Should I wait to buy the shrimp until all is set up?

[jadaBlu]

I have nearly everything I need now for my tank. I've read Malaysian trumphet snails (which should be here soon) can be in the tank even during a cycle. However, I gather the shrimp are more sensitive. So should wait until all is ready before getting them shipped or could I put them in temporary tank. I want to quarantine them. All the sorrority girls are still in quarantine so no one is really going anywhere yet. As you may know this is Walstad tank 20 long.

[Briz]

It would be best to wait until your cycle is complete in your shrimp tank before putting the shrimp in. They will likely not survive the cycling process, especially if they are fancier type of shrimp. Drastic changes in the water kills shrimp off, such as if you started to add CO2 after they were in an established tank, changing too much water during a water change, etc.

I would keep this in mind when considering how soon to order them. As far as quarantining them, I do not know much.

[RussellTheShihTzu]

+1 Briz. Even .25 ammonia will kill your shrimp. I have never quarantined (spel?) my shrimp or other inverts.

If I were to do it all over again, I would wait until my tank has been cycled and stable for a couple of months. This works for you because you'd then be shipping them in cooler weather.

You'll need lots of moss; mine even hang out in the moss that floats and eat the biofilm.

Don't know what shrimp you're getting, but Neos are more forgiving than Caridina in that Neos have a wider range of acceptable parameters. Also with so many predators in the tank, you may not see Neos (Red Cherry, Blue Velvet, Blue Pearl, etc.) or Caridina (Crystal Red, etc.) much. (I know you know the difference but for those who don't I added the names.)

Amanos would do a great job of cleaning the algae and are bigger so might do better with a sorority. I've always had a higher mortality rate with pet shop Ghost/Glass shrimp but I think that's because of their treatment from the beginning.

Have fun!

[jadaBlu]

I was going to get cherry shrimp from the shrimp farm you suggested. However, that doesn't sound like a good idea.

[lilyth88]

What shrimp farm is that?

[RussellTheShihTzu]

It took my RCS a couple of months before they really ventured out in Si's tank. Now they pay no attention to him.

After your sorority has been up for a month or so, you'll know personalities. I know several have posted they had good luck with RCS in sororities. I was just letting you know what could happen. Or, you could try a couple of Ghosties to see how the females react.

I recommend Matt at Shrimp Central » Blog Archiv » Red Cherry Shrimp. He has good prices and the nicest, healthiest RCS I've bought bar none.

[jadaBlu]

I may buy the RCS and give them their own tank at first. It was kind of part of my plan anyway I'd like to breed and sell some to support my fish habit along with some snails. I bought 40 snails which after I read up I bought too many but they were cheap.

Soooo... I thought of some more questions...
Is there any place you buying for Amano's? I didn't see any on Matt's site. I was looking at moss on ebay but I not sure what is a good source or site for it. What do you feed your shrimp. Furthermore I'd love to see your tank with your shrimp just to check out their habitat. Thanks!

[jennesque]

I've seen amanos at Petco even, so you may find them there.

Amanos do poo a lot. I like using ghost shrimp. I also often have a hard time keeping them alive until they get established, but they're cheap enough it doesn't worry me too much. My LFS sells them only as feeders, whereas Pet smart and Petco keep them in their regular display tanks, in smaller numbers, so I think they're one of the few things I can get from a big box store than my LFS... Of course, the LFS also sells them for like a third of the price.
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[jadaBlu]

Are Amanos kept in a Shrimp only tank at your LFS? I might try one if that's the case. I don't want the shrimp to come from tanks shared with fish to reduce the risk they might carry disease.

[RussellTheShihTzu]

Join the planted tank . net and check out the invert forum and the for sale/trade section. They have lots of mosses and I just bought 20+ dwarf sag for $25 including shipping. I buy plants and shrimp food from H4n. I feed lots of different BorneoWild foods and use BW Shield with every water change.

TPT also has a WTB section and you can put in what you want. I got my Red Root Floaters that way...free except for postage!

I received my new acrylic 20 long today from Acrylic Creations. So tomorrow it's tear down time ^smile^ When I get it set up I'm going to post pictures. David threw in three dividers for free. I'm going to have a Betta on each end in 6x12x12 and the middle will be 18x12x12 for the inverts and another Betta. The ends will be about 3.75 gallons and the middle around 11.