Where did my NEW SHRIMP go?!!!

[Flipper]

I've never raised shrimp before!  January 4th, I added 10 yellow neocaridina shrimp that I bought at my very reputable LFS. 

I paid $100 for the shrimp (expensive, I know) and "where the heck are they"?

The morning after, I kept looking for them everywhere, especially in and under the crypt forest.  At one point on day of arrival, I counted 7, but the next morning, I could only find 2 to 4 at different points during the day.  I found 1 dead body and 2 molted skins.

I called the store to inquire; she asked was I finding dead bodies?!!  I told her I found one.  She said they must be hiding in my plants, then.

OK, hiding, huh.  Well....  it can't be that hard to see bright yellow shrimp on green plants and reddish substrate.  I have a clear view under the crypts, and I may see 2 or 3.

I've looked EVERYWHERE (today is Jan 7th) and cannot find more than 3 or 4 at a time.  Where are my beautiful, $100 shrimp?  This is seriously discouraging 😞 to me.

I'm hoping some shrimp enthusiasts will chime in here.  I had visions of these lovely shrimp frolicking around my tank, adding a splash of color.

[tike]

Are your pH and GH correct for neo shrimp?

[lefty o]

if you arent finding bodies either inside, or outside the tank (some shrimp like to escape), they have  probably found hiding spots. upside down under leaves is always fun to find.

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Shrimps are the masters at hiding. Give it some time. If they successfully breed, the shrimp born in your water will do excellent. Give it some time and you’ll have a thriving colony that you don’t know what to do with. 

[Flipper]

On 1/7/2024 at 5:26 PM, tike said:

Are your pH and GH correct for neo shrimp?

Here are my parameters; hoping all is OK for them.

  -Temp: 77 to 78 degrees

  -GH: 14 degrees  -KH: 7 degrees 

-Nitrite: 0 ppm  -Ammonia:  0 ppm     -Nitrate: 5 to 8 ppm today (tank always ran 10 to 20 ppm;  but I've made changes to plants over time and added botanicals this month) 

-Phosphate: no test kit for this

-TDS: I have no test kit for this 

Botanicals:  Alder cones, Catappa leaves and bark  Substrate:  Seachem Eco-Complete red
 

[Flipper]

I know the tank looks sparse of plants right now, but that's a LONG story...  There are plenty of Crypts right now to satisfy the new shrimp until I can do more planting, in early Spring hopefully.

I just want to concentrate on my shrimps for now.  ❤️

 

[tike]

My neo's do best when the pH is around 7.2-7.6

[Flipper]

On 1/7/2024 at 6:19 PM, tike said:

My neo's do best when the pH is around 7.2-7.6

I've always had sorta high pH, in 5 years it's been 7.6 to 7.8.

[Guppysnail]

What type of filter do you have. My neo shrimp can crawl through the ACO coarse sponge material.  They take up residence inside sponge filters, inside HOBs and canisters. 

[Flipper]

On 1/8/2024 at 1:00 PM, Guppysnail said:

What type of filter do you have.

I have a Seachem Tidal 35, the one without the water intake tube hanging down.  I'm going to search thoroughly again today as they've had 4 days to settle in.  I believe my fish's are not so curious now, so that's good.  This has been quite the new experience for me.  I just wanted to add some color to my tank.  Never expected so much hiding.  🙄

[Flipper]

I realize I paid way too much for these 10 shrimp.  It's a long story.

[jwcarlson]

I bought six cherry shrimp when I first re-setup an aquarium a couple of years ago and at varying times I thought they had all died.  When I tore the tank down to relocate the fish and plants and everything all six adults were still alive AND there were like 40 shrimplets.  Turns out the ACO course sponge filters are basically shrimplet hotels.

While all of your shrimp might not still be alive, it's possible there's still some.  I don't know if it's worth going crazy trying to tear the tank apart.

I'll also say that I have seen my kerri and cardinal tetras eat adult shrimp.  So there's that to consider.

[Flipper]

On 1/8/2024 at 2:55 PM, jwcarlson said:

I'll also say that I have seen my kerri and cardinal tetras eat adult shrimp.  So there's that to consider.

