# 1.5 "Tank" -- Shrimp??



## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

I have an old, large jar that I originally purchased to use as a terrarium. Plans didn't pan out so I have it just sitting around. I measured and it holds approximately 1.5 gallons of water.

I was thinking of adding a filter and using it as a small shrimp tank.

Thoughts?


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## William Zhong (May 13, 2014)

betta fish is labyrinth fish, its mean that they didnt need any filter or aerator. just let him live in 1 gallons or more, take some plants, and dont forget to feed 'em


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## Oishii03 (Jun 12, 2014)

Shrimp are really sensitive, I'm pretty sure they need a cycled tank. Since it's nearly impossible to cycle something so small, I think you should avoid putting them in there. Granted, I am no shrimp expert, so I might be wrong.


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

William Zhong said:


> betta fish is labyrinth fish, its mean that they didnt need any filter or aerator. just let him live in 1 gallons or more, take some plants, and dont forget to feed 'em


There is no betta?!?! My betta lives in a 10 gal. lol  The 1.5 gal. is a new project.



Oishii03 said:


> Shrimp are really sensitive, I'm pretty sure they need a cycled tank. Since it's nearly impossible to cycle something so small, I think you should avoid putting them in there. Granted, I am no shrimp expert, so I might be wrong.


Yeah I already have a 10 gal. that's cycled, was gonna use the sand from there to seed the 1.5 gal. Lots of people on this forum seem to have cycled small tanks, so I am not sure.

If I can cycle it then do you think it's possible?


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

I had my rili shrimp in a heavily planted ~1.7 gal bowl before moving them to a 3.5 gal. They were healthy and had tons of babies.


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## Ehmdee (Jun 29, 2013)

I've kept a thriving colony of cherries in a~1.8g Walstad hex, no filter or anything. Just very occasional water changes/top offs. It most certainly can be done successfully


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

Awesome! Sounds like shrimp are easier than I thought! Well I purchased a cheap sponge filter to go in the tank, just in case. I have seeded filter media in there at the moment... but water params are pretty stable.

Should I just go ahead and add some cherry shrimp? Worried that they'll die or something >_>


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

It's best to wait a few weeks for biofilm to develop so they can graze on it, but I didn't know this when I got my shrimp. Instead I put in a bunch of plants from my other tank and they were fine.

I don't know if you can really cycle a 1.5 gal properly, but with plants you don't need to.


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

kittenfish said:


> It's best to wait a few weeks for biofilm to develop so they can graze on it, but I didn't know this when I got my shrimp. Instead I put in a bunch of plants from my other tank and they were fine.
> 
> I don't know if you can really cycle a 1.5 gal properly, but with plants you don't need to.


Yeah I have a Java fern and some mini pellia on mopani wood in there at the moment but I think I might get rid of the Java fern -- the roots are making a mess of the water ugh!!

Any suggestions for low light, taller plants? I also ordered a ton of Java moss which I am intending to use to carpet the tank.

Also, when can I take out the seeded filter media? It's such a huge eye sore I want to get rid of it ASAP haha


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

Just an update! I brought home some Fire Red Shrimp today from my LFS! I asked for 6, and they gave me 7 lol. 2 have come to me already pregnant  So exciting! I'm acclimating them as we speak, they all seem to be doing quite well, swimming around and grazing.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Beautiful shrimp.  With a well planted jar and constant temperature (they have a pretty wide tolerance as long as it stays fairly stable), they should thrive in there.
You will have a hard time making a java moss carpet, it can be pretty unruly.


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

Olympia said:


> Beautiful shrimp.  With a well planted jar and constant temperature (they have a pretty wide tolerance as long as it stays fairly stable), they should thrive in there.
> You will have a hard time making a java moss carpet, it can be pretty unruly.


Hmmm thanks for the tip!

I also ordered some flame moss -- would that work as a better carpet?


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I dunno, never had it but it looks like it may have a better grip. The only way I can think of getting it to stay on the ground would be something like craft mesh but with a larger grid size. :/ (I got really sick of trying to secure java moss with string after a while. ..)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

Olympia said:


> I dunno, never had it but it looks like it may have a better grip. The only way I can think of getting it to stay on the ground would be something like craft mesh but with a larger grid size. :/ (I got really sick of trying to secure java moss with string after a while. ..)
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Haha yeah I have bits of java moss all over the bottom of my 10 gal. They can def be very frustrating :lol:

I was going to use a bit of mesh and sew them on using fishing string  Worse comes to worst I guess I will just wedge them under the driftwood and let them grow around the driftwood but not on the actual ground.

I just heard shrimp love moss and I want to add as many plants in the tiny space as possible to ensure better water quality


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## cindygao0217 (Jul 3, 2014)

They are really sensitive to water so the filter must be shrimp use the pm level should be 6.5 and lot of plant so I you get a tank not put him in a jar (not trying to mean)
I hope it help


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

cindygao0217 said:


> They are really sensitive to water so the filter must be shrimp use the pm level should be 6.5 and lot of plant so I you get a tank not put him in a jar (not trying to mean)
> I hope it help


These are Neocaridina Heteropoda, not their more sensitive cousins. pH of 7.5 is fine. As long as all params are stable, they will be fine.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I think the most important thing is to not move the moss at all, which should be easy in a little jar. After a constant struggle in my 20 gallon I banished my moss to be eaten my 90 gallon goldfish tank. 6 months later I was rearranging the tank and rotated the huge driftwood pieces around to find the entire back of both pieces covered in dense lush moss. Now I have an amazing centerpiece. The moss had even clung to a smooth riverstone, though that piece died on me.. So yea, moss is slow, especially if you like to rearrange things all the time.


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## cindygao0217 (Jul 3, 2014)

Just an update! I brought home some Fire Red Shrimp today from my LFS! I asked for 6, and they gave me 7 lol. 2 have come to me already pregnant  So exciting! I'm acclimating them as we speak, they all seem to be doing quite well, swimming around and grazing.

Cherry red shrimp is the real name they are really sensitive fire red shrimp is the color of it


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

Here is the mess of a bowl my shrimp used to live in:









They seemed pretty happy:









My pH was about 7.5 too.


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

Olympia said:


> I think the most important thing is to not move the moss at all, which should be easy in a little jar. After a constant struggle in my 20 gallon I banished my moss to be eaten my 90 gallon goldfish tank. 6 months later I was rearranging the tank and rotated the huge driftwood pieces around to find the entire back of both pieces covered in dense lush moss. Now I have an amazing centerpiece. The moss had even clung to a smooth riverstone, though that piece died on me.. So yea, moss is slow, especially if you like to rearrange things all the time.


Thanks for the help  Well I'll let you know how it goes  I'll give it a try as a carpet -- kinda already ordered 3 huge bags of it so I might as well make good use out of it XD



cindygao0217 said:


> Just an update! I brought home some Fire Red Shrimp today from my LFS! I asked for 6, and they gave me 7 lol. 2 have come to me already pregnant  So exciting! I'm acclimating them as we speak, they all seem to be doing quite well, swimming around and grazing.
> 
> Cherry red shrimp is the real name they are really sensitive fire red shrimp is the color of it


Yes, I realized that after doing some more research :lol: I already knew they were the same species (neocardina heteropoda), but I thought they were a different variety like the orange shrimp 

And they are doing fine, like I said -- water params are being checked everyday and temp is stable. Lots of people have nano tanks for their shrimp. They are not lethargic or sick 



kittenfish said:


> Here is the mess of a bowl my shrimp used to live in:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah my guys are very happy! Very red and active. They've been keeping themselves very busy with cleaning up the driftwood and whatnot


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