KittenFishMom Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 @nabokovfan87 and everyone else. I bought 30 blue dream shrimp locally, 5 days ago. I have them in a tank with a lot of snails, and no fish or scuds. I have been doing some "By guess and by golly" feeding, while I wait for shrimp food and supplies to arrive. Some fish fry food and algae powder and sinking wafers. I added some wondershells to raise the pH and calcium. I will want to do a water change soon. What is the best way to syphon out water without syphoning out shrimp. The shrimp are all over the tank, on the substrate, hardscape, duckweed, IALs, hornwort, watersprite, and swimming from here to there. I have a sponge filter and an air stone. They seem happy. I haven't seen any dead ones, but there might be a few. I have heard that frequent small water changes are good. I also heard that the new water should be added slowly, the same way you drip acclimate the shrimp so it is less stressful for the shrimp. I haven't found anything about removing the water without removing the shrimp. Any ideas are welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadMax8 Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 I’ve got a 20L with a bunch of CPDs and Red Cherry Shrimp. I do my water changes the old fashioned way… just have a regular siphon and do about 5 gallons at a time. If a fish or shrimp get into the “bell” of the siphon, I gently kink the hose and let them swim out. They’re usually aware that something isn’t right. If they do end up taking a ride, I’ll net them after I’m done. I use a white bucket now so they’re easy to see. Hope this helps! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 (edited) I wouldn't stress too much about doing a lot of water changes. Neocaridina do fine in a messy tank. Sounds like you're doing things well. To change water without siphoning up any shrimp, simply go to a store of your choice, and purchase knee-high leggings (panty-hose). Place two over the end of your siphon, and voila! I use a python, and always have that on the end. Here's a video I took today changing water for my Xenotoca doadrioi. You can see the knee-highs over the gravel vac end... Edited January 3, 2023 by Fish Folk 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenFishMom Posted January 3, 2023 Author Share Posted January 3, 2023 @Fish Folk I have a box of knee high stocking to hold my bait in my minnow traps. They keep the bait in the middle of the trap and the fish and crayfish have to get inside to the trap, rather than eating through the wall of the trap, or eating what washes out. The bait lasts so much longer too. I can put the over my siphon tube easily. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 The way I do it usually is to scoop the water with a plastic cup honestly. I do occasionally siphon but not often. For adding the water back it's best to drip it in. Shrimp are very sensitive to changing parameters. I have yet to figure out how to get gravity to work for me for dripping during water changes so I do something different. I basically add a small amount of water every hour for 3 or so hours. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 1/2/2023 at 9:40 PM, KittenFishMom said: I will want to do a water change soon. What is the best way to syphon out water without syphoning out shrimp. The shrimp are all over the tank, on the substrate, hardscape, duckweed, IALs, hornwort, watersprite, and swimming from here to there. I have a sponge filter and an air stone. They seem happy. I haven't seen any dead ones, but there might be a few. Much like anything else, they should just avoid the siphon or learn to. They do sell caps, but you can just ask easily stuff the siphon with sponge. When I have fry I usually end up just siphoning things and then checking the bucket. I also use hardscape to hold the siphon and act as a block from fish or other things being foolish and trying to swim "up river" / up the siphon tube. On 1/2/2023 at 9:50 PM, Fish Folk said: You can see the knee-highs over the gravel vac end... Edited 2 hours ago by Fish Folk Totally doing the same thing, using the rock to cover the end of the siphon. 🙂 Sidenote. I really need some neo shrimp to test my methods. My amanos literally don't care and would want a 90% water change every time.if I let them have it. As long as water going in matches, I've not had issues. When the water company changes things on me, literally the only time in years I've ever seen issues. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 I usually just siphon out the top bit of water and if I have to go deeper I try my best to avoid them and put back in any that somehow get sucked up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOtrees Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 3:26 AM, nabokovfan87 said: you can just ask easily stuff the siphon with sponge This is what I do in tanks with baby/small shrimp and fry. I stuff a piece of medium porosity sponge in the wide end of the python tube, about halfway in. Not half way up the tube, but half in and half out of the tube opening. Make the sponge piece larger than the sponge opening, so it doesn't get sucked up the tube as you use it. I've done big changes and small changes in tanks with neos, and never had a problem. Here's how I see it: when you do water changes at home, you're introducing clean water, but it's basically as close as possible to what's in your tank already. It's a very different process from acclimating new fish. Usually (eg I'm not disregarding those rare-ish cases where a tank runs very low ph due to high bioload/old tank syndrome etc, but that's a different situation and not what I'm talking about here). I think a fair amount of the info/recommendations about adding new water slowly (acclimation style) comes from Marks Shrimp Tanks on youtube. He's quite a character 🙂 and I enjoy his content. While I'm sure that works for him, and for his schedule and his tanks, I don't have that kind of time. So I do it faster, and I've never seen a down side to it, in my tanks. No, I haven't studied/analyzed the numbers of new/surviving babies in fast vs slow water change tanks, and no I'm not in commercial production where making more shrimp babies = making more profit, but I do have some very (very) productive tanks, and I think it's safe to say that whatever I'm doing, it's working. Anything in the range of 10% to 25% will be fine, IMO. