how often do you see your shrimp?

[meadeam]

I've never kept shrimp until recently.  I put 10 rcs in a 29 gallon that is fairly heavily planted (more than half the substrate is covered) and has several flat shale-like rocks they can get under and hide completely.  There are no inhabitants in the tank who will eat them, just tetras and mystery snails.  The most shrimp I have seen out and about at the same time has been 4, but usually I can spot only 1 or 2 by watching the tank for several minutes.  I'm ok with not seeing them if they are doing their thing, I just hope they haven't died.  The tank is ~6 weeks old.  Processing nitrogen properly.  Has a small amount of algae for them to eat.  I haven't done a water change since putting the shrimp in this weekend.  They are tiny; the size of a finger nail.

[Guppysnail]

If you have a sponge prefilter or filter look there especially in an unseasoned tank. If no prefilter check your filter they can get in and some do not perish. They do fair better in a longer running setup the biofilm etc that grows s essential to them as a food source. Depending on your inhabitants they may hide. I would not worry overly so put in a steamed vegetable and wait sometimes it takes 24 hours for it to get to the mushiness (technical term 🤣) they enjoy. Do not leave it in more than 36 hours it will begin to compromise your water quality. All toss in an algae wafer for them. Best of luck I hope they thrive for you. 

[JettsPapa]

If you've seen 4 out of 10 in a tank that size, with that many places to hide, you're doing pretty good, so I doubt there's anything to worry about.  In 6 months, when those 10 have turned into 100, they'll be all over the place.

The only exception to this might be if this tank was very recently set up.  I've struggled with getting a colony of shrimp established in tanks that had been set up less than 3 months or so.

[Griznatch]

As your tank "ages" you'll see more shrimp activity. Newly set up tanks aren't as ideal for shrimp as an older, established one with plenty of biofilm and some algae built up. Depending on your tetras personalities, they may be making your shrimp a bit nervous. Mine were a bit nippy, but after my shrimp got more comfortable they ignored them and did their thing.

My shrimp in the 75 are out all the time and sometimes even tug of war over food with the fish, but they have been established for years in that tank. I have some blues in a 10 gallon with very boisterous guppies and they are more reserved and not out as much. Just to give you some perspective.

[StockEwe49]

It is normal to not see that many, I usually see 3 or 4 out and about when I put around 10 to 15 into my tank. If you put food out they might all come out but if they don't that can also mean they are just well fed by grazing the tank!

[meadeam]

Thanks for the replies.  I have a prefilter on my intake and I run a small sponge filter in parallel because I had added an air stone and figured I may as well.  The tank isn't very old, probably not old enough for shrimp I guess.  I'll keep a lookout and try to entice them with food.  Somebody eats all of the algae wafers I drop.  Maybe I just need to watch longer.

[Ramba Bamba]

As long as when you do see them they are happy and healthy. Just keep an eye on your parameters especially TDS PH ammonia and nitrates. Changes in these can affect their activity and eventually kill them. With so few in that tank things can change quickly and set off a chain reaction without you ever seeing a thing! They’re great hiders especially when they molt. 

[meadeam]

I spotted 5 visible at one time this morning.  Hopefully they are all still in there.  I keep a close eye on water parameters as this tank is still pretty new.  It is processing nitrogen but there probably isn't much biofilm yet.  I kind of wish I'd waited to add them, but hopefully I can keep them fed and happy while the tank seasons.

Edited November 20, 2021 by meadeam