and thrive inside a canister filter. I have found many shrimp alive and happy when servicing my canister and I simply collect them and put them back in the tank. I have since  stopped using canister filters for a variety of reasons, but many a time when I bothered to clean them  I would find a number of live shrimp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't use canister filters but it's an internal power filter that has the media, pump and a heater all inside so maybe they are hiding in there but otherwise ok, hopefully! 

[KentFishFanUK]

On 8/25/2021 at 9:50 PM, Atitagain said:

I started with 12 about 9 months ago got it going in a 20G shrimp only tank with a few little snails, a lot of xtreme shrimp pellets then I would rotate daily on top of the pellets xtreme krill flakes, wafers, crab cuisine, xtreme micro pellets.( snail population took off as well my dwarf puffers were so happy 😁) at approximately 100 moved them to the 60G has cardinal tetras and a few otocinclis with the numbers and dragonstone not to worried about a few getting picked of by the cardinals 

good luck hope this helps 

 

Yeah I like the idea of them breeding a bit and maintaining their numbers but don't want to be overrun or anything, it's a community fish tank primarily. I plan to add a couple of honey gouramis at a later date though so I would imagine they won't get much chance to overpopulate anyway! If they aren't already all dying somehow 😒.

I don't think I can get extreme foods here in the UK yet so will have to get hikari or something. 

[Guppysnail]

On 8/25/2021 at 4:39 PM, KentFishFanUK said:

Thanks! I feed repashy soilent green occasionally, I wonder if he/she will take to it. Won't need to rotate algae rocks at the moment as there's plenty in there anyway! Already was leaving the back panel growing algae for the oto's too so that's good. Do I need to worry about putting in calcium source like cuttlefish bone or anything? I think my water is high in calcium anyway though so should be good? 

If your high in calcium no need. I throw in a wondershell now and then if I think about it but I doubt you really need to. Solvent green is heavy insect protein I use it to but nerite steers clear 

[Crabby]

As most have already said, chances are they’re all fine. Shrimp hide, that’s just what they do when there are fish in the tank. Unfortunately if you got them for algae, you probably got the wrong ones. But shrimp are amazing, so I’m sure you’ll enjoy them nonetheless.

Even if they are not all fine, though, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND putting a sponge on your filter intake. Just reduce that risk. There’s no harm in getting one; they’re cheap and easy to install. If you’re in America, I’m sure your LFS has some, or the co-op.

[Guppysnail]

On 8/25/2021 at 6:15 PM, Crabby said:

As most have already said, chances are they’re all fine. Shrimp hide, that’s just what they do when there are fish in the tank. Unfortunately if you got them for algae, you probably got the wrong ones. But shrimp are amazing, so I’m sure you’ll enjoy them nonetheless.

Even if they are not all fine, though, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND putting a sponge on your filter intake. Just reduce that risk. There’s no harm in getting one; they’re cheap and easy to install. If you’re in America, I’m sure your LFS has some, or the co-op.

A piece of pantyhose or cheese cloth  is a cheap alternative it also provides great beneficial bacteria growing space

[Atitagain]

On 8/25/2021 at 5:18 PM, KentFishFanUK said:

Yeah I like the idea of them breeding a bit and maintaining their numbers but don't want to be overrun or anything, it's a community fish tank primarily. I plan to add a couple of honey gouramis at a later date though so I would imagine they won't get much chance to overpopulate anyway! If they aren't already all dying somehow 😒.

I don't think I can get extreme foods here in the UK yet so will have to get hikari or something. 

I would maybe be leery of the goiramis, I’ve got a heavily planted (mostly with vallisneria) 55G with mystery snails, glowlight tetra, and then took 10 of my cherry shrimp placed them in there and they took off maybe 50-60 I then added 2 blue goiramis both about 1 1/4” it’s a month later and I can’t find one cherry shrimp😳

not sayin you can’t make it work but I will not be putting any more shrimp in that tank for sure.

[NanoNano]

A couple of thoughts for you:

* My experience with shrimp has been that "the smarter ones"  find hiding places for the first week or two in a new environment so they can figure out the food and predator situation without becoming the food part of that equation.  I'm betting that's what's going on in your tank.  I would try breaking out a flashlight or doing a quick tank check after the lights have been out for an hour or so. 

* Many "algae" wafers are actually 30-40% fish meal/protein.  Nerite snails are herbivores and will only eat animal protein under duress.  Natural algae and biofilm are their preferred foods.  I've started feeding BacterAE (biofilm growth promoter) in my shrimp and snail tanks and the Nerites seem to be doing a lot more "grazing" on surfaces than previously.  Shrimp do need some protein (and calcium),  so some dedicated shrimp food as supplement is a good idea.  I'm using Sera Shrimp Food which my shrimp seem to love,  but to be honest,  I think they'll eat just about anything.

* I tried my best to create a perfect pH, perfect mineralized environment for my shrimp to breed in.  They grew monstrously large...but no babies.  I eventually ran out of mineralizer and they went "cold turkey" onto plain old tap water and boom- babies everywhere a few weeks later.  Once your shrimp get settled into you tank- if you don't see breeding,  you might want to change their water parameters to see if that encourages things.

Best of luck- love to see updates on how things progress and your experiences and learnings.

Edited August 25, 2021 by NanoNano
I fixeded some werdz

[Scott P.]

@KentFishFanUK if it makes you feel any better I have the same deal going on. 

I added 10 cherry shrimp to my tank today. I can find at the most five of them. I know they are not in my filter as I have that part covered. It seems to be the larger ones that I can't find.  The super small ones are out and about. Took them just a few minutes to come out. The bigger ones are still in hiding.

[Guppysnail]

@NanoNano if you just started using bacterae GO LIGHT. I mean 1/4-1/8 of what they recommend.  I used to use all glass garden products for mine that and shrimp fit are great but will gunk a tank horribly if you continually use their dose. 😁 trying to be helpful from experience.  Now I don’t even feed mine but they are in a community.  I thought I had 100+ I just moved out 100+ to 3 other tanks in attempt to completely relocate. I didn’t even make a dent in the hoarde 🤣🤣🤣🤣 they do hide