If you want to start rearing cherry shrimp, the good advice is to start with a small tank and gradually as the shrimp grows and multiply, then you can get a bigger tank and more 'toys'. In this article, we show you how to set up a basic tank and what to watch out for.
Tank: The basic tank which we use here can be bought at any aquarium shop. It costs between RM11 - RM15.
Sand: The foundation of the aquarium, we put brown sand which you could get from the seaside so it is free of charge. But here's something you need to watch for. As the sand from the seaside are salty sand, you need to wash the sand to reduce the saltiness. Caution: Cherry shrimp don't cope well with salty sand. So make sure you wash the sand really well.
Stones: You can collect the stones from the seaside as well. As with the sand, make sure to wash well.
Water: Household water usually contain too much chlorine, which may just kill the cherry shrimp. You may choose to buy the de-chlorination liquid from any aquarium shop. Another alternative would be to fill up a pail with water from the pipe and leave it expose to air for 3 days. This should de-chlorination process and cost you nothing.
Showing posts with label Cherry Shrimp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cherry Shrimp. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Cherry Shrimp - Sexing & Breeding
Sexing
Male shrimp are a less intense red, being mostly clear with red spots on them. Females are bright red. As the females mature, you may notice a yellow patch in the neck area – these are the ovaries.
Breeding
As long as you have both males and females in your tank, and no predators, you shouldn’t have problems breeding these shrimp.
Once a female is mature, she will begin producing eggs. A male will sense this, and deposit a sperm packet on the female to fertilize the eggs. If there is no male present, the unfertilized eggs will be dropped within a few days.
The female carries fertilized eggs for around 22 to 28 days, after which she releases them as fully formed babies. You will see the female carrying the yellow eggs in her swim bladder, and aerating them occasionally. Extreme stress can cause the female to drop her eggs. A first-time mother will also sometimes drop her eggs.
A female will produce somewhere between 10 and 20 babies, usually. The babies are about 1mm long, and look like miniature versions of the parents. The babies are usually almost clear when released, and take on a reddish color within a few days.
It’s a good idea to put a sponge or mesh covering over the intake of a power/hang on back filter to stop the babies from being sucked up into the filter. Even if they are sucked up, they often survive.
Male shrimp are a less intense red, being mostly clear with red spots on them. Females are bright red. As the females mature, you may notice a yellow patch in the neck area – these are the ovaries.
Breeding
As long as you have both males and females in your tank, and no predators, you shouldn’t have problems breeding these shrimp.
Once a female is mature, she will begin producing eggs. A male will sense this, and deposit a sperm packet on the female to fertilize the eggs. If there is no male present, the unfertilized eggs will be dropped within a few days.
The female carries fertilized eggs for around 22 to 28 days, after which she releases them as fully formed babies. You will see the female carrying the yellow eggs in her swim bladder, and aerating them occasionally. Extreme stress can cause the female to drop her eggs. A first-time mother will also sometimes drop her eggs.
A female will produce somewhere between 10 and 20 babies, usually. The babies are about 1mm long, and look like miniature versions of the parents. The babies are usually almost clear when released, and take on a reddish color within a few days.
It’s a good idea to put a sponge or mesh covering over the intake of a power/hang on back filter to stop the babies from being sucked up into the filter. Even if they are sucked up, they often survive.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Cherry Shrimp - Tank & Care
Cherry shrimps are easy to keep, requiring only an absence of predators and low nitrates (under 10ppm). They do well in a planted tank, and happily spend their days eating algae and leftover food.
A basic tank contain just sand and stones which can be setup easily
Date of Setup of Planted Tank : 24 Nov 08
Dimension: 27cm x 16cm x 16cm
Volume: 7L
Total Population: 10 Cherry Shrimps
Filter: Nil
Gravel: Brown
Lighting: Nil
CO2: Nil
P/S: Check out the article on how much cost to set up a basic tank and how to go on from there.
If you keep them in a species tank with little or no algae, feed them a variety of foods, such as algae wafers, shrimp pellets, vegetables or special foods for crabs/lobsters. A good supply of calcium in the shrimps’ diet is important, as is iodine.
