Decision Made...fire Shrimp!

I have my 10 gallon set up, minus the plants and heater and aquaclear on order. (The intank will be gone). Its still cycling but I think Ive decided on a shrimp tank with just my couple of golden mysteries and maybe a couple fancy male guppies (For population control.).Actually, I haven't fully decided on the fish yet. Is that too much? Here’s the tank minus any plants. They start showing up tomorrow.
Any advice on red shrimp is greatly appreciated.

 

I thought you were telling your shrimp to find work elsewhere, "Fire Shrimp." Don't they need some calcium, and don't they like some plants like moss?

 

I thought you were telling your shrimp to find work elsewhere, "Fire Shrimp." Don't they need some calcium, and don't they like some plants like moss?

Haha! Made you look! . Yeah, I guess I could have chosen a better title. Yep, that's all on order and to be planted Monday and continueing until a happy tank is made for them. I'm still in the starting stages.

 

The sponges will be planted with java moss (I hope) to create a tunnel and tower for them. I suspect I will be buying Java moss for a bit to quicken the process. I have a few plants on order, but Java Moss is my main goal.
Once everything settles in nicely, the shrimp come next.
Ive always been a sucker for bottom feeders even more then swimmers.

 

Plants came in! I will start planting/tying them in tomorrow!
For tonight, they are floating. I will get more later, I'm sure. But happy so far. As a “package deal” on Amazon, I wasn't expecting perfection, but I'm pleased. The moss alone is huge! Plenty to tie to DW and stuff in foam! I can hardly wait to get moving on it. Some came in a little stressed, but, in time, I'm confident it will come back strong. The anubias is lovely. Java fern looks a bit spotty. Moneywort is struggling during shipping. I'm sure I will be cutting that back like a weed once it recovers, lol.

 

 

Only problem I have is, my DW still floats, even though Ive had it soaking for a week in a bucket and now held down with rocks in my tank! Its gonna be hard to scape my tank exactly how I want for a while yet. Oh well! Gives me an excuse to keep playing with it. In the end, it will be a cherry shrimp habitat with some golden snails. The shrimp are months down the road I think.

 

I like the tank, as well as your stocking plans. Once the tank matures you shouldn't have any issues with getting guppy males. Plants definitely allow you to go a little above and beyond than a basic no plant set up.

 

For 44 bucks, I got 2 anubias, 2 (bunches) moneywort, 1 java fern, a good chunk of java moss and 7 balls. Was that a good deal? The fern and moneywort came weighted.

 

It's a decent deal. You'd have a hard time doing better.

 

I love shrimp, but every shrimp I have had ends up a tasty treat for some fish. I would only buy them now for a shrimp only tank.

 

It's a decent deal. You'd have a hard time doing better.

Yeah...the moneywort is not a fav...(I may not even keep it tbh) I'm still waiting on indica and baby tears.

 

For 44 bucks, I got 2 anubias, 2 (bunches) moneywort, 1 java fern, a good chunk of java moss and 7 balls. Was that a good deal? The fern and moneywort came weighted.

Actually it was 3 java ferns, not one. I forgot I dropped them in a clump, lol.
Got the first plants set up. Just waiting on my replacement Aquaclear so I can remove that intank filter. Rotala Indica is on the way and I am going to get baby tears for the front, and I might be done. Its a bit scraggly right now while the Java moss grows in, then I will be trimming it back like crazy, I'm sure.

 

The tank looks great! Have you gotta the shrimp yet or are you waiting to get them?

 

The tank looks great! Have you gotta the shrimp yet or are you waiting to get them?

I'm waiting until I'm sure the tank is truly stable and all the plants are in. All that's in it atm are 2 goldens and a black mystery snail.
Nitrites and Ammonia at 0. Nitrates at .5, so a little more time. Maybe a month.

 

That’s the same thing I did with my bowl. I waited about 6 months before adding my nano fish and shrimp lol. It was a long wait but it was worth it to let the plants grow in beforehand

 

That’s the same thing I did with my bowl. I waited about 6 months before adding my nano fish and shrimp lol. It was a long wait but it was worth it to let the plants grow in beforehand

Yep, nothing more annoying then dealing with resetting a loose plant while avoiding hurting your little critters. Popping out 3 snails is easier then catching dozens of shrimp, lol

 

Bahahaha! Look at the pic I managed to get! My big goldie decided to “surf” the aerator! Too funny! Look top center!

 

Blech, maybe not baby tears after all. I just read they are hard to keep. I wonder why a site I was on recommended them for “beginners?” Disappointed now, such cute little plants.

What else besides Java moss can I use as a foreground plant?

 

Yep, nothing more annoying then dealing with resetting a loose plant while avoiding hurting your little critters. Popping out 3 snails is easier then catching dozens of shrimp, lol

Oh trust me I know that feeling lol. When I first set up may bowl, I was fighting to keep one plant down while trying to plant the next lol

Blech, maybe not baby tears after all. I just read they are hard to keep. I wonder why a site I was on recommended them for “beginners?” Disappointed now, such cute little plants.

What else besides Java moss can I use as a foreground plant?

