How do I keep ghost shimp alive??

[xxkenny90xx]

Ok thanks for all the help guys. Next week I'll try again using a 5 gallon bucket or a large Tupperware if I have one big enough and foam filter with bacteria. I actually have some tap water declorinator I got with someones setup I bought, was gonna throw it away since I use rodi for everything but I guess I'll use it here!

I'll let you all know how it goes!

 

[xxkenny90xx]

You do want a foam filter and you do have to seed it with freshwater bacteria, your lfs probably has a little 1oz bottle cheap. You don't have to cycle the tank, they can live in really bad water. You probably want about at least 5g water volume, it can be a small tank or even a larger tuperware type container. Dechlor tap water don't use ro/di, ro/di will have too low ph. Room temp is fine unless you let your house get as cold as mine in the winter, then at least 70, higher than 80 is usually no good. You will lose some, let your lfs take the biggest loss and go the day after they get them. If you are ordering a bag, expect losses. Feed the fresh dead ones, that's usually one of the 1st steps to getting them to take other dead things. Or just feed them to other fish.

Thanks for the info! I did buy them the day the lfs got them (they sell out fast). Good call, next time I'll go a day later

 

[ichthyogeek]

Reading posts about saltwater aquarists having trouble with freshwater is always a splash of fresh air for me and makes me giggle, just because everybody says that saltwater is significantly harder than freshwater.

Everybody's giving you good information. I agree that RODI water is simply too empty of minerals (GH/KH are what you're going to hear a lot of in the freshie world, RODI water has none of that). I'm willing to assume it was a mixup of RODI water and waste products from the shrimp, causing drastic pH swings (remember, there's no buffer in RODI water!) from the metabolites from the shrimp.

You can use the waste water from your RODI unit to save on water. That stuff is chock full of all sorts of nice minerals and stuff. If your tap water conditioner is Prime or something and binds to heavy metals, toss in a shot of that as well.

Remember that shrimp are still invertebrates, and even if you're using them for food, that they should still be drip acclimated (you don't know what parameters they're used to). I agree that you should wait a day or two before buying them so you don't end up with any water parameter induced deaths.

If you can't be bothered with a sponge filter but have a Pothos, Monstera, or really any aroid, you can just stick that in the water and it'll suck up all the nitrates.

The shrimp will eat basically anything, but remember to gut load them with something nutritious!

 

[Tankkeepers]

+1 on this although I have fairly hard water so I think they're fine in both but a good setup is needed. I kept a few in a 2.5g with just a little in tank filter. No heater, just room temperature. If you're just using them as feeder shrimp you could keep more in that size given they wouldn't be in there for long regardless.

I only say on the softer side as I also have really hard water and they have a problem molting in hard water but if they wont be there long it probly does not matter I used to keep them as pets with my betta

 

[Karen00]

Ok thanks for all the help guys. Next week I'll try again using a 5 gallon bucket or a large Tupperware if I have one big enough and foam filter with bacteria. I actually have some tap water declorinator I got with someones setup I bought, was gonna throw it away since I use rodi for everything but I guess I'll use it here!

I'll let you all know how it goes!

Ya. RODI is too sterile. You'd have to remineralize it which is dechlorinated tap water is fine (unless you have really bad tap water). I forgot to mention in my earlier reply that my room temp is between 70 and 75 all year long so I didn't need a heater but agree if your house gets below 70 then you would need one. I feed them mainly pellets which they love but I have seen them periodically go after the frozen bloodworms and flake food I feed the other fish. They are really easy creatures to keep.

Good luck!

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Ya. RODI is too sterile. You'd have to remineralize it which is dechlorinated tap water is fine (unless you have really bad tap water). I forgot to mention in my earlier reply that my room temp is between 70 and 75 all year long so I didn't need a heater but agree if your house gets below 70 then you would need one. I feed them mainly pellets which they love but I have seen them periodically go after the frozen bloodworms and flake food I feed the other fish. They are really easy creatures to keep.

Good luck!

Gotcha! I did throw some pellets in there and they didn't touch them (maybe they were just too busy dying, sigh)

 

[Tankkeepers]

Also I agree do not use rodi water tap water treated with a declorinator if in the city is fine rodi is way to clean I still keep freshwater tanks and they are quite a bit different then saltwater I also keep a small brackish volcano shrimp tank love those little guys

 

[Karen00]

I only say on the softer side as I also have really hard water and they have a problem molting in hard water but if they wont be there long it probly does not matter I used to keep them as pets with my betta

Now that's interesting. So far I haven't had any issues with molting. Actually I keep thinking they've died until I realize it's just their molt! Haha. But I agree it doesn't matter much if they're being used as food. They won't be around long enough.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Reading posts about saltwater aquarists having trouble with freshwater is always a splash of fresh air for me and makes me giggle, just because everybody says that saltwater is significantly harder than freshwater.

You guys promise not to tell anyone that I messed up a freshwater tank/bowl right?

 

[Tankkeepers]

Best bet is to get a small 2.5 gallon aio betta tank add some gravel to it and a few fake (or live) plants cycle as you would a saltwater tank then add the shrimp

 

[Tankkeepers]

My dkh is 21 from the tap so I mean its really really hard water lots lime(well sitting on lime plate) so much that if I get a glass of normal water lime accumulates at the bottom after a few minutes so ya most peoples water is probly fine lol mine always get traped in the molt and cant get out if I dont soften it up I do 50 percent ro (no di) and 50 percent tap to drop the dkh

 

[Tankkeepers]

Edit good idea with the 5 gallon bucket add some gravel to the bottom of that for extra area for bacteria becouse you will kill most if not all of it when you clean the sponge filter

 

[lion king]

You guys promise not to tell anyone that I messed up a freshwater tank/bowl right?

Omega One micro pellets, they are small enough thAt even small ones can gobble them up, you will see them in their bellies.

 

[Tankkeepers]

I never ever relly on the filter to hold the bacteria to many thing can and will go wrong causing another cycle better to have a permanent home for the bacteria to live a small piece of base rock also works good use that in my turtle tank as he cant have gravel

 

[Tankkeepers]

New life spectrum small fish formula will also work

 

[ichthyogeek]

You guys promise not to tell anyone that I messed up a freshwater tank/bowl right?

Ask me no questions and I promise no lies . But don't worry, I'll keep your username confidential haha

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Ok attempt number 2. 15 shrimp this time (ok 2 of those might have been dinner today). Hob filter with a sponge and bioballs. Another sponge floating for looks (for permanent bacteria). 10% ro water, the rest is tap. No gravel yet but I'll find some!

 

[lion king]

You are goin to lose about 10% regardless of how well you take care of them, so don't worry about it. I don't use gravel in my tank, easier to keep clean. I have a double sponge filter and 2 other pieces of sponge for them to congregate on, they also don't mind just crawling around the bare bottom. As long as you don't stock so much as they are crawling over each other. I've found a weekly jaunt to the lfs better than trying to keep a larger crew. Scoop out any dead ones when you feed and feed to other fish or use to train your angler(right?)

 

[Dolphins18]

If you want them to live just remove the di filter from your RO unit, drop a little marine flake in, change it daily, that will feed them the right food for your fish and keep them alive. the DI always kills them, dont blame them, it tastes awful after going thru the DI.

 

[ichthyogeek]

If you want them to live just remove the di filter from your RO unit, drop a little marine flake in, change it daily, that will feed them the right food for your fish and keep them alive. the DI always kills them, dont blame them, it tastes awful after going thru the DI.

The awful taste is from the lack of minerals. And also CO2/O2.