Some aquarists add some reef iodine supplement to the tank (half recommended dose, every two weeks or so) to help with molting. Molting is the periodic shedding of the outer skin. There is controversy about whether the shrimp can use iodine in the water column or not. As they grow, the shrimp molt on a regular basis. As they get larger, they molt less frequently.
It is fine to leave the molted skins in the tank, as the shrimp will often eat them to gain back the nutrients lost on the skin. A 5g or 10g tank is fine for these shrimp. If you plan to breed these, small tank mates that will not eat the young are the best choice. Bottom feeders such as otocinclus or pygmy cories would be fine. Smaller rasboras or very small livebearers might also be a good choice.
Dimension: 27cm x 16cm x 16cm
Volume: 7L
Total Population: 10 Cherry Shrimps
Filter: Nil
Gravel: Brown
Lighting: Nil
CO2: Nil
If you keep them in a species tank with little or no algae, feed them a variety of foods, such as algae wafers, shrimp pellets, vegetables or special foods for crabs/lobsters. A good supply of calcium in the shrimps’ diet is important, as is iodine.
Some aquarists add some reef iodine supplement to the tank (half recommended dose, every two weeks or so) to help with molting. Molting is the periodic shedding of the outer skin. There is controversy about whether the shrimp can use iodine in the water column or not. As they grow, the shrimp molt on a regular basis. As they get larger, they molt less frequently.
It is fine to leave the molted skins in the tank, as the shrimp will often eat them to gain back the nutrients lost on the skin. A 5g or 10g tank is fine for these shrimp. If you plan to breed these, small tank mates that will not eat the young are the best choice. Bottom feeders such as otocinclus or pygmy cories would be fine. Smaller rasboras or very small livebearers might also be a good choice.
How To : Rear Cherry Shrimp
Whenever there is a discussion about aquarium, it has always been about fish. People share their experiences rearing fish, the different type of filter used, method of taking care of the fish and even tips on cleaning the aquarium.
If you want to try a new hobby related to aquarium or aquatic creatures, but not fish, now you can try rearing cherry shrimp.
The origin of Cherry Shrimp can be traced back to Cambodia or Thailand. Generally, cherry shrimp are small in size and can grow up to about 1.5 - 2 inches. Cherry shrimp are peaceful creatures and tend to be eaten by larger fish. So, if you want to put the cherry shrimp and fish together in the same tank, it is advisable to try putting a few cherry shrimp into the tank and monitor if the fish would eat them up. Otherwise, it would be a waste of money, although cherry shrimp is somewhat inexpensive; you can get it for around RM2 per shrimp.
Scientific name: Neocaridina denticulata sinesis
Origin: Cambodia, Thailand
Temperature: 75 - 86
pH: 6-8
Maximum Size: 1.5 - 2 inches
Temperament: Peaceful algae eating shrimp, will be eaten by larger fish
Color: Cherry shrimp are a color variation of the sinensis shrimp, which also come in a brown color and a green color.
If you want to try a new hobby related to aquarium or aquatic creatures, but not fish, now you can try rearing cherry shrimp.
The origin of Cherry Shrimp can be traced back to Cambodia or Thailand. Generally, cherry shrimp are small in size and can grow up to about 1.5 - 2 inches. Cherry shrimp are peaceful creatures and tend to be eaten by larger fish. So, if you want to put the cherry shrimp and fish together in the same tank, it is advisable to try putting a few cherry shrimp into the tank and monitor if the fish would eat them up. Otherwise, it would be a waste of money, although cherry shrimp is somewhat inexpensive; you can get it for around RM2 per shrimp.
Scientific name: Neocaridina denticulata sinesis
Origin: Cambodia, Thailand
Temperature: 75 - 86
pH: 6-8
Maximum Size: 1.5 - 2 inches
Temperament: Peaceful algae eating shrimp, will be eaten by larger fish
Color: Cherry shrimp are a color variation of the sinensis shrimp, which also come in a brown color and a green color.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
