# Do I need to feed my Ghost Shrimp?



## ectangelo (May 17, 2011)

I'm not sure if this question goes in this topic, but I have one ghost shrimp (planning on getting 2 more) and I've had him for 4 days. He gotten more sluggish everyday. If I'm feeding my betta pellets, and he eats all of them, does my shrimp get anything to eat? :shock:


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## ectangelo (May 17, 2011)

Wow. I just realized how stupid the tread title sounds. I meant to ask whether or not my shrimp was GETTING food!


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## Echo (May 18, 2011)

if you're worried, drop a piece of algae wafer in the tank. mine would munch on that if the betta got greedy. not the whole wafer, mind you.. just a piece. those things can make a good-sized mess (ghost shrimp don't eat much).


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## ectangelo (May 17, 2011)

Thanks for the advice! But my new question is: Do they actually eat fish waste and algae?


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## Echo (May 18, 2011)

poo? no  you'll still have to clean that up. algae? the wafers, yes. i've never given algae a chance to grow in my tanks, so i'm not sure if they'll eat the live stuff. probably, tho.


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## ectangelo (May 17, 2011)

Okey dokey! thx!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

ectangelo said:


> Wow. I just realized how stupid the tread title sounds. I meant to ask whether or not my shrimp was GETTING food!


 
This just made me lol!


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## Ianthe (Jun 1, 2011)

I don't want to hijack your thread, but would putting some ghost shrimp in our 10 gallon help a recurrent algae issue at all? Or do they not eat enough to make a difference? How many would I need? I have a ten gallon with a few guppies and tetras and it is a CONSTANT algae battle. I believe the issue is my four year old constantly turning/leaving on the light... *sigh*


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

My ghost shrimp isn't a big fan of the algae wafers....Not sure why...but he goes crazy for the sinking shrimp pellets my corydoras eat.....:shock:
every now and then I drop a fish flake or two in there and he eats it up...What he doesn't eat the corydoras usually eat.


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## Echo (May 18, 2011)

if you're desperate, mystery snails are great little algae vacuums.. but they're also great little poopers. you'll need to clean the water and gravel/substrate more often. and yes, algae thrives in light. i'd hate to say remove the lightbulb, but that's always an option. i have a four-plug power block with a remote control for two of the plugs on my tanks. pop the cord for the light in one of those plugs and keep the remote out of reach.. munchkin will eventually get bored with a light that won't turn on/off on command ;-)


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

i believe in diet. a variety for both humans and beloved friends. u can always have a day of veggie based food for ur bottom feeders. they will learn to eat algae wafers. if its hard u can always mix for indirect feedings like what i do to my carnivores
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

as for live algae, they will pick at it if there is an insufficient amt of carnivore based foods
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ectangelo (May 17, 2011)

I had terrible luck with my ghost shrimp because I was unaware that they are SUUUUUPER sensitive to ammonia and such, and I hadn't finished my cycle. I realized this AFTER I killed 5 of them... :evil: My betta ate one after it shed its exoskeleton (that one was in the tank. The other 4 I put in a quarantine tank/bowl. They were purchased after that one had died) While I was sleeping, two of them jumped out, one just died, and one got scared of me, ran into the glass, and killed itself. Urghh. But anyway, I'll just feed them some algae wafers/shrimp food and some blanched vegetables, like zucchini!


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## Ianthe (Jun 1, 2011)

Echo said:


> if you're desperate, mystery snails are great little algae vacuums.. but they're also great little poopers. you'll need to clean the water and gravel/substrate more often. and yes, algae thrives in light. i'd hate to say remove the lightbulb, but that's always an option. i have a four-plug power block with a remote control for two of the plugs on my tanks. pop the cord for the light in one of those plugs and keep the remote out of reach.. munchkin will eventually get bored with a light that won't turn on/off on command ;-)



You know, that is actually a good idea! I may try it!! She has also gotten used to using it as a nightlight....but I think I will take the bulb out and just pretend I don't know what happened, LOL. Maybe go nightlight shopping ;-) I need to do something, I am sick of it looking so gross and even more sick of having to take it all apart, scrub it out, and replace rocks, plants, and decorations every 6 months...


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