Oh, my!  Just when you think you know your darling little fishys ..... Bam ...  MURDER

I feel like my fish are just too nice to do something like that.  LOL 😆

Wow, great story about your shrimp experience.... Thanks, that makes me feel better.

[Shadow]

@FlipperIts not as much about pH or temp with Neos, as someone that has successfully raised multiple kinds now. GH/KH/TDS is what you want to monitor. Check my journal, I try to put as much about what has been successful for me in raising them. 

I prefer to keep GH between 4-8 & KH between 3-15. TDS between 150-300. These ranges give you loads of wiggle room. They love floating plants and any type of moss. Marimo Moss Balls, I see you got some Cholla wood already and Alder cones, they love those. Catappa leaves, boil and leave in a throw away container with the boiling liquid...they'll get detritus/residue on the leaves after a few days, drop the leaf into there and they will be all over it in no time, but throw away the tannic water. I just like to leave all my cones, bark, leaves in there for a few days to get the matter built up on them. My caridinas LOVE it when I do that. 

P.S. TDS readers are super cheap on Amazon from my memory and are easy to use. I think they are a must for any fish room honestly. GH/KH testing kits are way more accurate than strips, API makes easy to use ones same as their test kits. Hope this helps! 

My breeding journal for Neos

Edited January 8 by Shadow

[Sammy]

As one who must travel 2 hours minimum to bring my livestock home from any of my nearest suppliers, I'd like to interject. A few expensive lessons I've learned: 

1- Bring your own container. Put moss or even an old breeding mop in it, wet from YOUR aquarium water. It gives them something to hang on to AND assists in acclimating them. Darken it if you can. I use 1 litre/ quart acrylic "juice" containers I got on line. The whole top unscrews and has a cap as well. I drill a very small hole in the top and an airline hole in the cap.

2- A piece of sponge foam on top helps limit the wave action/ sloshing around.

3- Put an ACO airstone in and attach a line to a portable air pump. Turn it on very low. 

4- Darken the acclimating bucket/ jug/ jar/ etc. I use an air powered breeding box that hangs on the outside of the tank with overflowback to the tank. 1 to 2 drops per second. I leave it overnight and introduce in the morning BUT I totally trust my breeder and their tank water. Unless you do too, use a smaller container of your tank water and discard the water after acclimating. Just pour into a net and release into the tank.

On a side note, don't feed them for a week. Let them find their own food. I've found that they head straight to the back and side walls to glean algae from as soon as they feel safe enough to do so.

Good luck my friend 😊

[Flipper]

On 1/8/2024 at 4:44 PM, Shadow said:

prefer to keep GH between 4-8 & KH between 3-15. TDS between 150-300. These ranges give you loads of wiggle room.

My GH is 14° but the API GH & KH test kit doesn't have a color chart like their Master Test Kit does.  So.... just how green is green.  My first test, I kept adding drops until my idea of "green" finally got there.  My second test, I stopped half way there and decided it was green enough.  What's up with that, shame on you API. 

I will definitely get a kit to test TDS.  I should have one already, just didn't think of it.  I regularly use my API Master test kit.

Thanks for your reply! 😀

[Miranda Marie]

When I first got my shrimp, I had them in a quarantine tub with one singular tiny bonzai tree. I swore they had all died. I could not see them /anywhere/. Finally I pulled the tree out and it was like they'd all materialized out of nowhere. For reference, mine were the Dream Blue variety, the quarantine tub had zero substrate etc, and I literally couldn't find them for several days.

Give it a few months. I rarely saw mine in my tank until suddenly there were 8393846382 babies everywhere. 

Edited January 9 by Miranda Marie

[ColBud]

Hiding from the fish. If you want to see them out relocate the fish if possible until you get a large colony going. It took me 3 tries with Neos to get some that lived in my water. Twice from the LFS no luck then ordered from a breeder online they are taking off now. Best of luck 

Edited January 9 by ColBud

[Shadow]

On 1/8/2024 at 6:44 PM, Flipper said:

My GH is 14° but the API GH & KH test kit doesn't have a color chart like their Master Test Kit does.  So.... just how green is green.  My first test, I kept adding drops until my idea of "green" finally got there.  My second test, I stopped half way there and decided it was green enough.  What's up with that, shame on you API. 

