Info on Ghost Shrimp?

[RootBeerFan]

In the freshwater profile, it says that ghost shrimp can be kept 3-4 in a fish bowl, etc. Does this mean they don't need a filter, if you're doing regular water changes (like with a betta?) I'm not familiar with these little guys, but they sound cool. I'd like to hear more about them, if anyone knows more?

 

[method]

yeah, ghost shrimp can live in fish bowls and/or aquariums without any filtration or heating as long as the temperature stays between around 65 to 79 degrees. ghost shrimp typically don't like warmer temps so it'd be better if you kept the temperature somewhere around 70 degrees.

my lfs has just a bare 10 gallon tank with tons of ghost shrimp in there and they seem to do just fine.

 

[geKo]

Originally posted by method
yeah, ghost shrimp can live in fish bowls and/or aquariums without any filtration or heating as long as the temperature stays between around 65 to 79 degrees. ghost shrimp typically don't like warmer temps so it'd be better if you kept the temperature somewhere around 70 degrees.

my lfs has just a bare 10 gallon tank with tons of ghost shrimp in there and they seem to do just fine.

All true but make sure the water level isnt to the very top or they will jump out

 

[FroggyFox]

I echo what has been said...although they'll probably live longer in filtered clean water, in a tank where the temperature is somewhat regulated (they like cooler water) and, yes, they jump.

They're very cool critters though

 

[RootBeerFan]

Wow. Why have I never heard of these guys before? I'll have to find out more about them. Thanks.

 

[Azreal911]

isn't the reason fish and shrimp jump out of the water is due to lousy water quality? mine just swims up to the top and around the middle and everywhere like they are fish. fun to watch, very different than fish! plus i salt my tank with like 1 teaspoon/5 gal just cause i think shrimps like salted water and it kills off certain parasites.

 

[FroggyFox]

generally its not a good idea to put salt in a tank with invertibrates...I know snails are invertibrates...but aren't shrimps too?

Sometimes when fish jump out of water it is due to bad water quality (too much something, not enough something, too hot too cold) but with the shrimp who knows...they just are jumpy little guys.

 

[Azreal911]

no salt with invertibrates!?!? uhhhh ooops. well i've put like a teaspoon in my 5 gallon tank. and have been cycling my tank with 4 amano shrimps. So far 2 are left! not sure if it's the salt or just the cycling is killing it. no ammonia in water present at all.

 

[Azreal911]

update, I've went to big al's today (one at yonge and steeles for the toronto people) and they got alot of cherry shrimps in for 3.99 a piece! ouch! i bought 3 of them and asked them about the salt deal. They said its not good for them and if you even do put any in, probably just a trace amount probably like a 1/2 or 1/4 teaspoon per 5 gal of water. I'm going to probably add that trace amount cause i'm thinking of putting in guppies and they need at least "some" salt to survive what a delicate balance i'm trying to have! right now i got 1 amano (lost 3 to my newbieness! arrrgh!) and 3 cherries. I've done a 50% water change to get rid of most of the salt cause i don't want any more deaths in my tank for the week! hopefully they'll last. froggyfox is right about this ordeal, next time i'll ask before i do something stupid again.

 

[Vumeter]

I haven't had any problems with salting my tank - usual 1 tablespoon/teaspoon? (whatever is on the box) per 5G. I have Amanos, cherries and ghost shrimp. Most likely it was the Ammonia that killed the Amanos, not the salt. Most non-gost shrimp have a problem with Ammonia just like fish.

Also for the original poster, add 1 drop of iodide (less harmful version of iodine - Kent's or Seachem) per 10G for the ghost shrimp, otherwise they'll have problems molting and turn white and die. Unfortunately, they don't sell it in small sizes so you'll have enough for decades of shrimp keeping. Not sure how you'd measure it out for smaller tanks - really small pipettes? And don't put it directly on the shrimp.

 

[Barbie]

Ghost shrimp are very interesting animals, indeed. One thing that is really interesting is watching them eat...not only is it "cute" to watch them hold the food, but it's very interesting because you can see the whole process of masticating and swallowing (maybe even digesting) through their clear bodies.

 

[Bruckm]

Vumeter

Originally posted by Vumeter
Also for the original poster, add 1 drop of iodide (less harmful version of iodine - Kent's or Seachem) per 10G for the ghost shrimp, otherwise they'll have problems molting and turn white and die.

WOW!!! thanks for this info. I'd had a couple do that. They looked like they were molting but they turned white and died. Thanks for solving that mini mystery!!

 

[Azreal911]

Maaaan and one of my amano's died this way yesterday! it was white and all and i had to flush him down cause he was long gone! do all local fish stores carry a special iodine like this? cause i have 2 cherry shrimps left and don't want them dying on me! I began with like 7 shrimps (amano's and cherries) now there's 2 left! ahhhhhhhhhhh! ammonia is at 0 and also nitrites. i've been doing weekly water changes of 25% they don't create that much on the bioload at all since it's a fishless tank so far.

 

[Vumeter]

You should be able to find the iodide at most pet stores, even Petco/Petsmart. Just look for all the saltwater product additives.

FYI - according to others who bought the Kent bottle (I use Seahchem), buy the Iodine bottle since it only lists iodide as an ingredient, while their Iodide bottle lists both iodide and iodine. Go figure.

 

[kikuchiyo]

Does Iodide affect fish?

 

[FroggyFox]

Yeah...and do you know what that does?? I never had a problem with mine molting before and I never had any iodide in the tank... The only time they died (and whenever they die they turn white) was when the temperature was way too hot for them.

 

[method]

ok, one of my ghost shrimp just molted and i got his skin that got stuck in the intake of my filter but then i was lookin' at the shrimp closely and i noticed his balance was kinda off and i saw that he was missing like three of his front legs! so i look around the tank and i see one of his legs.. he looks really frail right now, you think the fishies attacked him? he's also a little whiter than the other shrimp.. hmmmmm.

 

[FroggyFox]

their legs will grow back...if he doesn't have somewhere to hide while his new exoskeleton is hardening though then the fish could hurt him....