Hi all, I just wanted to know how cholla wood benefits RCS. I heard their ph buffering tannins help, but is it worth it to buy 4 3" pieces for $25? I currently have mopani wood, is that good enough? Also, what are some suggestions to improve the breeding behavior of RCS?
Dolfan, I think you have some great info for this thread fengshui, Dolfan sells cholla wood tubes, hopefully, i think he can answer your questions
RCS are easy to breed. A filtered, heated, cycled tank are all they really need. Cover plants whether fake or real are said to make them feel more secure. I've never heard that any kind of wood would help them breed, but I'm sure it won't hurt either. Maybe someone else knows if the wood will help.
Cholla wood is great with RCS or any shrimp really. It doesn't really release too much tannins. It provides a good hiding spot for shrimp when they molt and lots of surface area for biofilm foraging. It certainly isn't required by any means. 4 pieces for $25 is a bit much. I usually sell it for $2 a piece plus $7 shipping. I also sell plants so you may be interested in a package deal for some cholla and plants. I also sell cholla pieces with a little subwassertang and java moss already attached for $5 each. I also have Indian almond leaves. They are real good for shrimp too, they release a natural antibacterial in the water that is supposed to help protect from bacterial infection. They also release a little bit more tannins then cholla wood, and are a steady source of food as they break down real slowly. Many fish and shrimp breeders highly recommend them. As for breeding tips.... Lots of plants do help, specifically bushy, fine leaved plants like java moss, subwassertang, hornwort, and floaters like frogbit. Keeping very stable water parameters also helps. Do you have any fish in there with them, as almost any fish will eat shrimp babies. Best to go shrimp only if you want to breed, or provide lots of cover with plants and décor. If it's shrimp only, then try to cut back on your water changes, as less is more with shrimp, they don't have much of a bioload so you should be fine with a water change every 2-3 weeks assuming you are monitoring things. If you are starting with 10 or so, it will take some time to get your colony going. Sometimes as long as 3-6 months before you start noticing babies. They don't need much food aside from a little algae and the biofilm already present in your tank. Some supplemental feedings with blanched veggies like spinach or zucchini also helps. On another note, make sure your filter intake is covered with a sponge that prevents babies from getting sucked in. Filter intakes and fish are your 2 biggest shrimp baby killers. Shoot me a PM if interested in any plants, cholla, or Indian Almond leaves.
too much tannins/low pH will kill RCS. my tanks pH <6.0 - rcs colony wiped out pH ~7.0 - rcs colony ~30+ adults pH ~8.6 - rcs colony ~70+ adults
https://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/driftwood/141161-cholla-wood.html Link/thread of interest above. Ken
Teishokue - you are correct in that RCS need a PH above 6.5ish or so. But, tannins do not adversely affect them at all. Tannins and PH are not directly related. You can have a ton of tannins in your water and still have high PH. The tannins from Indian Almond Leaves for example are very beneficial for RCS and most shrimp breeders use them and recommend them. Cholla wood releases some tannins but not too much. You would have to put 10 or more pieces in a very small tank to notice any different in water color change.
About cholla wood - how do I get it to stay at the bottom of the tank? I've been soaking my piece for about a week, and it pops to the top if not anchored.
Depending on the size of the piece, cholla wood should only take a few days to sink to the bottom. It sounds like you may have a real thick piece so it may be taking a bit longer. It will eventually get fully water logged and sink to the bottom.