I will definitely get a kit to test TDS.  I should have one already, just didn't think of it.  I regularly use my API Master test kit.

Thanks for your reply! 😀

Its not a kit, its a digital TDS reader. Pretty easy to use and not as messy as test kits. GH, as soon as it turns from pinkish to greenish that is your stopping point to read GH, same with the KH but I think its blue to yellow. But just as it changes that is your GH number, not when it gets good nice green just change from pinkish to greenish. 
 

 

TDS Meter

[Flipper]

On 1/8/2024 at 7:46 PM, Shadow said:

But just as it changes that is your GH number, not when it gets good nice green just change from pinkish to greenish. 

I'm going to test GH again in the morning.  I bet it will be lower than 14°.  I feel relieved, thanks 😊

On 1/8/2024 at 7:46 PM, Shadow said:

a digital TDS reader

I'm going to order one.  I appreciate it.  One day, I'll look back on my first neo shrimp endeavor, and laugh.

[NOLANANO]

When I first started back in the hobby about 4 years ago I bought 5 Neos for my 29G and just like you said, they disappeared. I couldn't find them anywhere. After 3 weeks, I decided to tear the tank apart to try to find them. It turns out that they were all beneath the ACO easy planter that I had in the tank. They either found a gap on the sides or just went in through the plant root hole and decided they liked it in there more than outside.

It ended up working in my favor because a month later I saw a few little baby shrimplets and then I started to see more and more of them. turns out they just needed more numbers to feel safe enough to come out into the open.

[Galabar]

The API GH and KH test kits have a fairly good color change.  For the GH kit, I've noticed that they can expire.

Also, I recently ordered 20 "skittles" shrimp on line for $34, including shipping.  If you don't mind multiple colors, take a look at what's available. 🙂

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/7/2024 at 3:22 PM, Flipper said:

I've never raised shrimp before!  January 4th, I added 10 yellow neocaridina shrimp that I bought at my very reputable LFS. 

I paid $100 for the shrimp (expensive, I know) and "where the heck are they"?

The morning after, I kept looking for them everywhere, especially in and under the crypt forest.  At one point on day of arrival, I counted 7, but the next morning, I could only find 2 to 4 at different points during the day.  I found 1 dead body and 2 molted skins.

I called the store to inquire; she asked was I finding dead bodies?!!  I told her I found one.  She said they must be hiding in my plants, then.

OK, hiding, huh.  Well....  it can't be that hard to see bright yellow shrimp on green plants and reddish substrate.  I have a clear view under the crypts, and I may see 2 or 3.

I've looked EVERYWHERE (today is Jan 7th) and cannot find more than 3 or 4 at a time.  Where are my beautiful, $100 shrimp?  This is seriously discouraging 😞 to me.

I'm hoping some shrimp enthusiasts will chime in here.  I had visions of these lovely shrimp frolicking around my tank, adding a splash of color.

I see at least 2! 🙂

I recently got into keeping neocaridina shrimp as well and it's been an adjustment. I've just gone past the one year mark. There's a few things that I try to do in my own setups based on my own intuition and my own experiences keeping amano shrimp for a longer time.  I cherish my shrimp.  I adore them and I have definitely had my own struggles as well, especially when first getting started.   @Shadow is undergoing similar experiences as I've been and it's great to have the plethora of shrimp keepers we have on the forums because there is such a range of care and such a difference in what we are seeing.  Some lines like different water than others.  Shrimp can be regional, certain colors can be more temperamental, but the bottom line is always going to be that base care and understanding exactly what works well.  @Minanora has a journal for orange shrimp and I think it would be a great one for you to check out and enjoy.  I believe that yellow and orange lines are extremely similar and it might give you an interesting perspective on strengthening a line over time to your care and your water/habitat.
 

 

 

My best piece of advice I can give you is to understand the method of care and to focus on that method.  Everything else is based on that one notion.

I have read things saying that if you have a GH over 6 it's cruelty and that I needed to sell my animals and get rid of my tank.  There's all kinds of mindsets out there and there is a ton of bizarre information that seems to get repeated often.  My one source of video information has been youtube's infamous shrimp keeper.... Mark's Shrimp Tanks.  I also love the content by Chris Lukhaup (aka shrimp king, yep... the guys who made that food), but he does not make content as often as others.  My other source of information has been looking at research articles and studies about the shrimp in nature.  Trying to understand their care and contrast that against what I know/experience with my amano shrimp.  I know amano shrimp come from cooler rivers and that is the setup I tried to follow for my neocaridina shrimp.  That was my start.

