# Is a 1 gallon safe for cherry shrimp



## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

For 15 of them that's fine. They will likely breed however and in fairly short time, you'll need to reduce the herd or increase the size of the tank. Even a nano tank, 3-5 gallons can hold dozens of shrimp.


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

So my plan is sustainable? Or should I do something different? If so ill give the little critters good care. I don't want to put them through misery but I can't be going and buying filters and tanks. I'd rather let them take a shot in my heavily planted with the ghost knife then die in a filthy bowl.


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

Nubster said:


> For 15 of them that's fine. They will likely breed however and in fairly short time, you'll need to reduce the herd or increase the size of the tank. Even a nano tank, 3-5 gallons can hold dozens of shrimp.


+1! Congrats on your new flock! 1g will be fine. 

I am more or less one for natural selection if I don't have a larger tank available and I'm not interested in natural selection, so I just allow breeding and when there are too many shrimp, I see them stop breeding.


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

Thank you for the advice. Ill do what I can for the little bugs. If anyone has advice or anything that'll help keeping them healthy I'd appreciate it.


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

ChadKruger said:


> Thank you for the advice. Ill do what I can for the little bugs. If anyone has advice or anything that'll help keeping them healthy I'd appreciate it.


Lots of moss and snails. 

It isn't cycled, so you'll need to monitor all parameters and being open top, watch TDS.


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

Even though I used gravel and water from a cycled tank it will still go theough another cycle? Ill be swapping 2 cups of water a day using cycled tank water. Is that bad or should I use fresh dechlorinated tap?
Ty for the tip ill put more moss and I have some small snails. The nuisance ones that come stuck to plants. Will they be okay to use?


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

I wouldn't even worry about the daily water changes unless you are running into parameter issues. Then, I'd just use clean water.


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

Yep they work. They've got a bad rap for being 'nuisance snails' but they're really helpful. 

Just don't feed much/often. Never more than they can eat in an hour or two


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

I appreciate all the tips guys and ill post a picture of the little burdens when I get back to the house so you can see the lives you helped save lol.


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

Been a few days. I swap out 1 cup of water in the morning one at night. I'm not sure if the plants in there will make it. The shrimp seem happy. One was riding a snail cleaning his shell. Here are the pics I promised.


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

More pics


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

Another pic


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

So 16 cups in a gallon, and 2 cup changes a day... is like 13% water change daily?

Most of us change 10-20% water a week.

Also, there are really no benefits to using old tank water that I know of. The beneficial bacteria doesn't live in it, but all the nitrates, nitrites, etc do. I think it may be more beneficial to use clean water and just change out 10-20% a week.


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

So it would be better to do large change once a week then swapping out a little every day? Honest question no sarcasm. The tank water I use has 0 ammonia 0 nitrite 5 nitrate. I just was figuring it was a buffered (aged/stable) water supply it has a ph of 7.4 (co2 injected) my tap is at 8. I thought it better to use that than dechlorinating tap water. 
What is the best way for me to care for this set up then? I don't want to be the cause of undo suffering if it can be helped.


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

I don't think you are being a bad owner at all, just asking questions. Cherries are fine in ph of 8, and new dechlorinated water would not have the 5 nitrate- so would be healthier.

If you were to swap a little each day, perhaps in the 2% range should be better, however the more water changes you do= the more stress on your shrimp. That's usually why we do it once a week or so unless you have a constant drip system.


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

I appreciate the help. Ill keep it to 1 a week then and use tap water. The plants in the tank with them. Will a root tab in the substrate and occasional liquid dose plus sitting on the window sill cause issues?


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

I'll let some planted people answer that one. heh I don't use ferts in my shrimp tanks.


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

ChadKruger said:


> I appreciate the help. Ill keep it to 1 a week then and use tap water. The plants in the tank with them. Will a root tab in the substrate and occasional liquid dose plus sitting on the window sill cause issues?


I wouldn't use ferts in such a small, uncycled tank.


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

Thank you for the response MABJ.
Okay so no fertilizers, once a week water change, and very very small feedings. As for the plants in with them one is java moss which I'm not worried about. It'll thrive in a cup of pee. Although the other plant I'm unfamiliar with, maybe an amazon, should I pull it and put something else in there?


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