# Recommendations for shrimp for 5.5 gallon tank



## mattz1 (Jan 29, 2015)

Hi all,

We're looking for recommendations for a good shrimp for our 5.5 gallon mini-M tank. 

We have the Amazonian ADA substrate with a few sand areas for contrast, a few plants, running CO2, external canister filter (lots of filtration), and a moderate to high light (Flexi Mini.) Using a hybrid PPS/EI fert routine. No fish yet, but will be lightly stocking, maybe 4 - 5 fish.

This is in an office where an Amano shrimp getaway would not be a good thing, otherwise we'd probably pick up one or two of those.

We'd also like to avoid having to put a mesh cover over the tank.

Based on this, what shrimp would you recommend? Also, how many?

Thanks!


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## Fathomit (Feb 10, 2015)

From what I've read, red cherry shrimp are the heartiest. I have them in a 5 gallon lightly planted tank I started in January. 

They are really fun to watch and beautiful against green foliage.


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

Hard to go wrong with cherries. Easy care, and self-propagating population. More robust than the more sensitive species, so the co2 swings and ferts should be less of an issue. Not known for jumping out.

Edit: Heh. Brilliant minds, and all that. 

Oh, and you can probably handle at least 100, if not more in a ~5 gal tank as long as there is enough for them to play on and enough food. At higher stocking levels you'll need to feed them. Start with at least 10, is the rule of thumb, to be sure you have a decent variety for breeding stock and mix of sexes.


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## mattz1 (Jan 29, 2015)

How would Crystal Red Shrimp do? How do the Crystal Red Shrimp compare to the Red Cherry Shrimp? I see they are Neocaridina and Caridina.

We have no interest in breeding, FWIW.


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

CRS are much more sensitive. You'll need to closely monitor pH, TDS, etc., and consider RO/DI water if your tap parameters aren't in line with their needs.

Good thread on CRS here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=379641 (it's about breeding but the parameters for good health just happen to be the same as the parameters for breeding)


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## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

I have cherry shrimp in my 5g as well, VERY low maintenance, perfect for an office, decently active if you have a large colony. Not sure about having fish in with them, I have seen even smaller rummynose and cardinal's attack and eat them before... might want to get a breeding population going (i.e. put them in the tank and let them go at it by themselves while you wait a month or 2) and then put in a couple smaller fish, cpd's come to mind


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

theatermusic87 said:


> I have cherry shrimp in my 5g as well, VERY low maintenance, perfect for an office, decently active if you have a large colony. Not sure about having fish in with them, I have seen even smaller rummynose and cardinal's attack and eat them before... might want to get a breeding population going (i.e. put them in the tank and let them go at it by themselves while you wait a month or 2) and then put in a couple smaller fish, cpd's come to mind


CPDs are prolific hunters. Definitely not! Rummies and Neons, depends somewhat on the individual moods. Not sure I'd chance it. They'll eat shrimplets for sure, but the adults might survive.

Rasboras might be good, though.


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## mattz1 (Jan 29, 2015)

We are thinking of some combination of two or more of neons or some other tetra ( but not rummies given Theater's advice above), Rasboras, and fancy guppies (males.)


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

mattz1 said:


> We are thinking of some combination of two or more of neons or some other tetra ( but not rummies given Theater's advice above), Rasboras, and fancy guppies (males.)


Neons are in the same category as Rummies and Cardinals, when it comes to shrimp.


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## mattz1 (Jan 29, 2015)

Thanks Kman. Are there any tetras that will leave a Cherry alone?


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## tamsin (Jan 12, 2011)

I keep embers with them, they don't bother the adults though I expect they eat some of the smallest babies.


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

The babies are going to be food for any tetra. Survival rate will depend on the ferocity (or lack thereof) of the fish, and the quality of the hiding places. The adult cherries might be fine, but it depends on the individual fish, unfortunately no way to know in advance. The smaller the tetras are, the better the odds, but they're still odds.

Any fish other than an Oto is going to present some risk to shrimp. (your tank is smaller than usually recommended for a pair of Otos (and you need a pair)) Fish being around will make the shrimp more nervous and less likely to breed, but again, it all comes down to the ferocity of your specific fish and, to a lesser extent, how many good hiding places there are. But if you want to SEE your shrimp and not have them hiding all the time, it's best to reconsider mixing hunter and prey.

Edit: Embers might be an option, as tamsin suggests. Really small. But yeah, they'll still hit the babies.


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## crazy4fids (Dec 3, 2014)

What about pigmy hatchet fish? They are small and hang out at the surface 24/7.


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## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

If you do mix shrimp and fish, be sure to put some java moss in the tank, it's pretty much the only sure fire plant with enough hiding space to at least keep some of the baby shrimp protected.


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## Yukiharu (May 3, 2014)

Remember that shrimp are near the bottom of the food chain. They ARE fish food.


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## mattz1 (Jan 29, 2015)

Thanks everyone. This has been very insightful.

We live in SF so we have the advantage of having a nice ADA store here in town. We've seen there, and elsewhere, shrimp and fish together so we did not think much of it.

We don't want to turn our aquarium into an aquatic Thunderdome.

That said, we may try to get a shrimp and fish from the same tank where they are already coexisting. Then at least we are not causing a problem, only moving it. Either that or skip the shrimp.

Anyway, thanks again for all the advice.


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