There's always going to be someone saying that you must do things this way or you run into issues and there's going to be that extra effort as a beginner shrimper to try to find perfection.

Alright.... so, the thing here to keep in mind is that mantra of "good food takes time" and that sometimes you have to just let the shrimp do their thing.  You will likely lose some shrimp (sometimes a lot of shrimp) at first or in the first couple of months, but understanding what is really going on can be key... back to that care technique and how they function.  The most common misconception with shrimp is about water changes, molting issues, and specifically with what you're seeing in the tank and what that means.  When you first add shrimp to the tank they are adapting and acclimating to a very different environment.  It might be an older shrimp that couldn't handle the stress and that caused a death (it's just that basic and simple) or it could be a shrimp that wasn't getting enough food before they were in your care.  But, let's just try to keep things very, very simple and understand the rhythm of the shrimp.  They need nutrients in order to molt properly, they expend that energy when they molt, and then they have to repeat that process.  For female shrimp it's a bit more complicated because they have to handle molting as well as raising the shrimplets.  They molt, need to get energy to recover from molting as well as store energy for their next hatching cycle, then they have to generate the eggs, deposit them on their swimmerets, and then carry those eggs to term over ~28 days.  In that time it is the mother shrimp's nature to try to hold off as long as possible and prohibit the molting process.  They will and can often exhaust themselves for the sake of raising those eggs to term. 

These are some of my oldest amanos and they go through that cycle of raising  their zoes (amano babies).  That sort of brownish color, almost mahogany at times is their shell getting thicket and thicker and harder and harder.  The longer they wait to molt, means that it might get to a point of them not being able to escape their shell and they will die from that stress.

So... if we expand back to that base theme of trying to understand the method of care, then we focus purely on giving the shrimp every advantage to be able to molt on rhythm and to be able to keep their energy levels consistent through those various stages. 

What this means is that as soon as there is any change at all, stress happens.  Consistency being the key, but that is why you're not seeing those shrimp.  They are acclimating to the new environment, trying to map out where things are and find food.  They are trying to find their favorite spaces, hide from predators, find the flow spots they like, and several other things.  They might molt right away or in the first week.  That cycle starts and the key being to just make sure they are eating and make sure they have what they need.  One of the best ways you can "check on them" is to use a feeding dish.  This lets you see them every other day or every few days and it gives you the ability to see how they are handling that food.  If there's a lot of food leftover, then you might be feeding too much, or you might have an issue where they can't break down the food too!

 

I added 12-13 amano shrimp to my tank on wednesday and I've seen 2-3 in that entire time span.  I was sitting there watching the tank for a few hours a day and trying hard to find them, I couldn't.  I checked at night and I still couldn't see them.  I think I did finally find them hiding behind the moss wall on the back of the tank cleaning behind it.

As long as you are seeing them, just give them time.  I wouldn't worry too much and I would just try to be patient and test water as you see fit.  I'm willing to bet they love the wood surfaces too, not just the plants.

 

Before feeding.

A few minutes After:

 

Edited January 13 by nabokovfan87

[Tanked]

I can only commiserate with you.  After acclimating, my Amanos swam under the nearest Anubia and weren't seen again for two weeks.  After that there were a few random sightings of two or three shrimp on top of the heater, or on the back of the HOB. 

I can only guess why my experiment failed, but if your LFS has a solid reputation, than you are still in a good place. 

[Lonkley]

I just added 5 new blue dreams to a new tank for them, so I feel your pain. You want to see them running around but it shouldn't be surprising that if you've made conditions for them to be comfortable in, they're going to use them to be comfortable and just disappear.   You're really wanting them to live long enough to breed, so the shrimplets are raised in your water. As long as you're seeing some in your tank, you have to assume the water quality is suitable for all.

Here's my tank at the moment.  You can see 1 of the 5 shrimp when I started this post. He's now gone off somewhere.   I saw 3 this morning.  Part of it is being super patient. It may take 20 mins or more for you to find some.