Chili Rasboras... To add, or not to add... to the shrimp sanctuary?

[Minanora]

I went to my LFS today. They had the Chili Rasboras! I have 8 of them now. I'm about to put them into quarantine. As a lot of you know, I have a bunch of young orange shrimp, neocaridina. Between 3-5 weeks old across the four broods. See below for their hiding areas and sizes.

Is it safe to put the rasboras in with the shrimp? I have seen mixed responses. So I'm here, in our community, to get even more mixed responses. 😛

Also there are lots worms and copepods in the shrimp tank.

Thus the desire to add the rasboras to eat them for me.

[Intuos]

They should be ok, but as with most fish if will fit in their mouth they will eat it. Maybe add some cattapa leaves or other botanicals to give them more hiding places. 

[Native Keeper]

If you're trying to breed the shrimp, then no.

If not, then yeah, they'll keep the shrimp population in check!

[2000tetras]

Chili rasboras are smaller than cherry shrimp so it should be fine.

[Minanora]

Glad to see some input. Thanks guys.

Hmm. I'll probably add them once the shrimp population is "booming". Hopefully that will be in about 6 months. I'll be splitting my colony at that point as well.

[813aquatics]

Chilis are rather small and in my experience they are very chill. I’d keep an eye on your shrimplet population but I’d be pretty shocked if they went for mature shrimp. 

Edited January 27, 2022 by 813aquatics

[Perry]

I keep chili rasboras with shrimp and have no problem at all. Enjoy whatever you decide to do!

[Guppysnail]

I keep CPD in with my shrimp and it is fine the newborn shrimp hide until a touch larger. I also keep them with adult guppies and they still thrive. So since your colony is doing so ell all will be fine. They will keep the shrimp from wildly overpopulating.

[Shrimp Doggy Dogg]

I added 30 chili rasboras to my 50 gallon with 8 or so blue velvet neocardinia several months ago.  I now have well over 100 shrimp and shrimplets.  They should be fine.

very cool fish btw!

[Minanora]

@Guppysnail & @Shrimp Doggy Dogg thank you for the input.

I am enjoying watching the chili's. I'm quarantining them, but after they're done I'll add them in with the shrimps. I really want them to eat all of the copepods. Copepods are cool and all but they're distracting in a shrimp tank. The chili's already ate all of the copepods in the quarantine tank and they've been in there less than a whole day!

[Shrimp Doggy Dogg]

I’d like to add that if you use a coarse sponge filter, most, if not all of the shrimplets will live deep inside the sponge.  They will be very safe in there, but you will probably want to be extra careful when you’re servicing your sponge.

 

Good luck!

[Minanora]

On 1/27/2022 at 1:14 PM, Shrimp Doggy Dogg said:

I’d like to add that if you use a coarse sponge filter, most, if not all of the shrimplets will live deep inside the sponge.  They will be very safe in there, but you will probably want to be extra careful when you’re servicing your sponge.

 

Good luck!

This is a good point. I do use a coarse sponge filter in the shrimp tank. However it is a nano one. But I have a second medium coming that's for the 75. So there will be two in that tank. That makes me feel better about putting shrimp in there when I split the colony.

Thank you.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Chili’s are micro predators and will only eat very small shrimplets essentially those that are just born. If you can consider adding a couple rock piles what LRB calls a nursery to help. Mom’s usually give birth on there and the shrimplets go down into the crevices of the rocks. I use medium lava rocks both red and black as well as use some local obsidian to make these formations. I’ve also seen Mark’s Shrimp Tanks using the ceramic media rings in piles in a similar fashion. 

[Minanora]

On 1/27/2022 at 6:41 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

Chili’s are micro predators and will only eat very small shrimplets essentially those that are just born. If you can consider adding a couple rock piles what LRB calls a nursery to help. Mom’s usually give birth on there and the shrimplets go down into the crevices of the rocks. I use medium lava rocks both red and black as well as use some local obsidian to make these formations. I’ve also seen Mark’s Shrimp Tanks using the ceramic media rings in piles in a similar fashion. 

Another great idea. I have plenty of extra media rings as well and lava rocks!

 

I've lost two of the eight chili's. And one more is going to pass soon. The other five are doing great.

Their quarantine is at 6.8 pH, 8GH, 4KH. No ammonia, no nitrite, 5 nitrate. One looked to have been injured while being caught, the other two ... I can't tell. Looked like stress. One of the happy ones has ich or cotton, but I'm not sure. LFS kept them at 6.8 was well. I'm going to start the trio tomorrow.