Fish Musical Chairs: Advantages of Species Only tank for Cherry Shrimp?

[PineSong]

I've been fascinated lately by the speed at which the swordtail fry in my 29g are growing--they look notably larger every single day. Meanwhile,in my two 10g tanks full of ginga guppy fry, time stands still and the fry stay tiny eternally.

So I'm thinking of experimenting by putting the fry from one 10g in the 29. 

One of the 10g also has red cherry shrimp. So if I remove the gingas, it will be just shrimp. I'm not sure I want to maintain a tank for a handful of shrimp, but I also thought maybe removing the fish will make more shrimp happen?

Is it likely that my little ginga guppy ladies and their fry have kept the shrimp population down? Could I expect an increase in shrimp numbers if the tank is just shrimp? 

 

 

[BradfordAquatics]

I would assume the shrimp population will grow without any fish present, as long as you have both males and females.

[Flumpweesel]

I would expect shrimp numbers to increase I'm hoping mine will now I've moved a Betta into a new home. 

[Guppysnail]

On 7/22/2022 at 7:13 PM, PineSong said:

Is it likely that my little ginga guppy ladies and their fry have kept the shrimp population down? Could I expect an increase in shrimp numbers if the tank is just shrimp? 

Yes. My shrimp in all my tanks overpopulate…but not in the female guppy grow out. That tank slowly decreases until only one or two are left. The guppy juvenile boy grow out fairs slightly better. 
 

A shrimp only tank will have a much higher increase in populatio. The downside to shrimp /snail only tanks is microfauna, detritus worms, rhabdocoela etc also becomes heavy.

[PineSong]

On 7/23/2022 at 6:45 AM, Guppysnail said:

Yes. My shrimp in all my tanks overpopulate…but not in the female guppy grow out. That tank slowly decreases until only one or two are left. The guppy juvenile boy grow out fairs slightly better. 
 

A shrimp only tank will have a much higher increase in populatio. The downside to shrimp /snail only tanks is microfauna, detritus worms, rhabdocoela etc also becomes heavy.

So maybe some gray area between 30 guppies and zero guppies is the way to go to maximize shrimp numbers and maybe limit worms?

[Guppysnail]

In a heavy planted 10 I was able to maintain but not significantly increase shrimp population with 15 girls under 1 inch. 

Edited July 23, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Brandon p]

How is is your filter set up. Once I changed mine I have a lot more shrimp. Also less fish helps I have neons so there is no breeding. Fry will love to eat microscopic shrimp. If I am understanding the issue. 

Edited July 23, 2022 by Brandon p

[PineSong]

On 7/23/2022 at 9:30 AM, Brandon p said:

How is is your filter set up. Once I changed mine I have a lot more shrimp. Also less fish helps I have neons so there is no breeding. Fry will love to eat microscopic shrimp. If I am understanding the issue. 

I have one sponge filter and an airstone in the other corner. When I do water changes I add in new water a gallon or so at a time hours apart so the shrimps don’t experience sudden large variations. I do have many more shrimp than I started with, but not as many as I would expect.

[Brandon p]

On 7/23/2022 at 10:29 AM, PineSong said:

I have one sponge filter and an airstone in the other corner. When I do water changes I add in new water a gallon or so at a time hours apart so the shrimps don’t experience sudden large variations. I do have many more shrimp than I started with, but not as many as I would expect.

You care doing the right thing’s with the filters. I was thinking you were going to be prepared. I feel it is probably the fish. I will say it took a longer time than I thought for my shrimp to really produce in the numbers I expected.