ericshrimpspot Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Just wanted to share the method that I used to reduce the number of water fleas in one of my shrimp tanks. I never really had a problem with them hurting the shrimp and they are actually beneficial, but it got to the point that there were hundreds of thousands of them on the glass, and water changes/siphoning gravel wasn't helping much. So I got this idea and within two days I actually had to search the glass to find any fleas. I'm sure there is still a decent population in the gravel which helps breakdown organic waste, and by not using a chemical or med like fenbendazole, there isn't a massive die off hiding in the substrate giving off ammonia. I'm sure it's not a new idea, but I sewed a piece of screen into a funnel shape closed at one end, and put one of my smaller convicts cichlids in it. Put a piece of lettuce in to draw the water fleas in at night and it worked PERFECTLY with no lost shrimp. I'd assume this would work with any shrimp tank pest, as they exist more frequently in shrimp tanks due to lack of predators. Crazyfishlady, Fishprinceofca, littlebirdie and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Shrimp Depot Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Just wanted to share the method that I used to reduce the number of water fleas in one of my shrimp tanks. I never really had a problem with them hurting the shrimp and they are actually beneficial, but it got to the point that there were hundreds of thousands of them on the glass, and water changes/siphoning gravel wasn't helping much. So I got this idea and within two days I actually had to search the glass to find any fleas. I'm sure there is still a decent population in the gravel which helps breakdown organic waste, and by not using a chemical or med like fenbendazole, there isn't a massive die off hiding in the substrate giving off ammonia. I'm sure it's not a new idea, but I sewed a piece of screen into a funnel shape closed at one end, and put one of my smaller convicts cichlids in it. Put a piece of lettuce in to draw the water fleas in at night and it worked PERFECTLY with no lost shrimp. I'd assume this would work with any shrimp tank pest, as they exist more frequently in shrimp takes due to lack of predators. That's a really good idea - could be altered a bit using plastic canvas etc - so long as the shrimp are not breeding and young shrimp present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyfishlady Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 I love the idea. I would have to borrow a cichlid but the one tank with so many has tons of babies too. Do Cichlids do ok in the cool tank water? I know nothing about them. I have thought about taking all the shrimp out, borrowing a cooler water predator for a weekend and letting them get fat while cleaning up the fleas and pond snails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericshrimpspot Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 I think any fish would do in the screen. Even goldfish and guppies would eat water fleas as they swim by. As for the baby shrimp it might be wise to either use a finer screen that the fleas can get through but the shrimplets can't or just take the chance that you may lose a few. For my pond snail issue in another tank I completely removed the shrimp and left a few yoyo loaches in the tank for a week or two. I've never seen another pond snail even though it is literally full of plants. gillznglass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquariumlover10 Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Why not a few smal shrimp safe fish? Like least killifish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericshrimpspot Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 I don't like to have any fish in my shrimp tanks. I personally think even "shrimp safe" fish will snatch up a baby shrimp if they have the opportunity. There really is only a couple absolutely safe fish to put in and they are strictly herbivores, like ottos and algae eaters. The problem is that while these fish may reduce the food available for pests, they also reduce the biofilm available to shrimp, and they will not eat water fleas etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyfishlady Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 I don't like to have any fish in my shrimp tanks. I personally think even "shrimp safe" fish will snatch up a baby shrimp if they have the opportunity. There really is only a couple absolutely safe fish to put in and they are strictly herbivores, like ottos and algae eaters. The problem is that while these fish may reduce the food available for pests, they also reduce the biofilm available to shrimp, and they will not eat water fleas etc. I agree - When I look at my algae covered tank sides, I sometimes have to use a magnifying glass to tell the difference between the baby shrimp and the water fleas so I doubt a fish would care about which mouth sized morsel to slurp up. I have 2 bettas but I would have to remove all the shrimp and then up the temp to make it safe for a betta. I have thought about doing this though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquariumlover10 Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 My least killifish eats the biofilm and pond snails in my tank, never touched the shrimp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewoeno Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 love this idea!!! seriously! Crazyfishlady 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericshrimpspot Posted March 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 Just wanted to give an update. After just a few days there are almost no water fleas in sight other than a few amongst the gravel. This tank didn't have much breeding going on in it, and I hadn't had new babies for about three months. I counted four or five berried and almost all the remaining females had saddles. Could be the weather change, but I find it more likely that a large number of water fleas stress the shrimp and contribute to slow breeding as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebirdie Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 This looks like something Han could make and market out of his small mesh stainless screen....if it's baby shrimp proof then it's good to go. I have a school of Celestial Pearl Danios that are very predatory with detritus worms, etc. but I hate to catch them up after turning them loose in a shrimp tank. I think this would solve my problem!!! aquariumlover10, Crazyfishlady, h4n and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquariumlover10 Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 HAN!!!!!!!!!!!! Your assistance is needed. h4n and Crazyfishlady 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4n Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 I might be able to... But... How small are water fleas compared to baby shrimps? aquariumlover10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebirdie Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 Han...they will go through your ss filter guards because I have caught them in a sieve from the hob water flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4n Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 Well that's good to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4n Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 What shape would everyone want it to be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquariumlover10 Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 Probably a rectangle would work best, because fish need more length then height. h4n 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimpie Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Just curious - but do you guys think a UV sterilizer at the proper wattage would take care of all these pests? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jadenlea Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Probably not shrimpie. Even if UV would kill them , which I have no idea about, they would have to go into the uv light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimpie Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 You would either do an inline uv with your filter or set up a separate pump to filter the water through the sterilizer light Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keiris Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 what a great idea!! following Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phreeflow Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 This is a brilliant idea. I had an issue and had to use fenbezadole...worked but I wasn't happy having to use a chemical and was super anxious the whole time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillznglass Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 Will yo-yo loaches eat detritus worms and copepods as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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