Depending on how strong your right is, you could do minI dwarf hair grass as a foreground plant. I have it in my bowl and its growing pretty well

 

Oh trust me I know that feeling lol. When I first set up may bowl, I was fighting to keep one plant down while trying to plant the next lol


Depending on how strong your right is, you could do minI dwarf hair grass as a foreground plant. I have it in my bowl and its growing pretty well

I just have a 7500k Nicrew. Nothing fancy for a 10 gallon tank. Will that be enough? I'm still debating on using Co2 booster later on down the line. I get mixed advice about it.

 

That light might be strong enough to grow some minI dwarf hair grass. If not, I'm pretty sure you can grow s. repens in the foreground

 

That light might be strong enough to grow some minI dwarf hair grass. If not, I'm pretty sure you can grow s. repens in the foreground

Ill give it a shot! What do I have to lose, a few bucks? Worth it! Thanks!

Ooh, I like the S repens! Different texture from a hair grass that (to me) looks a lot like java moss. I will look into that! Doing my research now. Thanks so much KingD! Youve been lots of help and very supportive. /hugs!

 

That's exactly what I say lol. If it works, awesome I got a nice foreground plant. If it doesn't work, I know that plant needs more than what I can give.

I love s. repens. I just added some to my 75 gallon tank a couple months back and its doing great! I can't wait for it to fill in a lot more. Your welcome Kathryn! We're all here to help each other

 

KingD. So I went to youtube to learn about foreground plants, specifically the s repens and the guy there still put it in the category with baby tears...a little easier but still a medium light plant. I responded with what tank and light I have and he recommended monte carlos, close stucture to baby tears, just a bit larger leaves, but needing less light and co2. What do you think?

 

Heres what I think my final build will look like. The aquaclear is in and the other piece of DW now that the whisper is gone. The Rotala Indica is in...just waiting to get a nice little foreground plant and let it all settle in...them hopefully some shrimp!
I am slightly concerned about the PH tho. My tap water is pretty neutral and my fiddler crab tank water is also neutral but its spiking in this tank. Did the Eco complete do that? Hard to tell by my kit, but looks like 8 to 8.5. I keep turning off the aerator, which seems to help a little...but shrimp won't like that PH from what Ive learned.

 

I have baby tears in my fish tanks; no co2 just plant fertilizer. Its doing really well! Funny ways the ones that are uprooted and floating are doing better than the planted ones... but that might change as they get better roots. I forgot to mention that its pink baby tears. It's a very pretty plant!
(Edit) It gets pretty tall though... It's about as tall as my 20 gallon high!

 

I have baby tears in my fish tanks; no co2 just plant fertilizer. Its doing really well! Funny ways the ones that are uprooted and floating are doing better than the planted ones... but that might change as they get better roots. I forgot to mention that its pink baby tears. It's a very pretty plant!
(Edit) It gets pretty tall though... It's about as tall as my 20 gallon high!

See? That's due to low light. It is reaching for light its not getting. I don't want that. I want it to stay low. Any plant can grow in low light...I'm a gardner and I struggle with part sun. My sun loving flowers will grow, but they get leggy and not as pretty as full sun.
If your ok with leggy baby tears, then that's great...but I don't want them outgrowing my background plants cuz they are unhappy.

 

I have a simple fluorescent light that works really well. I got the baby tears not too long ago from my fish store and they were already that tall. Sorry if I gave any misinformation. I was just saying my own personal experience.
Its always great to learn something new though!

 

KingD. So I went to youtube to learn about foreground plants, specifically the s repens and the guy there still put it in the category with baby tears...a little easier but still a medium light plant. I responded with what tank and light I have and he recommended monte carlos, close stucture to baby tears, just a bit larger leaves, but needing less light and co2. What do you think?

I’ve personally never kept monte carlo in my Fanks but I have seen a lot of YouTubers who keep it with great success. It’s definitely worth a shot

 

I’ve personally never kept monte carlo in my Fanks but I have seen a lot of YouTubers who keep it with great success. It’s definitely worth a shot

Figured I should update this post. Its been a month. The monte carlo is starting to grow and I finally have my RCS. They seem to be doing well so far. This is kinda a journal post, but heres the tank so far. I have 11 RCS thanks to Mcasella (regrettably I lost one). Ive only had them a week. My glass is dirty right now (been avoiding cleaning too much for the shrimp and nerites). The plants I recently got are starting to grow in. Actually, I just clipped them back. They arrived a bit leggy.
I will update when and if I get a batch of baby shrimps!

 

For 44 bucks, I got 2 anubias, 2 (bunches) moneywort, 1 java fern, a good chunk of java moss and 7 balls. Was that a good deal? The fern and moneywort came weighted.

Where did you get your plants?

 

Easy aquarium plant package feom aquarium arts on amazon. It was a pretty good deal for a starter tank.

Corrction tho, I got 3 java fern and 8 miromo balls. I'm not sure what happened to the money wart...I think that melted off...but the anubias and rest are doing well. Way more java moss then I needed tbh considering it grows like mad!

I also traded manazanita wood I have in abundance with abcdefghI for plants.

I bought the monte carlo separate on amazon.

 

Think I have my first berried shrimp! I know they are easy breeders and ect ect... but I'm a first time mom so looking for fat bellies is my JOB! Haha!
What do you think?

 

Nice looking cherries!

 

Nice looking cherries!

Yeah! Mcasella sent me some beauties! Thanks! I'm hoping shes a grandma! Hahahaha!

 

Got my first berried shrimp and I'm as giddy as a Catholic Grandma! Lol. She is fat for such a little thing too!