EbiBunBun Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 They have so many different common names, wood shrimp, vampire shrimp etc. I am really interested in keeping these once my 15 gallon is more seasoned. But there isn't much very clear info on their care. Are many people keeping these kinds of filter feeding shrimp? I'm guessing that 15 gallons would be big enough to house at least one. And they need somewhere to hide? Any other tips anyone can share? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquariumlover10 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 I haven't kept them, but I know some stuff about filter feeders and I have researched these some, what I would do is get a 20g long, stuff it full of mosses and the plants, let it sit with nothing but the plants and the equipment(light, heater, sponge filter, sub) fot about 1.5-3 months, so abunch of micro stuff develops and grows, and while that is going on start a green water culture, and u can feed that also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquariumlover10 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 here's some good info, oh and vampire and wood shrimp aren't the same, I will post more links soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 LOL Haven't posted one link yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquariumlover10 Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 sorry, I can't post links from my phone, :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jadenlea Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 I have one. His name is Vlad. He lives on my sponge filter and he poops alot. .......A LOT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chibikaie Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 What do you feed him? I've read that squirting saltwater suspensions of food for corals will work. I wonder if target feeding powder-style general shrimp food would also be ok. I've tried raising green water ... I end up with brown water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyeGuy411 Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 I have wanted one of these mostly becuase of how big they can get. I have heard from people at the LFS that they shouldnt be in a tank under 20 gallons and even that is a little small. aquariumlover10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EbiBunBun Posted December 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 sorry, I can't post links from my phone, :/ No worries. In an ideal world I would have the 20 and do as you said. But I have no wheres to put one. But that may change... What do you feed him? I've read that squirting saltwater suspensions of food for corals will work. I wonder if target feeding powder-style general shrimp food would also be ok. I've tried raising green water ... I end up with brown water. I have been reading about filter feeder care like freshwater clams and that is what they do for them. I would think it would work to supplement the fan shrimps too. I thought I read of someone doing it for the flower shrimp types which are smaller. I have an idea of using a feeding basket and letting gel food dissolve through it. I noticed this when feeding my BD in a mesh breeder basket that the shrimp souffle dissolved really fast and I could see the food particles floating down into the tank below. If the shrimp had a perch that he was usually on. I would think that you could suspend the basket above him and let him do his thing and the particles would just slowly rain down. If the shrimp doesn't run away from you, which it seems in videos that I have seen they don't, then shooting droppers of powder near them would also work, especially if they perch on a sponge filter giving a very gentle current. I have wanted one of these mostly becuase of how big they can get. I have heard from people at the LFS that they shouldnt be in a tank under 20 gallons and even that is a little small. I have read from 15 - 20 minimum. What I am trying to sort out is what that is based on. Is it the bio load they produce? (Vlad poops a lot...) The room they need to run around? Doesnt seem like they run around much. Or the resources they need to feed. It seems like that last one is the most important thing besides the pooping. And they grow really slow for a shrimp. What that means exactly, I don't know. It seems they can live a few years. If its years before it reaches 6", or even at least a year. That enough time to upgrade to a bigger tank. I'm just spit balling here. I really want one () but I don't want to mistreat them. Really I want 3 so I can try breeding them, but my hubby would not be so excited about that. Soothing Shrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyeGuy411 Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 From what I have heard the size of the tank is to produce of particles for them to filter and feed from. Small tanks just dont have enough food to keep them satisfied. Your idea about letting food dissolve in mesh sounds interesting. I am curious to know what size tank Vlad is in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EbiBunBun Posted December 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 I started this thread to give Jadenlea a break LOL Vlad is in a 20 gal with a large mystery snail and dwarf shrimps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EbiBunBun