We have prepared answers to the most frequently asked questions about the breeding of cardina, neocardina and paracaridina shrimps. It is also the main material of the new category entirely devoted to the topic of shrimps. We invite you to ask questions, which we will answer in this material or in a dedicated article.
Do helena snails eat shrimp?
Not. Clea helena snails do not hunt healthy shrimp. They are too fast for them. If we observe helena eating a shrimp in an aquarium, we can be sure that it was weak, sick or dead before the snails took care of it. In that case, the Helena snails are doing us a favor by removing the weakest individuals from the population.
Should you catch dead shrimp / fish or let the shrimps eat them?
For safety – it’s better to catch them. On the dead organic matter (dead animal) pathogens develop very quickly, which can not only adversely affect the water in the tank, but also directly threaten the health of the aquarium inhabitants. The smaller the aquarium is, the greater the risk. Moreover, the bodies of dead fish or shrimps may contain dangerous parasites which, when eaten by other fish or shrimps, may transfer to the next host.
However, if the aquarium is large, mature, stable, healthy, and the fish or shrimp simply died of old age, not catching it right away is not critically harmful. Most likely, her remains will be eaten by other inhabitants of our aquarium.
Can I keep different species of shrimp in one tank?
In nature, Caridina, Neocaridina and Paracaridina often occur together in the same locations. However, they do not intersect with each other. The difference between the conditions required is due to the history of their breeding for aquarium purposes. So there are no contraindications for keeping shrimp species of different species in one aquarium. However, we must remember about a sufficiently long acclimatization and getting the shrimps used to the conditions in which we will keep them.
However, if we want to have different color varieties of the same species in the aquarium, we must take into account that their offspring will be less intensely colored than their parents. After several generations of such crosses, we will get “wild” coloration, that is, the same color as it occurs in nature.
Can a water change kill shrimps?
Properly done, no. If, on the other hand, we change all the water, we clean the filter at the same time, and the aquarium is refilled with tap water (heavily gasified, chlorinated) of inadequate temperature, then shrimp deaths are a certainty.
How long does shrimp hide after moulting and why?
Moult is the shedding of a chitinous shell saturated with mineral salts. After moulting, the new shell is soft, so the shrimp is less protected. Until the shell has absorbed the right amount of minerals, the shrimp spends time in a safe hideout. So they hide for safety. However, when the shell gets stronger, the shrimps will reappear.
Why do shrimp come out of the aquarium?
In the wild, shrimps look for new reservoirs to settle. This instinct is also present in the aquarium. Therefore, it is worth securing the top of the aquarium against uncontrolled walks.
Will a large amount of shrimp solve the problem of algae in the aquarium?
Not. Shrimps mainly eat the organic matter deposited on the algae, and the algae themselves only to a small extent. So they are not a problem to get rid of algae.
Do shrimp lay eggs?
Yes. After the females have laid their eggs, they carry them under their abdomen. However, this is not a pregnancy, but an incubation of eggs. You can see the female fan the eggs for a long time.
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