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When to add shrimp?


Johnny B. Goode
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Hello everyone. First time here. I've been watching aquarium co op on the utoobs like crazy. I'm not new to fish keeping but I've been away from the hobby for several years. I primarily only kept pike cichlids the last time around. This time I'm focusing on smaller planted tanks rather than tank busting carnivores. So I picked up a 40 breeder and stand. After I get it set up I'm going to plant it very very heavily with CO2 injection. Then let it run like that with ferts for a couple months. So for the fish I was thinking a pair of L260, a group of red pencil fish and a group of cherry shrimp. What order should I add the fish in that would be best for the shrimp? Or should I add the shrimp first? Sorry if this seems like a basic question but I've never really done this sort of tank before. The most I ever stocked before were pairs of Atabapo pikes. Thanks in advance for any help!

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The plecos and pencil fish shouldn't harass the shrimp so the order is probably less critical. I do find that the longer the aquarium has been up and running the better my shrimp do. So if you are wanting to add things in an order adding the shrimp last would likely be optimal as it would give the tank time to build up the algae/biofilm that the shrimp like to graze on all day long.

If you have fish (or plan to add fish) that can harass the shrimp (betta, gouramis, cichlids, etc.) Then I tend to add the shrimp first so they can get the lay of the land and build up their numbers before the shrimplets get on the menu. You will lose some shrimp with these kinds of pairings but if the plants are dense enough it can work out but the shrimp may never really thrive depending on how much they are pestered.

PS: Love your stock list, cherry shrimp and pencil fish are some of my favorites to put together! (Though sort of like cookies, my very favorites are the ones in front of me) 🙂 

 

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You should probably listen to @Ken Dyer because I’m sure he’s been at this longer than me, but I was going to suggest the opposite order. XD I like to add shrimp first (but still after there’s plenty of algae) because they’re easy on the bio load and it lets me slowly rev up the tank’s cycle. But I’m not a shrimp expert by any means. I could see how they’d do better in a more stable environment.

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Older, but maybe no wiser 😉

I  highly doubt my advice is any better than the next persons. I know what works in my fishroom, but that may not work at all for the next person. I think that is half the reason I find the hobby so fascinating is you can keep on learning as long as you are willing to. The journey, not the destination as they say.

As long as you aren't adding them to a "fresh tank" I don't think there is a wrong answer, but I have definitely had shrimp suffer when I was impatient and added them to a tank too soon. So now I tend to err on the side of adding them later.

 

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