# Ghost shrimp nursery tank



## Ponera (Oct 31, 2011)

Hey, 

I am planning on buying at least 10 ghost shrimp, but they are about 1/2 to 3/4 grown. A few questions:

-does it need filtration if I do frequent (ie up to ever other day) water changes?
-How much heating is best?
-How many can I put in a 2.5 gallon with some good topography (rocks and etc)?

I'd like to maximize this opportunity and ghost shrimp seem rare where I am (haven't seen them in a year), but I don't have a lot of money to pull of a nursery tank. Ideally, since I expect some die-off (sadly), I'd like to have about 5 in total in my 33 gallon newt tank, after they take their initial toll. Ghost shrimp have a yearlong survivability in this tank, if they get through the first 48 hours. 

They DO need to get bigger, they need to be about max size or they will be sniped too easily. 

What are your suggestions? 

Thanks!!!


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## Ponera (Oct 31, 2011)

Any help on heat would be amazing.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Ponera said:


> -does it need filtration if I do frequent (ie up to ever other day) water changes?


No, but I would recommend a small sponge filter or air powered filter.



Ponera said:


> -How much heating is best?


Depends on the tank. You would buy the same heater for a tank of fish as you would shrimp. For a 2.5G tank, go with a 10w heater.



Ponera said:


> -How many can I put in a 2.5 gallon with some good topography (rocks and etc)?


About 20


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## Ponera (Oct 31, 2011)

I put 10 in and one died already. Is there a way to tell specific cause? How sensitive are these guys?


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## Ray112 (Nov 3, 2011)

I'd try to purchase a small filter to allow filtration as well as oxygen unless they may all end up dying soon


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Ponera said:


> I put 10 in and one died already. Is there a way to tell specific cause? How sensitive are these guys?


How long were they in the tank?
Shrimp are fairly hardy. There are a few things they are sensitive to.
-High ammonia
-High nitrite
-Copper medications/food
-Fish large enough to fit part of them in their mouth

Any of those in your tank?


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## Ponera (Oct 31, 2011)

they were only in the tank a few days. I've been doing water changes and there is oxygenation.

They are the only things in the tank. I slightly overfed them though, so that might have been the cause, but like i said they were only in for a few days.


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## Ray112 (Nov 3, 2011)

Ponera said:


> they were only in the tank a few days. I've been doing water changes and there is oxygenation.
> 
> They are the only things in the tank. I slightly overfed them though, so that might have been the cause, but like i said they were only in for a few days.


Yea see what happens with less food


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Shrimp do not eat much at all. Overfeeding will cause ammonia spikes, which could very easily kill the shrimp.


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## Ponera (Oct 31, 2011)

I have done my best to sick out the food, it's almost all gone and what is left will no doubt be eaten. 

I was told to feed them twice a day. BUNK I say!

Now, lets talk about breeding these guys. I know that it's supposedly easy and assuming it wasn't my gravid female that died, what can I expect out of these dudes? If they don't get big enough to live happily in the newt tank, I'll just start using them as feeders.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Twice a day is too much. These guys would be ok on twice a week.

If conditions are right, you dont really have to do anything. They will breed. Many people have much better luck breeding in a 10g+ tank.


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## Ponera (Oct 31, 2011)

I know, but I don't have space for anything more than I have.


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## Ponera (Oct 31, 2011)

Is it possible to put this shrimp tank into another tank? If I can put it in one of the goldfish tanks it will get its filtration but be a barrier to the goldfish. It has a mesh top lid made of metal, so it will not be likely penetrated by the fish.

is this a good option? I'm not sure with water flow


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

I wouldn't put anything made of metal in the tank, it will eventually rust or tarnish.

If you could find the same lid in plastic, I would say do it (assuming the goldfish tank is a decent temp and it has cycled completely). You will need to find a way to drop an sinking food in there once in a while.


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## Ponera (Oct 31, 2011)

Yeah the goldfish tanks are super overstocked, so it's a problem as far as nitrates go


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Just leave them out of the goldfish tank then. Goldfish are messy animals anyway.

Can you get an air pump or a sponge filter for the 5G?


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## Ponera (Oct 31, 2011)

Air pump has been going since day 1. I had just the two losses and recently one shed, so it looks like it may be stabilizing. Do you have any info on the potential babies and what I do with them/if I need to do anything?


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