best shrimp for my water parameters??

[froballer]

I have a 3.5 gallon tank i'm currently cycling that will be planted and I hope to get 10 or so shrimp for a shrimp only tank. I've been fish keeping for over a year but never any shrimp. My tap water parameters are 

Ammonia .25-.5ppm

nitrite 0ppm

nitrate 0 ppm

pH 07.2-7.4

GH 125-150ppm
KH 120ppm

temp 74-72 (no heater)

I would love a blue variety shrimp, but which shrimp species will thrive given my parameters? The only chemicals I use is seachem prime for water changes. I am using a sponge filter rated for 20 gallons for filtration. I have a gravel substrate, capped with about 1 inch of sand, plus a handful of small stones (quarter size). Any advice about best shrimp species, foods, or other shrimp specific info is welcome!

[FrozenFins]

neocaridina shrimp is what seems to do the best. Cherry shrimp are the hardiest of the neocaridina, but if your looking for blue variety of shrimps red dreams and red velvets are nice too. Just keep in mind any amount of amonia can be toxic to fish, so try to lower it to 0 ppm.

Here are some great care videos for the neocaridina shrimp. These videos are targeted to cherry shrimp but will work for most neocaridna shrimp

 

  

 

[kammaroon]

As James says, cherry shrimps (Neocaridina) will be fine for your water parameters. There are various grades of blue to choose from, lower grades being less sensitive and more forgiving to mistakes. The only thing I add to the tanks specifically for the shrimps are catappa leaves so they can pick at the biofilm. Other than that, my shrimps share tanks with fish, so they get left over fish food and algae, which I'm very good a growing.

[froballer]

3 hours ago, James Black said:

neocaridina shrimp is what seems to do the best. Cherry shrimp are the hardiest of the neocaridina, but if your looking for blue variety of shrimps red dreams and red velvets are nice too. Just keep in mind any amount of amonia can be toxic to fish, so try to lower it to 0 ppm.

Here are some great care videos for the neocaridina shrimp. These videos are targeted to cherry shrimp but will work for most neocaridna shrimp

 

  

 

Thank you! the water will be preconditioned for a few days before I do a water change so ammonia should drop before entering the tank.

[JettsPapa]

10 hours ago, froballer said:

Thank you! the water will be preconditioned for a few days before I do a water change so ammonia should drop before entering the tank.

I'd suggest letting the tank "season" for at least a month before adding shrimp, and 3 months would be better.  I put some information together a while ago for a new shrimp keeper and saved it for future use.  I'll post it below. Hopefully you'll find it helpful.

• The two most common ornamental shrimp are caridina and neocaridina.  The caridinas need lower pH and softer water, and are generally more difficult to keep, and more labor intensive.  Neocaridinas are more forgiving, and generally do better in higher pH and harder water than caridinas.  They're often referred to as red cherry shrimp, though there are several other colors available.  Neos are the only ones I have any experience with, and as long as they like your water they're pretty easy to keep.
• There are many color varieties of each species, and while caridina and neocaridina shrimp won't breed with each other, any of the color varieties within the same species will, and the results will generally be brown or clear after a few generations.  For this reason, if you want to maintain a specific color it's best not to mix them.
• To get the most enjoyment from shrimp, keep them in shrimp only tanks, or shrimp and snails.  That way you don't have to worry about predation, and they'll also be more visible if there aren't predators in the tank with them.
• Even if they are the only things in the tank, they will feel more secure with hiding places, especially when molting or when a female is releasing babies.  Dense plants are a good option, along with a pile of rocks, sized so that the shrimp can crawl inside.
• They are more sensitive to changing water parameters than most fish, so most experienced shrimp keepers recommend limiting water changes to around 15%, and there shouldn’t be a big temperature difference.
• They need biofilm to graze on, which is why it's usually recommended to let a tank run for several months before adding shrimp.  You can do it sooner by adding a sponge filter, plants, substrate, etc from an established tank, but you still aren't likely to have as much success as you will if you're patient and let the tank "season" (I know this from first-hand experience).
• In addition to the biofilm, they will also benefit from being fed.  There are several commercial foods especially for shrimp, but I've also given mine several kinds of fish food, and they've eaten all of them.  While there are mixed opinions about it, most people believe they also benefit from blanched vegetables once or twice a week.  I've tried several things, and mine seem to prefer zucchini and spinach, followed by sweet peppers.  I usually feed those late in the evening and remove any uneaten portion the next morning.  By the way, shrimp just LOOOVE freshly crushed snails.  Mine will swarm all over one.

