what do shrimp eat?

[idgy]

My tank has been up for two months everything is fine. About a month ago I added some snails. I want to add some shrimps, how many shoud I put in a 60 gallon tank and what on earth do I feed them?

All test are fine excpet my nitrates are around 5.

 

[clayswim]

You should try to get your nitrates a little lower before adding shrimp. Some are particularly sensitive to water quality. Also, be sure to acclimate them slowly; they adjust to differences in water parameters slower than most inverts.

You can feed them pretty much anything with meat. That includes frozen, freeze-dried or even flake food. Being scavengers they're usually not too picky.

Clayton

 

[clayswim]

I forgot one thing; you asked how many you could have. That really depends on the type of shrimp you get. Did you have any particular one in mind?

Clayton

 

[idgy]

cleaner shrimp and maybe fire shrimp (blood red).

So my nitrates should be zero for shrimp?

I am at a loss as how to lower them. Would doing water changes every week instead of every two weeks help?

 

[mister_miah]

with regards to the water changes it really depends on how big the tank is and how much water you are changing. And about the shrimp i would suggest bloods, skunk cleaners and maybe a coral banded

 

[idgy]

THANKS! It is a 60 gallon. How do I lower my nitrates I thought 5 was good. I guess not for shrimp?

 

[mister_miah]

inverts like next to none. i would do 5 a week tops. And i personaly dont advise vacuming the substrate, you tend to remove as much good bacteria as bad

 

[clayswim]

It's best to stir the upper portions of the substrate and vacuum the top. When that's done only ammonia and nitrite consuming bacteria live where the vacuum can get to them. The bacteria responsible for eating nitrates live either deep within the sand bed or inside the live rock where there's no oxygen. Cleaning the substrate will remove detritus before it breaks down and releases waste into the water. It also serves to extend the life of your sand bed.

Changing your water is the best way to remove nitrates that are already there. If you're having a problem with nitrates building up in the water perhaps a review of your setup is necessary. A setup where no nitrates are present requires that virtually all of your nitrifying bacteria live in your live rock or sand. If you have another filter, even something as small as a sock or filter bag full of carbon; if not replaced regularly they can serve as a biological filter. When that happens they create nitrates that aren't removed by your rock and sand. Only nitrates created within that rock or sand will be removed.

Certain inverts can handle nitrates fairly well, like certain types of crabs. Unfortunately shrimp don't happen to be one of them. 5 ppm isn't a terrible amount, but it's on the upper end of what most inverts can handle before stress sets in. Fish will show no signs at that amount as long as the water is otherwise clean.

Clayton