Cherry Shrimp and Marimo Ball

So I was interested in making one of those little self sustaining ecosystems, I was curious if I could use a cherry shrimp and a 1" marimo ball, together would they be enough, to sustain each other or should I also include another plant in there? Also I was reading that I could use either my establish fish tanks water, or get some water from a pond. Which would be better? If I use my fish tank water should I take the water off the top or get some dirtiness from the gravel as well? I was thinking of using a large wine bottle as the container.

 

Welcome to Fishlore, hope you get some responses today

 

Marimo from what I understand are very, very slow growing and I'm not sure it would get enough substance from the little shrimp without additions. But the cherry can eat algae that might grow elsewhere. Will it get sunlight? This is tricky... So, I'll answer what I can... I'd not use pond water... I'd use tap, if is acceptable for the fish, treated, then add a few drops of tss. Then in a few days add a few more. Check water parameters.

Oh and the plant has not much chance for survival unless very hardy and stays very small. Marimo sounds like a better choice.

 

I guess it depends on what you mean by self sustaining ecosystem. If you intend to create something that you won't have to perform maintenence on, then I'm afraid you won't find it with aquatic life. Many stores market tank kits like this (think: betta herb garden) and the idea that one will sustain the other without intervention from the owner is false.

Any animal, whether it's a shrimp or a fish or a snail, will need a filter. Plants help keep water clean by consuming Ammonia, but it's not a substitute for the nitrogen cycle.

Nano tanks are certainly doable and are very interesting little systems with the right equipment. A wine bottle is probably not an appropriate container for a shrimp, though you can use it as a very cool container for the marimo alone if you could fit it through the neck.

A wine bottle could not be heated efficiently either, which is something most shrimp need.

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I thought more about it and with my care required with my Marimo ball and shrimp... It will never be completely self sustaining. ;-) I have 30 in a 5 gallon with those balls. It all requires care and I have a filter too

 

I was reading this article.. Not sure if I'm allowed to post outside websites here.. But it was saying to use plants and shrimp (ghost, or RCS) and if you use the pond water it already has the organisms and algae the shrimp need to get started, and if you leave it in the perfect amount of filtered light neither will outgrow the other (shrimp to algae, plants to algae vice verse, any way you can think) and it would last maybe 8-10 years. Was supper curious about actually doing it, it seems like it would in theory, but not sure about practicality.. They did recommend other plants like elodea and/or Java moss as well along with a marimo ball.. Thanks for your comments guys!!


EDIT:
I should probably add that I live in Florida, so we have plenty of sun and the recommended tempurature to set your A/C at is 77 F, so the tank won't be that cold. I do have a heater in my 2.5 gal betta/African Dwarf Frog (fairly new guy) and my 5 gallon moderate to heavily planted tank, both set to 78 F just in case the A/C is a little cooler than its supposed to be.
Mao the tempurature should be (from what I understand) ideal for the shrimp. And there will be plenty of light in my room, I keep the windows open for my lucky bamboo plant in a pot and in my 5 gal tank. Just to give a decent picture of what I have going on, and the environment.