A new shrimp project on it's way

[Discus Fever]

I will be keeping a journal here on my new shrimp project. There are all kinds of information on the internet on PH, GH, KH and TDS for keeping these. I do have a brand new RO unit in a box that I have never opened yet and really don't want to use it on this project unless it totally fails. My water is not within the ranges that these shrimp are suppose to be kept in. But with a very slow acclimation and gradually getting them use to it without shocking them we will see if I can get them to thrive in my water.

I have to give a big thank you to Iminit for sending me some cherry shrimp and others to test this experiment out. They are on the way to me and as soon as I get them and get them acclimated to my water I will start posting pictures. Here is my experimental tank and equipment.

Tank size = 10 gallons
1/2" deep gravel ECO Complete Black
A 6 inch piece of Cholla wood
2 small clumps of Christmas Moss
1 Large round box filter already established

To give these guys a good head start the tank is already established and I have some nice green algae on the sides and back for them to graze on once they in the tank. I will give them a full 24 hours before I decide to feed them as long as they look like they have adjusted well.

Here are my water parameters

PH = 8.7
TDS = 643
GH & KH = Don't care since my water is so far out of what they call their normal water parameters.

These will be Neocaridina's that are going in here. Don't know if any of these tests have been done on these but I will see if I can be successful with these in those water parameters. I will be doing updates on these every 5 days for the 1st month and every week after. Fingers crossed we will see how this turns out.

[jwcarlson]

I think they'll be OK in your tap water, particularly after the first generation. My water isn't quite as extreme as yours. But they've done well in mine. I think most people suggest drip acclimating them and that's probably a good idea especially with your water.

Good luck!

[Discus Fever]

I think they'll be OK in your tap water, particularly after the first generation. My water isn't quite as extreme as yours. But they've done well in mine. I think most people suggest drip acclimating them and that's probably a good idea especially with your water.

Good luck!

I will be doing a drip acclimation on these guys, it will be a very slow drip approx. 1 drip every second or two for probably 6 hours or so. I am not sure what water parameters that Iminit has but I would rather be safe than sorry.

[jwcarlson]

I will be doing a drip acclimation on these guys, it will be a very slow drip approx. 1 drip every second or two for probably 6 hours or so. I am not sure what water parameters that Iminit has but I would rather be safe than sorry.

I think he has pretty soft water. At least compared to me and you.

[brewmaster15]

Tom's cherry shrimp did well in my water here.. pH 7.6
I think you will be fine Scott.. Your pH is a bit high but I would be surprised if the shrimp care.

One of my 10 gal tanks.

20240227_111302.jpg

Al

[ravvlet]

Excited for you! I was really careful with my shrimp at first but I’ve found our tap water (about 7ph and very soft) does well for neos and less well for caridina. My shrimp tanks are my favorite; they’re relaxing to watch. I look forward to updates!

[Discus Fever]

Just a quick update yesterday Feb 28th I received my shrimp from Tom and did a 7 hour drip acclimation on them. They have been in their tank now for 8 hours and everyone seems to be doing good. I will give another update after the weekend which will give them another 5 days in their tank. Again thank you Tom for your generosity on sending me these shrimp for my experiment on whether these shrimp will thrive in my current water parameters without having to open up my brand new RO system.

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Scott, don't forget pictures Glad to hear things are going well.
Pat

[Discus Fever]

Ok it has been 5 days since receiving my shrimp, so far so good in my tap water. At least 6 of the shrimp have molted already due to the shells I saw laying on the substrate which is a good sign. They say when they are really young they will molt once a week until they become full grown which they will molt once a month. Attached is the picture I took this morning before leaving for work, not the best quality from my phone but it is something. They shrimp are still pretty small but you can see them on the algae on the sides of the tank and on the cholla wood in the middle. With update again by Friday.


Shrimp pic.jpg

[Iminit]

Hey just curious did you mix the grays and reds? Broke down the 15 those shrimp were in and started this 40g. Also picked up these tiny tetras and will be adding my hillstream loaches to this tank.9E035DAB-C340-437C-86DB-7A3951F8D460.jpg. One hillstream hitched a ride on some driftwood.02E15C31-1FFF-4048-8928-9BB080C072C2.jpg. You can get an idea of size by the cherry shrimp.94456409-BE7C-43D1-A915-EBFB5F8560C9.jpg

[Discus Fever]

Yes I mixed the 2 for now because this is the only tank I have available for them, as they get older before breeding stage I will be putting them into their own tank.

[Discus Fever]

Ok so far so good on the shrimp that I received from Tom. I have had them now for 13 days in my water parameters and so far they look like they are doing good. I guess in they next couple of months will tell the story if they are still doing good, with as high of a PH my water has I am a little surprised that they are still doing well. I guess the 7 hour slow drip method has worked out pretty good to slowly acclimate them.

[jwcarlson]

I think most animals are wildly more adaptable than we give them credit for. I've got all sorts of fish in water they shouldn't be able to thrive in, but they don't seem to have received the memo. Breeding is a different animal, but in the case of your shrimp I bet you'll have no issues with that either. Neos are aquatic roaches.

[Iminit]

Aquatic roaches says it all. I’m not surprised they’re doing good. Pretty sure I mailed them to Jacob in the winter with no problem. Yes it amazing what fish can adapt and these shrimp seem to have no problem. Store bought not so much.

[jwcarlson]

Aquatic roaches says it all. I’m not surprised they’re doing good. Pretty sure I mailed them to Jacob in the winter with no problem. Yes it amazing what fish can adapt and these shrimp seem to have no problem. Store bought not so much.

I don't think you've shipped me any shrimp, but I did get shrimp in the mail this winter from AquaHuna and those suckers were on the brink of being popsicles and they were totally fine.
You did send me a few hatchling britlenose plecos in a ziplock bag over a year ago. I think two ended up as snacks for some tetras, but one of them is a beefy male now.