Posted December 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Here is a quote from this thread I came across: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=759314&page=2 "I've kept bamboo shrimp for awhile now. One thing I think helps is to have a few of them.. I have a half dozen or so, along with a number of other shrimps. I've learned that males will sometimes climb out of tanks and go looking for, I assume, a new pond.. but of course, they don't find it. So covering the tank is a good idea if you have a male. I feed mine a variety of things. I culture microworm, which they can sift easily from the water. They get those a few times weekly, and they live for at least a week in a tank, so not to worry about die off. Fish love them too. I feed frozen daphnia sometimes, and live ones when I have them, which they also catch. I've used Golden Pearls, in the 5-50 micron size, it's ideal, and NLS Small Fry food, which is super finely powdered & works for them too. Also powdered spirulina.. I put some in a jar with water, shake it up well, then feed it. I alternate these things as much as I can. I usually shut the filter off for an hour or so when I feed them but I leave the circulation pump running so the food continues to float around for that time. I have some clams too, which eat the same basic things. I wish I could get a population of rotifers or copepods going in the tank, but fish eat them too. Going to try buying some resting cysts of copepods and see if they'll take hold in the tank once they get started. I think giving them some live food [ or frozen at least] is important, it's what they eat in nature and they are mostly wild caught, so they're used to live food. Those copepods should have been fine.. if they were able to find a current suitable to filter from. Another thing you can feed, if you don't mind growing it, is greenwater. I culture that too, sometimes several species. It's not hard to grow, need lights and food mainly and a bit of patience. I use a big 100 cc syringe to inject it in the tank. Very good for them, and they'll sift it all out in no time, so long as they have a good current. They will scrounge the bottom for food sometimes, but if they are not spending the greatest part of their day filter feeding, then the water column is likely not providing enough for them. Mine, for now, are in a 10G, with tiny fish, cherry shrimp, Vampire shrimp & one or two Green Lace fan shrimp and they are always out and about. They're quite bold really, not at all shy. Vampire shrimp are very shy by comparison, but I really do think having a number of Bamboos is key to having them stay out where you can see them. They don't appear to mind fish at all, not even my dwarf chain loaches bother them. Having plenty of plants, wood or rocks they can hang onto when they filter feed is helpful too. They are quite capable of filter feeding sitting on the bottom, but only when there is a current there they can use. I've had them hang onto a plant or decor and refuse to let go when I've taken it out of the water.. surprising how well they can hold on with those feet, given no front claws. I used to keep a Hydor Nano pump in my 29G tank when I kept them in that, for now, they have a little ornamental fountain pump, about 3 inches off the bottom of the tank. It's aimed straight along the tank length, off to one side of it, and the filter output is at the pump end of the tank too, on the long wall and provides a good current aimed toward the other long wall, so there's current in two directions and all over the tank. I even have an old sponge filter, [ made by Lee, it's a two inch thick flat cloverleaf shape], which is hung on the end wall with a suction cup. They love to hang on that to feed too, and the little shrimp pick at it. They appear to be thriving, despite being a bit crowded. I actually had one berry this year, wish I could have tried to raise the larvae. Be nice when I can set up their main tank again.. if my landlord ever gets off the pot and finishes the repairs that required I take my main tanks down last spring." This is a thread about bamboo shrimp but in this persons post it applies to both since it seems they keep both together in the same tank. I'm trying to comb through the links I have accumulated. But I see spirulina powder, powder shrimp food or crushed wafers and live micro creatures mentioned the most. Soothing Shrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDT360 Posted May 5, 2017 Report Share Posted May 5, 2017 Santanico and Pandemonium Two of my vampire shrimp IMG_4201.MOV IMG_4204.MOV Im keeping four. Two per 20g long tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDT360 Posted May 5, 2017 Report Share Posted May 5, 2017 The other two... Midnight and Toker Sorry the videos aren't better. I'll be getting an aquarium photography kit together soon IMG_4178.MOV Does anybody on here currently keep these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDT360 Posted May 5, 2017 Report Share Posted May 5, 2017 Toker is tokin'... IMG_4165.MP4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDT360 Posted May 14, 2017 Report Share Posted May 14, 2017 Santanico hanging in his teddy bear cholla apartment. IMG_4331.MOV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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