[froballer]

41 minutes ago, JettsPapa said:

I'd suggest letting the tank "season" for at least a month before adding shrimp, and 3 months would be better.  I put some information together a while ago for a new shrimp keeper and saved it for future use.  I'll post it below. Hopefully you'll find it helpful.

• The two most common ornamental shrimp are caridina and neocaridina.  The caridinas need lower pH and softer water, and are generally more difficult to keep, and more labor intensive.  Neocaridinas are more forgiving, and generally do better in higher pH and harder water than caridinas.  They're often referred to as red cherry shrimp, though there are several other colors available.  Neos are the only ones I have any experience with, and as long as they like your water they're pretty easy to keep.
• There are many color varieties of each species, and while caridina and neocaridina shrimp won't breed with each other, any of the color varieties within the same species will, and the results will generally be brown or clear after a few generations.  For this reason, if you want to maintain a specific color it's best not to mix them.
• To get the most enjoyment from shrimp, keep them in shrimp only tanks, or shrimp and snails.  That way you don't have to worry about predation, and they'll also be more visible if there aren't predators in the tank with them.
• Even if they are the only things in the tank, they will feel more secure with hiding places, especially when molting or when a female is releasing babies.  Dense plants are a good option, along with a pile of rocks, sized so that the shrimp can crawl inside.
• They are more sensitive to changing water parameters than most fish, so most experienced shrimp keepers recommend limiting water changes to around 15%, and there shouldn’t be a big temperature difference.
• They need biofilm to graze on, which is why it's usually recommended to let a tank run for several months before adding shrimp.  You can do it sooner by adding a sponge filter, plants, substrate, etc from an established tank, but you still aren't likely to have as much success as you will if you're patient and let the tank "season" (I know this from first-hand experience).
• In addition to the biofilm, they will also benefit from being fed.  There are several commercial foods especially for shrimp, but I've also given mine several kinds of fish food, and they've eaten all of them.  While there are mixed opinions about it, most people believe they also benefit from blanched vegetables once or twice a week.  I've tried several things, and mine seem to prefer zucchini and spinach, followed by sweet peppers.  I usually feed those late in the evening and remove any uneaten portion the next morning.  By the way, shrimp just LOOOVE freshly crushed snails.  Mine will swarm all over one.

I have molly fry in one of my other tanks that are around a half inch, I can move some to this tank to build it up more before shrimp. something like that is what youre suggesting correct?

[JettsPapa]

5 minutes ago, froballer said:

I have molly fry in one of my other tanks that are around a half inch, I can move some to this tank to build it up more before shrimp. something like that is what youre suggesting correct?

That would be a great idea.

[Philip]

Great information especially about a seasoned tank. In all the years of keeping fish I've never cared for shrimp and was recently thinking about it. My plan was to set up something and toss some shrimp in. 

Now I realize I need to put some more thought into it and plan for a better home if I'm going to set up a tank from scratch.

Appreciate the advice. May have saved me some aggravation. 

R/

Phil

[JettsPapa]

6 hours ago, Philip said:

Great information especially about a seasoned tank. In all the years of keeping fish I've never cared for shrimp and was recently thinking about it. My plan was to set up something and toss some shrimp in. 

Now I realize I need to put some more thought into it and plan for a better home if I'm going to set up a tank from scratch.

Appreciate the advice. May have saved me some aggravation. 

R/

Phil

Be careful.  They're addictive.  All 6 of my tanks have shrimp, and 3 of them are shrimp and snails only.

[Philip]

I will keep that in mind. I'm looking forward to it but the only experience I have is Shrimp Fra Diavolo.

An aside from the topic, sorry, but snail has always been a dirty word in my fish room. 

Thanks,

Phil