Shrimp Tale – Episode two – SETTING UP A SHRIMP TANK FOR BEGINNERS
#Episode_Two #Shrimp_tale
Topic:SETTING UP A SHRIMP TANK FOR BEGINNERS
Most of us have kept fish tanks and some planted tanks as well at some point of the hobby so the basic question we ask is how different is a SHRIMP TANK SETUP ?So we will go one by one about the basic factors required to have a successful shrimp colony !! Please comment if any of the points is not clear to you. We are happy to help 
1. New Tank Cycling: Tank needs to be cycled and have an adequate filtration system to handle the bioload. Shrimp bio-load is much less compared to fish tanks but still having a basic sponge filter is the best option. Tanks need to have a filter running for 2-3 weeks before shrimps can be introduced. Process can be made faster by using matured tank filter-media and/or good bacterial product.
2. Plants: Yes plants are important like in fish tanks they complete the ecosystem in a close environment of a tank. Having plants reduces the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels in the tank. Shrimps love plants too especially moss. Thus having plants provides them surface to graze and reduce water change frequency.
3. Feeding:Shrimps are bottom feeders so they will feed on anything ranging from bio-film (the slimy coat in your tanks), algae (not all), dead and decomposed stuff like leaves, fish, fish food basically everything they can nimble upon. They are omnivorous. However to have a successful shrimp colony it is important to provide them with good food source rich in calcium and protein from time to time. They will take blanched (boiled and cooled) cucumber, spinach, carrots as well. But DONOT overfeed your shrimps. That will spoil the water quality and eventually you end up losing a few shrimps due to ammonia spike. “Feed less- feed frequently” as per your colony size is the thumb rule with shrimps. Using a feeding bowl is a good practice anything uneaten after an hour can be removed.
4. Which shrimp to keep as a beginner ?The answer to this is either RED CHERRY SHRIMPS or GHOST SHRIMPS they are both hardy and easy for beginners before moving on to more demanding types. General rule for shrimp keeping: 10-15 shrimps per 18-20litres of tank volume. Amano Shrimps and Red Nose are equally good options however breeding them is almost impossible for a beginner since they need specific conditions for that.
5. Water Parameters :This have been discussed in episode one so not going into details here. Both Red Cherry Shrimp (RCS) and Ghost shrimps belong to the Neocaridina Species. Please refer to previous episode. It is important.
6. Flow: Shrimps donot like a turbulent flow in the tank. They are peaceful creatures who can hardly swim that well. They are more of “walker” but damn they are swift !! You can spend hours watching their antics if the tank has a gentle flow which prevents dead spots in the tank and the water is well oxygenated.
7. CO2 and Fertiliser: Co2 injection and fertiliser within the prescribed limits are not a problem for RCS. However like fish, too much of anything may affect them negatively. However these are not mandatory for having a low-tech planted shrimp tank.
8. Ammonia & Copper: Ammonia Spikes in the tank and Copper in any tank additive are the primary cause for shrimp death. Avoid these two at any cost. Little bit of copper sulphate is fine. It is strange that copper which is poisonous happens to be a primary element in their blood !!
9. Temperature: Having a cooling fan helps to keep the tank temperature below 30°C in summer. However at other times keeping it between 18°C-28°C is fine. Shrimps grow faster in warm water hence their life-span becomes shorter. Heater is not necessary within this range. If having the tank in an air-conditioned room then a heater is advisable to avoid temperature fluctuations.
10. Light: Shrimps are not really fond of excessive light. They prefer hiding in shrubs, rock caves, moss etc. because in nature fish predate on them so they try to camouflage with their surroundings and prefer shaded regions of the tank where they feel safe. If you have high lights in your tank make sure your tank is heavily planted atleast. Lights also increase tank temperature drastically throughout the day.
11. Substrate: Shrimps will mostly stay at the bottom hence the substrate plays an important role in their environment. Sand is the cheapest and most natural looking option to go for. Clean it well before using. However darker substrates encourage a better colouration in shrimps. Aquasoil can be used as well and some are specially sold for shrimp keeping. Please do your research before buying substrate it is one of the things you cant change easily.
12. Hardscape: Shrimps love having driftwood and rocks in the tank. Limestone type of rocks must be avoided in the shrimp tank because they leach carbonates and increase water pH. Other rocks like Seiryu, Lava, Dragon, River Stone are all shrimp safe. Driftwood may leach tanin but that is not a problem for shrimp rather they like it as it replicate their natural environment. This can be achieveded by using dry Indian Almond Leaves as well.
13. Breeding: With stable water parameters and ample supply of food your shrimps should mate and get “berried”. The females are slightly roundish and larger than males. The female shrimp will carry the eggs for 3-4 weeks before the babies hatch from them. She will constantly keep fanning the eggs with her legs. Keep your tank well oxygenated during this time especially.
At times a new mother may lose the egg clutch but dont be disappointed she will have a better chance of breeding next time. Having a male to female ratio as 3:7 is a good starting point to breed.So that sums up the basic points we need to be aware of before setting up a Neocaridina Shrimp Tank.
We will go through all of these factors in more details on our following episodes. Stay tuned until then. Remember with shrimps you have to be patient and observant. Avoid keeping fish in your shrimp tank if you want to enjoy watching them up close.