Fish Species for community tank that can keep neo shrimp population under control?

[NJ_FishDad]

Hi all.  I have a 38 gallon community tank with harlequin rasboras, silver tip tetras, 2 SAEs, 4 amano shrimp, a couple of nerite snails and a now exploding population of neo shrimp.  Is there any kind of compatible fish, preferably a species where just one will be ok, that would at least put “pressure” on the neo shrimp population?  I don’t necessarily want to obliterate them but something that might eat some of the frye and smaller shrimp, keeping the population a bit under control?  But then also something compatible with the existing community of fish?  Any suggestions appreciated and thank you!

[JettsPapa]

An angelfish may be a good option, if your water is suitable and you have room.  If you don't mind me asking, why are you concerned about them?  You could have hundreds in a tank that size without their bioload being a problem.

[NJ_FishDad]

Thanks for the input.  I guess I am concerned about the bio-load but then, removing that concern, my other thought is if they are outcompeting the other “grazers”, the amano shrimp, SAE’s, snails?  I try to supplement the SAE diet with algae wafers and some repashy but it seems like the shrimp swarm and consume it before anyone else gets a chance. There’s just soooo many of them and they seem to be multiplying out of control. I originally got the two SAE’s to get BB algae under control and they certainly did, to the extent now I’m worried there isn’t enough for them to eat.

[Galabar]

Another option is reaching out to your local community and sharing those shrimp.  You can save folks $5 a pop.  🙂

[knee]

Sparkling Gouramis would be good, they stay small and wouldn't hurt the adults. Female bettas are really good shrimp hunters too.

 

Have you tried selling them?

[NJ_FishDad]

I posted to a local group for free. Lot’s of people expressed interest but only one person followed through and came by to take a bunch. I was shocked how fast they re-populated after. 

On 1/11/2024 at 1:57 PM, Galabar said:

Another option is reaching out to your local community and sharing those shrimp.  You can save folks $5 a pop.  🙂

 

[NJ_FishDad]

Thanks for the suggestion. A gourami “center-piece” fish could be a good option. I had been thinking along those lines but wasn’t sure if the various species would be a good fit. 

I had thought of selling them but the time involved in posting, meeting up, preparing/bagging, etc. is just too much right now. Work and kids has me too busy for much else beyond just caring for this and the other two tanks we have. Plus, since the source shrimp were a mix of red and blue, we have a lot of cross breads that are clear, brown, etc. and so not as desirable to sell and it’s hard enough catching them but to then try to ONLY catch the nice red or blue ones is a bit much for us right now.

I actually threw a bunch in our other tank which houses a solo, female betta, and she doesn’t show much interest in hunting them. Though, the population doesn’t seem to be exploding in that 10 gallon so perhaps she is keeping the little ones in check.

On 1/11/2024 at 1:58 PM, knee said:

Sparkling Gouramis would be good, they stay small and wouldn't hurt the adults. Female bettas are really good shrimp hunters too.

 

Have you tried selling them?

 

[Galabar]

On 1/11/2024 at 11:18 AM, NJ_FishDad said:

I posted to a local group for free. Lot’s of people expressed interest but only one person followed through and came by to take a bunch. I was shocked how fast they re-populated after. 

 

I'm nearly the opposite.  My shrimp seem to hang on, but never have a population explosion. 🙂

[knee]

On 1/11/2024 at 11:26 AM, NJ_FishDad said:

Thanks for the suggestion. A gourami “center-piece” fish could be a good option. I had been thinking along those lines but wasn’t sure if the various species would be a good fit. 

I had thought of selling them but the time involved in posting, meeting up, preparing/bagging, etc. is just too much right now. Work and kids has me too busy for much else beyond just caring for this and the other two tanks we have. Plus, since the source shrimp were a mix of red and blue, we have a lot of cross breads that are clear, brown, etc. and so not as desirable to sell and it’s hard enough catching them but to then try to ONLY catch the nice red or blue ones is a bit much for us right now.

I actually threw a bunch in our other tank which houses a solo, female betta, and she doesn’t show much interest in hunting them. Though, the population doesn’t seem to be exploding in that 10 gallon so perhaps she is keeping the little ones in check.

 

For that size tank a dwarf flame/powder blue gourami would be a good centerpiece fish but I have heard they are aggressive like male bettas. With sparkling or croaking gouramis you can keep more than one if you really want to control the population. Maybe a few honey gourami can work as long as the tank is planted and they can claim their own territory.

[NJ_FishDad]

It is a planted tank though I still have some fake plants too. I actually just did a recent cull of the val and dwarf sag because it had completely overgrown the foreground of the tank.  I’m trying to move it towards all real plants (but also trying to avoid my kid getting mad at me for removing her hand-picked fake plants).

 

On 1/11/2024 at 2:46 PM, knee said:

For that size tank a dwarf flame/powder blue gourami would be a good centerpiece fish but I have heard they are aggressive like male bettas. With sparkling or croaking gouramis you can keep more than one if you really want to control the population. Maybe a few honey gourami can work as long as the tank is planted and they can claim their own territory.

 

[Galabar]

Just for a second, I thought that turtle was real. 🙂

[NJ_FishDad]

That’s our friend Crush from Finding Dory/Nemo, lol.

On 1/11/2024 at 3:42 PM, Galabar said:

Just for a second, I thought that turtle was real. 🙂

 

[Galabar]

I just looked at the picture again, and, wow, that's a lot of shrimp.  What are your water parameters?  What are you feeding?  I want to crack the code... 🙂

 

[NJ_FishDad]

On 1/11/2024 at 4:12 PM, Galabar said:

I just looked at the picture again, and, wow, that's a lot of shrimp.  What are your water parameters?  What are you feeding?  I want to crack the code... 🙂

 

We are on town water, which on its own is fairly hard and higher ph.  I forget my exact parameters as I haven’t used the full API tests in a while and have just been using the AQCoop test strips to keep things monitored.  I use basic Tetra water de-chlorinator for all water changes.  Temp at ~78F.  Feed the fish a combo of Xtreme nano pellets, NICE pellets, krill flakes, and some AQCoop freeze dried brine shrimp or tubifex worms.  Throw in some algae wafers once in a while or some Repashy.  The Val and dwarf sag grows like gangbusters with the easy green though i did boost the plants early on with root tabs.  The one little anubias nano seems to be doing well though I was only intending on leaving it and that planter in here temporarily until I moved it to another tank.  Every other plant I’ve tried ends up dying and dissolving so, debating on what to potentially try next.

My first pair of mystery snails had shell issues and died early so I assumed I needed additional calcium.  I’ve been dosing at each water change with some liquid calcium supplement and some shrimp minerals sine then.  Throw a wonder shell in once in a while. Shrimp and the newer nerite snails been doing great ever since.  I honestly only change water like once a month.

 

[lefty o]

just put a stamp on each one, and send em my way! 😜