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaitieG Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 I use a plastic yogurt container and scoop water into a larger pail so I can double check it before I dump it outside on my shrimp tanks. It's cheap and effective. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JettsPapa Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 I've been keeping shrimp for several years. I typically change 25% of the water, but I don't gravel vac. I just siphon the water from the middle or top of the tank, and siphon into a white bucket instead of directly outside or into the sink. I get the occasional shrimp (or guppy fry) in the bucket, but the trip through the siphon hose doesn't seem to bother them, so I just net them out of the bucket and return them to the tank. I definitely don't drip back the replacement water, but I would recommend making sure there isn't a big temperature difference between the fresh water and the existing tank water. I'm in southeast Texas, so I use the straight cold water, but if I was farther north, or up in the mountains, it would need to be mixed with some warm water (the first time I went to the mountains I was surprised at how cold the water is straight out of the tap, even in warm weather). 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 @KittenFishMom, I think @Fish Folkhas the best idea with the panty hose material over the siphon, but placing a net over the end works well also. A great food, maybe the best, is blanched or canned green beans. It's like putting Tik Tok in front of a Gen Zer, they can’t resist! 😁 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JettsPapa Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 10:53 AM, Patrick_G said: @KittenFishMom, I think @Fish Folkhas the best idea with the panty hose material over the siphon, but placing a net over the end works well also. I'm not sure I agree. I've seen reports of small fry or shrimp being crushed against the panty hose material, which is why I siphon into a bucket, net them out, and put them back in the tank. They don't seem to be harmed by the trip through the siphon hose. Of course if using a Python system this may not be possible, in which case the panty hose or other material over the end of the siphon might be the best option. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jungle Fan Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 (edited) @Fish Folk, @Patrick_G I too have been using this "high tech" piece of equipment, called nylon stockings, issued to me by my wife for years. not only does it prevent shrimp getting sucked up by the Python system, it also helps to refill the tank without causing turbulence to uproot plants. When it comes to food I have found my shrmp to be less than gourmet oriented, to them pretty much everything seems to be food although I have fed them Dennerle Shrimp King Complete and some other Dennerle shrimp foods in addition to their omnivore foraging in my tank since they first colonized, and conquered the tank. I do want to get them to try the Xtreme Shrimpee Sinking Sticks from Aquarium Co-op next time I place an order though. Edited January 3, 2023 by Jungle Fan 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The endler guy Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 11:53 AM, Patrick_G said: @KittenFishMom, I think @Fish Folkhas the best idea with the panty hose material over the siphon, but placing a net over the end works well also. A great food, maybe the best, is blanched or canned green beans. It's like putting Tik Tok in front of a Gen Zer, they can’t resist! 😁 See my problem with that (being a super anti social high schooler) how am I going to acquire such a thing? Am I going to ask my mom? Am I going to ask my parents to order them online? I feel that it is a going to be a super uncomfortable conversation for every involved party. Also as a member of gen z I can proudly say I don’t use YouTube shorts or have the definitely not Chinese spy ware also more commonly known as ticktock On 1/3/2023 at 4:39 AM, TheSwissAquarist said: I usually just siphon out the top bit of water and if I have to go deeper I try my best to avoid them and put back in any that somehow get sucked up. Shrimp are able to get roughed up and still be ok, I know I have accidentally dropped them when transferring them from fish net to container, and found them stuck in a little drop of water adhered to the top of my tank, and they were just fine 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick-In-Of-TheSea Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 (edited) Shrimp tank drip ( @nabokovfan87's idea) @Cinnebuns Edited January 3, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 10:05 AM, Aiden Carter said: Also as a member of gen z I can proudly say I don’t use YouTube shorts or have the definitely not Chinese spy ware also more commonly known as ticktock I think my daughter would be surprised, but I can’t get her away from TikTok long enough to ask her! 