Cherry shrimp starter

[King of cashews]

Hello! 

I really want to get into freshwater aquariums and would like to keep cherry shrimp. I am looking to do a planted tank and need a list of everything I will need. I am also looking for filter included tanks that I can start with. Any info is greatly appreciated 

Thanks!

[Toobit67]

Have you watched any of the Co-Op videos?  Most of the answers you seek have been covered there....

[JettsPapa]

I wouldn't buy a kit.  Get a tank, a decent LED light, and a sponge filter, and depending on where you live maybe a heater.  Below is some general information I typed up a while ago for someone who had a bunch of questions.  I saved it and have posted it several times.

• 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.  If you do larger water changes, it’s even more important to temperature match the water.
• 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.
• It’s best to not use CO2 in shrimp tanks, since it can cause pH swings that they won’t handle well.

[Maggie]

I'd also skip the kit and get everything separately. Get a sponge filter instead of HOB. They love java moss, floating water sprite, lots of algae and lots of "foodstuff" in the tank to pick through, driftwood, caves, algae wafers, and mineral junkie bites.