Advice on setting up a breeding tank for feeder shrimp

I have a puffer that loves ghost shrimp and I buy them from the pet store. He also eats black worms and snails (from other tanks).

I have a 5 gallon tank that I keep the pet store shrimp in (Ghost shrimp I guess?).

They live for a while in there but do not thrive and die off. I can't run a sponge filter because they get sucked up into it.

I am experienced at keeping fish, but never done shrimp. I raise fruit flies for my fish too.


Any advice for generally how to establish a 5 gallon tank for breeding feeder ghost shrimp would be appreciated. Puffer eats like one a day.

 

Does it have to be ghost shrimp? Maybe you could buy a batch of someone's neocaradina culls. Depending on your water parameters they'll probably thrive.

 

to breed ghost shrimp you'd need two tanks, they will be fine with a sponge filter its what a lot oof shrimpers use and the shrimp feed off stuff caught in the sponge

 

Does it have to be ghost shrimp? Maybe you could buy a batch of someone's neocaradina culls. Depending on your water parameters they'll probably thrive.

I don't know much about shrimp. So whatever type is good for raising and feeding to puffer is fine. My well water is soft acidic but I buffer it with soda ash bit to make it neutral pH. Tetras and other software water fish thrive. Would be nice to not have to do anything to the water for the shrimp tank.

 

to breed ghost shrimp you'd need two tanks, they will be fine with a sponge filter its what a lot oof shrimpers use and the shrimp feed off stuff caught in the sponge

So the shrimp should be able escape the sponge filter water flow? Perhaps my ghost shrimp were dying and were getting stuck in the filter.

 

So the shrimp should be able escape the sponge filter water flow? Perhaps my ghost shrimp were dying and were getting stuck in the filter.

Can you show a picture of the sponge just to rule it out

 

I don't know much about shrimp. So whatever type is good for raising and feeding to puffer is fine. My well water is soft acidic but I buffer it with soda ash bit to make it neutral pH. Tetras and other software water fish thrive. Would be nice to not have to do anything to the water for the shrimp tank.

Neocaridinas do better in higher pH, so that might not be a good option.

 

You could try scuds too, they're easier, cheaper, and breed/grow much faster than shrimp.

 

You could try scuds too, they're easier, cheaper, and breed/grow much faster than shrimp.

Found a local source of scuds. Going to give this a try. Will put them in the ghost shrimp tank and see what happens I guess. Looks like the scuds just need some vegetables and leaves to eat.

 

Best of luck

 

Can you show a picture of the sponge just to rule it out

IMG_3101.JPG

Do you think I can turn this on with the scuds in the tank?

 

I cant make out what it is

 

IMG_3101.JPG

Do you think I can turn this on with the scuds in the tank?

Need a better picture of that filter. Does it have a power head on it, or is it air powered?

 

Need a better picture of that filter. Does it have a power head on it, or is it air powered?

It's a powerhead.

Topfin 20 internal filter
Top Fin Multi-Stage Internal Filter (20 Gal): Amazon.ca: Pet Supplies

Scuds arrive in a few days.

 

It's a powerhead.

Topfin 20 internal filter
Top Fin Multi-Stage Internal Filter (20 Gal): Amazon.ca: Pet Supplies

Scuds arrive in a few days.

Don't know if op is about its been a week

 

I'm the op.

Scuds will be here soon. I have not raised scuds before. This filter is what I have laying around to use.
It creates a pretty strong current in the water. Is that OK for scuds?

 

By fitting a stocking over the intake will stop the scuds going inside and help reduce the flow