🤣 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjcarew Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 They sell cheap pantyhose at drug stores. I personally don't bother, and if shrimp get siphoned out I just take them out of the bucket with my hands. I call it the suck & pluck method 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The endler guy Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 1:12 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said: Shrimp tank drip ( @nabokovfan87's idea) @Cinnebuns That made me remember one of my ideas, you take a syringe (like one you get from children's Tylenol) you stick a piece of air line tubing and remove water manually, it definitely would be tedious but it also would allow for gravel vacing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev C Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 (edited) @KittenFishMom i am not sure how big your tank is i have 10 gallon for my snail and shrimp tank they do well cleaning the tank but and i found a old fashion dollar store cheap turkey baster does very well better then a siphon for smaller tanks and it does very well getting in tight spots in my 55 gallon too a siphon is to big for me i just use a regular 1 gallon plastic pitcher and empty clean cottage cheese container for removing water and adding water i only do 10- 30 % water change when my nitrates are getting a little high and when water level gets a little low i have a healthy tank with babies everywhere 😂 ps I found if you press the bulb of the turkey baster and keep holding it before putting it under the water works the best and collects the dirt better Edited January 3, 2023 by Bev C 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jungle Fan Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 11:05 AM, Aiden Carter said: See my problem with that (being a super anti social high schooler) how am I going to acquire such a thing? Am I going to ask my mom? Am I going to ask my parents to order them online? I feel that it is a going to be a super uncomfortable conversation for every involved party. Also as a member of gen z I can proudly say I don’t use YouTube shorts or have the definitely not Chinese spy ware also more commonly known as ticktock Shrimp are able to get roughed up and still be ok, I know I have accidentally dropped them when transferring them from fish net to container, and found them stuck in a little drop of water adhered to the top of my tank, and they were just fine @Aiden Carter an alternative to any awkward conversations could be a piece of kitchen equipment, namely a piece of cheese cloth, of which several yards can be had for a few bucks and a strong rubber band to attach with to the siphon bell. A friend uses cheese cloth to help him remove duckweed from some of his smaller tanks once he has removed the fry he uses the tanks for. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JettsPapa Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 12:05 PM, Aiden Carter said: See my problem with that (being a super anti social high schooler) how am I going to acquire such a thing? Am I going to ask my mom? Am I going to ask my parents to order them online? I feel that it is a going to be a super uncomfortable conversation for every involved party. If it's any consolation, that will likely get better. You will get to a point where you care much less about other people's opinions. I was a very socially awkward teenager, but this discussion reminded me that I've worn panty hose under my jeans to stay warm when I was outside all day, and I don't care who knows it. Now that I think about it, not everyone makes that change. I can remember that when I was 19 or so (so 40 years ago) I got brave enough to start asking girls I didn't know to dance when I'd go out, and it definitely got easier after the first time. Some of my friends never reached that point. They'd say "What if she says no?" My reply was "So what? Go ask another one!" 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The endler guy Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 2:04 PM, JettsPapa said: If it's any consolation, that will likely get better. You will get to a point where you care much less about other people's opinions. I was a very socially awkward teenager, but this discussion reminded me that I've worn panty hose under my jeans to stay warm when I was outside all day, and I don't care who knows it. Now that I think about it, not everyone makes that change. I can remember that when I was 19 or so (so 40 years ago) I got brave enough to start asking girls I didn't know to dance when I'd go out, and it definitely got easier after the first time. Some of my friends never reached that point. They'd say "What if she says no?" My reply was "So what? Go ask another one!" Yay I am aware that a lot of the awkwardness is just because of age and hormones On 1/3/2023 at 1:56 PM, Jungle Fan said: @Aiden Carter an alternative to any awkward conversations could be a piece of kitchen equipment, namely a piece of cheese cloth, of which several yards can be had for a few bucks and a strong rubber band to attach with to the siphon bell. A friend uses cheese cloth to help him remove duckweed from some of his smaller tanks once he has removed the fry he uses the tanks for. Remove duckweed you have peaked my interest 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaitieG Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 12:05 PM, Aiden Carter said: See my problem with that (being a super anti social high schooler) how am I going to acquire such a thing? Am I going to ask my mom? Am I going to ask my parents to order them online? I feel that it is a going to be a super uncomfortable conversation for every involved party. Thrift store? Walmart? Dollar store? Grocery store? Top Secret Mission into your mom's sock drawer? Otherwise, if you know anyone with a fabric stash, chiffon or finer netted varieties of lace work pretty decent too. I had trouble with really fine mesh (like nylons) getting clogged up with debris, so I currently have a piece of old lace curtain over my Big Tank Syphon. Not sure if I'd be totally confident of it not sucking up tiny fry or shrimplets though. Hence the yogurt container for the "little guys" tanks. 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jungle Fan Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 What can stop duckweed can stop shrimp, and cheese cloth is non toxic.😄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev C Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 cheese cloth works very well i use it when i had frogs and tadpoles 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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