Seed Shrimp Extermination?

Does anyone know how to get rid of seed shrimp? I see about 5 to 10 of them every time I look in my fish tank and I don't necessarily like them.

I do get a few every time I clean off my pre-filter sponge, but that's only one a week or so. And I can't vacuum the gravel or I may get some of my baby cherry shrimp. While I'm asking questions, is it ok to vacuum the gravel of a cherry shrimp tank?

 

What is a seed shrimp? I think it was in another thread of yours that someone used that term, maybe it was you.

Nevermind, I see that you responded in the other thread.

Where do they come from though?

 

Yes, you should always vacuum your tank, at least every other week if not more, depending on the stock of your tank, the bio load, etc.

Also if you pack your tank with plants then you don't have to worry so much about vacuuming around the plants. At least that is what I've heard on those who keep those type of shrimp.

 

I hardly vacuum my shrimp tank, I just perform a water change. Just be careful when performing a gravel vac and check the bucket for shrimplets before tossing.

Exterminating seed shrimps is extremely difficult, the only thing you can do is try to suck them out with a siphon.

 

i'm with LyndaB, I'm pretty curious to know what a Seed Shrimp is??

 

Hope this link works of seed shrimp:

 

Seed shrimp are small crustaceans that live in vernal pools. Neat little critters. They survive living in temporary pools of water by laying water tight eggs that can last for years.

 

How do they get in your tank, though? Hitchhikers, like pest snails?


Ewwwwwwwwwwwww, gross, I just clicked on that link. They're like underwater ticks! Blech!

 

How do they get in your tank, though? Hitchhikers, like pest snails?


Ewwwwwwwwwwwww, gross, I just clicked on that link. They're like underwater ticks! Blech!

Usually through plants. Very common in planted shrimp tanks.

I sort of like them now, at first they were bothersome but they grow on you. Just tiny little dots zipping through the tank.

 

Ok, thanks all. I think i'm going to cut down my feeding to every other day since they like leftovers and start to gravel vac the few areas I can (there aren't very many), but make sure there are no shrimplets in those areas before I do. I will drop all food on the large ornament too, like using a bowl, so no food hits the gravel unless pulled off my shrimp.The seed shrimp also gather on the pre-filter sponges, so I may be able to capture some with each sponge change as well. I don't mind them if they are kept in very small numbers, just don't want an explosion of them.

And I may buy a turkey baster to pluck them out from time to time.

Good ideas?

 

Oh ok, thanks AP it worked...LyndaB you are right they do look a lot like deer ticks!! I have some tiny little creatures crawling around the bottom of my 10gal fry tank, which is why I was asking. I think tho mine are just tiny baby pond snails...They are so tiny tho it is hard to tell..I only have seen them once when examining the dirty water I had just lifted from the gravel while looking for baby MS.

 

I don't think they're shrimp at all. I think they're cooties. And unless you got your "cootie proof" shot as a kid, you're doomed!

 

Seed shrimp are also known as ostracods.

I raised my Albino Corydoras on them.

Surely your fish will eat them? Try feeding less so they have to?

 

Seed shrimp are also known as ostracods.

I raised my Albino Corydoras on them.

Surely your fish will eat them? Try feeding less so they have to?

Yeah, my neons don't seem to go after them, but maybe if I go to every other day feedings and feed less each time, they may change their minds. But that means they will also start going after my baby shrimplets as well.

 

Well, just an update. With a turkey baster, I was able to pluck out about 20 seed shrimp in about 10 minutes or so.

 

Did you make a nice scampI with them?

 

Did you make a nice scampI with them?

I could sell them as "easy to breed" crustaceans!

But as an update, I've been doing 5 minute turkey baster wars a few times a day and have probably got about 75-100 of them out...there are still plenty more, but it's worth it in the long run. I've reduced feedings to every other day for my shrimp and make sure the daily pellet feedings of the neons don't hit the ground.

So hopefully after a few weeks, they will be very sparse. But I can live with a few of them. Patience!!!