Pika Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 So, my first RCS arrived yesterday, slightly ahead of schedule, but it's all good because my dear SO managed to intercept them properly, and I did my 2hr drip acclimation when I got home from work late last night. Everyone looked good last night, so I took lots of pictures and finally tore myself away and went to bed. I have had a "bad" habit of routinely counting all three of my Otos in the morning to make sure they're all there (another reason teh Boy thinks I've gone crazy) but this morning one was missing! Also, the shrimp are mostly teeny weenie juvies, so I wasn't too surprised but a little disappointed I could only find two. Those were happily grazing around, so I let everyone be. Later, still no third Oto, so I poked around a little, and finally found he had wedged himself into an extra fluval edge sponge I was just letting sit in the tank to hopefully grow some stuff, since I already had one on the HOB intake! Emergency sponge shaking didn't get him out, and even emergency sponge-slitting surgery didn't get him, because he'd apparently gotten his bristly nose stuck in the sponge pores on the inside! So I plucked him out, and he seems to be fine now. Then I was thinking about the shrimp, and noticed a bigger gap in my intake prefilter sponge than I remembered, and low and behold, 6 or 7 tiny live shrimplets in the filter chamber of the HOB! Everybody got scooped out, prefilter got resecured with rubber bands to close any gaps, Oto death-trap-sponge is removed until further notice, and hopefully we're good now! Whew! Joys of newbie-dom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 I sometimes think shrimp are drawn to filters like a moth to a flame. I am glad everyone is safely back where they belong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art by Stef* Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Pictures!!! Isn't it ironic how we like to keep our critters in the largest, roomiest environment possible, are paranoid about their space, overstocking, and quality of existence, yet left to their own devices, they jam pack themselves into an area smaller than a thimble? Congrats on your new shrimp! Stef* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Water7 Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Thank you for sharing your experience! I'm glad you found your shrimp and your oto. I would love to see pictures too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pika Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Will work on pics and hopefully a journal thread soon. In sad news, stuck-Oto is looking pretty dumpy and a little pale. His adventure may have been too much for him. ETA: in happy news, shrimpies are looking great, and had several successful molts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Poor oto. Sometimes the hardest lessons in life are learned through experience. Glad to hear your shrimp are doing well though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc4PC2 Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Small ottos are very hard to find. When they don't want to be seen, they can hide really, really well. Some, you can put them in your hand, and it won't even bother them. On some if you are trying to pick something out of your tank and the otto is besides it or even on it. They will stay there until you physically move them out of the way. They don't spook easily once they are used to you and the noised in your home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicca32 Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 i like to keep the water level up on my hob so the flow isnt as strong in the tank. with just the edge of the outflow in the water shrimp tend to climb it and into the filter and eat of the filter pads and sponge. i have never had a problem with them getting chopped just dinning at a different restaurant lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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