Red Cherry Shrimp Question
 

I've have a RCS tank, 9 gallon up and running for about a year. I have adults, but I also have just tons of babies, ranging in all sizes. Many are just tiny, tiny! It's not that it's bad, but I feel like I should do something to control the population. Any suggestions?

I wondering about some small nano fish, that may do the job for me. The tank is so overrun with plants, that I'd have to cull many out to make room for fish to swim :-P

Gwen

One consideration you could sell some of them. There are probably people on this forum who would be interested in getting their own colony going. You could even find a reputable LFS who might be interested.

I could do all of that, but I have so few adults (unless they are hiding in the thick forest of plants) :-? that I can see. I'd like to consider some nano fish I could put in there, that would manage the population. I've also heard keeping a species only tank is best. Hummm . . .

Gwen

A species tank would be awesome! I mean it takes a lot of shrimp to overstock any tank. If you wanted to add a fish to bring down the baby population a betta might do the trick, however he may indiscriminately eat your adult shrimp too.


p.s. I like the Mikrogeophagus ramirezi in your avatar!

~Natalie

Thanks Natalie. I liked him too :( He and the female had fry a couple times, and they ate them after various times. I've since lost them both. They died, sadly. Yours in your avatar is very nice looking.

FYI, I put a female betta in the RCS tank, that lives in my other tank. It seemed she did eat many shrimp, because I saw noticeably less. She seemed so sad in the tank, I moved her back to the larger tank with her "friends" :lol: All of a sudden, I saw tons of shrimp again. I know she did eat a few, I saw her, but I think they actually went into hiding, if that seems possible. :shock:

Gwen

Well at least you have an option to trim down the masses. You could even net some and add to the betta's space. It might be harder to hide. However sometimes it is easier to let the fish cull the young cute shrimp.

I am sorry to hear your fish have passed on. My Louis has been with me for 2 years now. He did have a mate, but sadly she passed away. I haven't tried coupling him with another yet. I am worried about buying from local shops. The local shops have a weak selection of rams. What if he got some illness?..bad news bear! I sorta went all out on him and bought him from a breeder with next day delivery. So he is not only a sociable buddy but somewhat of an investment. I was half tempted to buy an electric blue mikrogeophagus ramirezi from the same breeder, but we shall see :)