# Shrimps and Banana Leaves



## biotex3 (Oct 1, 2014)

First off, what shrimp are you planning to keep?

1. I wouldn't use banana leaves for two reasons: they have a natural bitter deterrent to animals, and they are very water resistant. These leaves have a very thick cuticle even when dry. I recommend going to your local walmart and picking up some bay leaves, or buying indian almond leaves.

2. I supplement my shrimp with something once a week to bring out color and overall health. I recommend boiled carrots, boiled baby spinach, or specialized shrimp foods like mosura graze active or boreno wild beanee, etc. make sure veggies don't have pesticides. 

3. Yes, anything with tannic acid (aka all leaves when they degrade) will lower pH. If you are keeping soft water shrimp, I highly recommend using salty shrimp gh+ to remineralize your water. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## MaxcaliburX (Dec 28, 2009)

I'm planning on keeping cherries as they are cheap and readily available via craigslist ($.50-$1 per shrimp ). I'll try the bayleaf idea. dry or fresh btw? I also have a lot of dried bamboo leaves (real bamboo, not lucky bamboo). will these work for cherries? 

And also a few more questions: 
Internal filters are okay, right? I bought a 90 GPH with adjustable flow for a 7.5 gallon tank. 

Which substrate? sand or gravel? I read that there are many pros and cons for both but I don't know which one to choose.


----------



## 35ppt (Feb 24, 2014)

Feeding - shrimps get a lot of nutrition from biofilm. You then supplement that with veggies, algae wafers, protein, etc. Feed sparingly and remove uneaten food.

Leaves are in a slightly different category - they do provide biofilm and contain different things which dissolve in the tank water, to benefit the shrimps. 

The thing about naner leaves in general is that they get mushy. I have not tried using them in a tank, this is just my experience from growing them. I have not heard of using bay leaf, nor bamboo. Some leaves do contain things which can be harmful, and I would hesitate on bay leaf due to the presumed oil in it.

Internal filters - I'd have to see it, but you REALLY have to watch the intake. Shrimps, especially babies, can get sucked into filters. You have to shrimp-proof them.

Substrate - I have gravel and sand, and simply due to the small size of shrimps, I find them much easier to see on a sand substrate.

pH - I'd say it depends on how much material you use and how long you leave it in. So, if you wanted to lower pH with leaves, you could. For supplemental feeding use, you are probably not going to alter the pH significantly due to the quantity and duration.


----------



## MChambers (May 26, 2009)

You can do it. I bought some frozen from an Asian market, and dried them. I sometimes put them in my tanks. They do get slimy, so I wouldn't put in a lot.

Here's an article on their benefits:

http://www.discobee.com/blogs/news/15655129-benefits-of-leaf-litter-in-shrimp-tanks


----------

