Small first time shrimp tank advice please

[Bev C]

Hi everyone i am needing advice please  waiting to get  red cherry shrimp for the first time Red Cherry Shrimp will work in my water levels I was thinking of ten 

I do not really have room for any more tanks  can they live in my 55 gallon with my 6 netrite snails and 3 mystery snails ,, 

this is the fish i have

Fish i have  total 10-14 

Pristella Tetra

Bristolnose Pelco 

Scissortail Rasbora 

Black Shirt Tetra 

Redeye Tetra 

Harlequin Rasbora  

Panda Cories & Julii cories 

If they need a tank for by themselves the only new tank size i can get and have room full is only a 10 gallon i know they say 20 gallon is best  for shrimp

would i need a lid ,, can i do without a lid ,,was going to do guppygrass in the ten gallon can not grow moss and have amazon frogbit on top floating i have everything in storage for a ten gallon tank but a lid  and could fill tank half to 3/4 full  it would be easier for me to clean with one hand 

Edited July 4, 2022 by Bev C

[Guppysnail]

Bev I had a very nice shrimp colony in a 2.5 gallon. 10 is a castle resort for shrimp.  With the fish you have the babies will get picked off. Start your colony in a 10. Once you have more than you need of adults add them to your tank. Some will survive but probably hide a lot so you won’t get much enjoyment.  

[Bev C]

 @Guppysnail thank you  ,,  I will get a ten gallon when i go to walmart this week ,, could i do without the lid with them ? I  I hate to have to get another lid  ..if i dot need it

If I get to many in the tank My fish store will take them ,, I already ask them  if they would take extra shrimp they take trade in with plants and fish and snails too , they say if they can trade it helps having to buy stock they do like Cory ‘s store they doctor and quarantine and watch fish and etc,,,before sale 

 

[TeeJay]

Yes I think the ten gallon is your best bet. The kid will help with evaporation. I just set up my 10 gal shrimp tank a few weeks ago my I'm letting it season before I get shrimp for it. That way the biofilm can build up in the tank. And don't forget the live plants. Right now I just have a pair of mystery snails it it until it's ready in a few more months. The longer you let it season the better results you will have with your shrimp.

[Flumpweesel]

Hi this link is the advice I got from @JettsPapa before I got my shrimp. And it's been very useful indeed. 

https://forum.aquariumcoop.com/topic/17903-am-i-shrimp-safe/?do=findComment&comment=156080

[Guppysnail]

No lid needed unless your light is being splashed. 

[SandBkeeper]

Cherry Shrimp will do fantastic in a 10 gal. I currently have 3 shrimp colonies in 3.5, 5.5, and 20 gal tanks. 20 gallons is Red cherry shrimp are very nice and pretty to look at. There are also other colour variations like blue, snowball, pumpkin, etc.  

[Torrey]

On 7/4/2022 at 3:40 PM, Bev C said:

could i do without the lid with them ? I  I hate to have to get another lid

I have been using saran wrap as a cheap lid. Best part? The cleaning involves getting a new piece of saran wrap instead of tryng to scrub. Some tanks have egg crate light diffuser on top, to give the saran wrap a "frame". Bamboo skewers also work to hold the saran wrap out of the water, and leave an opening for me to feed. Tank maintenance stays pretty easy. I'm needing at least partial lids to keep shrimp from exploring to far out, and reduce evaporation. (Reducing evaporation has helped keep water parameters more stable.)

[SandBkeeper]

On 7/5/2022 at 2:49 AM, Torrey said:

I have been using saran wrap as a cheap lid. Best part? The cleaning involves getting a new piece of saran wrap instead of tryng to scrub. Some tanks have egg crate light diffuser on top, to give the saran wrap a "frame". Bamboo skewers also work to hold the saran wrap out of the water, and leave an opening for me to feed. Tank maintenance stays pretty easy. I'm needing at least partial lids to keep shrimp from exploring to far out, and reduce evaporation. (Reducing evaporation has helped keep water parameters more stable.)

I agree, lids help prevent shrimp from jumping out and evaporation, but they aren't necessary and even a partial lid will work. 

[Bev C]

Thanks everyone for all the wonderful advice and advice link   ,, Maybe it is a good thing I do not have much room or I would have a 50 fish tanks LoL 😂

I am really falling for the bottom dwellers and want to try shrimp  i will go ahead and pick up a lid too for the 10 gallon  tank .. 

I have extra plenty of black sand for a ten gallon and I will take a sponge filter  and rocks a few plants  from main tank to help cycle the ten gallon ..  i also have Seachem Prime and Stability  to help it while it cycle ,, after it cycles i could put my mystery snails and my 1  scissortail rasbora in it until my next trip to the fish shop ..  they are wonderful fish and hardy then move them  back to main tank  

i might get extra 1-2 mystery snails for the new tank to keep clean but i mostly want  a shrimp tank 

 

 

[Guppysnail]

Snails are very beneficial in shrimp tanks. Their digestion is poor so grows perfect yummies for shrimp

[SandBkeeper]

That sounds like an excellent shrimp tank! Dark substrate + sponge filter = happy shrimp. I would suggest lots of plants to provide hiding spots, filtration, and places for biofilm to grow. I like a variety of free floating plants like java moss and subwassertang and floating plants like water lettuce. Shrimp have a very low bioload so as long as you have a lot of plants water changes can be infrequent. Shrimp are technically bottom dwellers, but mine hang out all over the place. They don't like swimming mid water, but if you have a lot of decorations they will walk all over them, even if they aren't at the bottom. 

[Bev C]

 Thanks everybody. For the advice I already got the 10 gallon and already  leak test it  i added the seachem flourite sand and black sand and the heater I am waiting to add water  … I am waiting on a plant order.    I want to put all together at once ..

I am going to add a few plants and dragon rock  and some water from my main tank,

but  I ordered  some  guppy grass and willow moss to add to it    plus the sponge filter from main tank  I have is too big for the ten gallon tank, but it will do till it gets fully cycled  I ordered a smaller sponge filter to run it after the tank cycled .. 

After I know the tank is cycled I will get the red cherry shrimp, I am thinking of only having the shrimp and maybe 2-3 mystery snails in it 

Edited July 22, 2022 by Bev C