Red Cherry Shrimps?

[Oldfishlady]

True-they will become a food item for other fish....usually its the shrimpletts that get eaten first, however, if you have plenty of cover-like java moss-this will help some...also, I keep shrimp only tanks so that I can stock my other tanks with shrimp as needed....most of the species of fish I keep are rather small and I have been able to keep pretty big colonies of RCS in the bigger tanks in fairly large numbers...in the hundreds...but my tanks are also very heavy planted....they are somewhat social, however, if you start with one berried female...soon you will have many......

Just remember-more shrimp are lost/killed by the filter-be sure and check the filter box on occasion for baby shrimp-I finds lots in my filter box....in the shrimp only tanks-I either have a sponge filter or no filter at all........

I got my start of RCS and the yellow color morph from my local aquarium club for $1.00 each-so I was able to start with a dozen or more...look up local aquarium clubs-they always have stock and plants to sell fairly cheap.....and most clubs you don't have to be a member or go to meeting...nearly all have a web-site with a for sale or trade section with local pick up so no shipping charges...google your state for aquarium clubs or look in the back of most aquarium magazines for a listing of clubs in your area....

[caitic10]

So I need more than one shrimp? My lfs doesnt sex them so I cant pick a gender...I only want one or two. I dont want them to breed! :P

[Micho]

Originally Posted by caitic10

So I need more than one shrimp? My lfs doesnt sex them so I cant pick a gender...I only want one or two. I dont want them to breed! :P

Males are usually smaller, and less red, more transparent. While females are usually larger and they're also more red, like bright red. Also why don't you want them to breed? RCS breed really well if the conditions are met, to control overstocking just plop a few into a different tank and let them live there. Just give them a place to hide. . .

Driftwood/lava rock + Java moss/Hair Algae = Cover and breeding ground.

I have the Fluval Spec as well, I'm getting a few small pieces of driftwood tying Java Moss or Hair Algae onto them and getting a marimo moss ball. Going to start off with 3 males and 3 females and hopefully. I would rather get more than one or two to be honest.

[Ajones108]

While this thread is on the note of them breeding like wildfire... If you wanted to do population control, couldn't you just net some of the babies and use them as a food source for other fish?

[caitic10]

I dont have the heart to feed them to other fish...:(

[Ajones108]

I see it as a natural process, which is why I mentioned it. Like feeding baby brine shrimp to fish, whether frozen or live. The whole circle of life thing, etc.

[Micho]

I suppose you could, but I would give them a chance to live first. If my RCS does very well I shall plop a few males and one female in my 10 gallon and try to provide some cover for them.

If they get eaten, so be it. I wouldn't recommend plopping in the babies, drop in adults. Unless your other tank has no filtration or is very weak, the baby RCS will get sucked into your filter and die. . . So yeah weak/no filter if you want a RCS tank, or use a sponge filter or something like that.