# What size shrimp tank?



## Fishy Did

Just wondering what are thoughts about dedicated shrimp tanks? Seems to me shrimp are often suggested for tiny nano tanks which are actually not all that suitable, even for shrimp.
Looking at the photos of an 8l nano tank in the PFk magazine, there's about ten shrimp in there. Fair enough, but they also look like shrimp that have a reputation for breeding very quickly. No fish so no predation and a new shrimpkeeper would soon be looking (within months) at an overstocked tank. For example, I started with 11 cherry shrimp earlier this year and now have more like 200. They live in a big tank (290l) with fish and Amano shrimp. So an 8l isn't really that suitable for fast-breeding shrimp, not long-term.
I wouldn't keep Amano shrimp in 8l either. When the males are on a 'mating dash' they make the 4' tank look small and inadequate.
I don't know about a single macrobrachium? Or a wood/bamboo shrimp? Then again, I would guess like other shrimp these are sociable really.
If you have the more expensive harder to breed types a tiny tank isn't a great idea either. Aside from the difficulties in keeping water stable enough, I've read that shrimp are aware when they are in cramped conditions and adjust their breeding habits accordingly. You are more likely to succeed with a larger tank.
Apart from the big tank, I have two other tanks that are dedicated shrimp tanks. These are species only crystal shrimp, one is about 50l, the other 200l.
Looking at the shrimp in the 200l and I could do with another little tank to select some out. I have one of those 10l from B & M I try and grow daphnia in, but it just doesn't look big enough.
I'm just wondering what size tanks we all have for our shrimp and what are the benefits and disadvantages of various sizes? Anyone think 200l is excessive for a shrimp-only tank?! I did originally buy it thinking I could use dividers, but it hasn't happened. Now I think it gives them plenty of room to spread out and it seems to work well so I'm not thinking of changing it.


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## Michael W

I keep mine in a 30L just because I have no room in the house for bigger tanks. I have seen a lot of people use 80L + for shrimp tanks especially for the likes of CRS, it is however still doable in say a 30L but more work may be required and more attention paid and errors are potentially more damaging due to the less stable parameters compared to say the 200L in question. 

If you don't mind dedicating a 200L aquarium to shrimps and not mind the bare look until you build a large enough colony by all means go for it as I'm sure the shrimps would love it!


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## bogwood

A good question, what are Shrimp stocking levels.

I presently have  a 30.60. and  80ltr  heavilly  planted, dedicated, CRS Tanks.
30 ltr........150 crs, of which 10 are adults.
60 ltr........200 plus CRS of which 12 are adults
80 ltr........50 young. but increasing.

As with most types of fish keeping, keeping the parameters stable is easier, the bigger the volume of water.
And with delicate species of shrimps, even more important.

My 30 ltr really has too many in, and the weekly rise in TDS,and Nitrate, is noticeable.
Plus breeding activity has slowed down. Obviously there could be other factors,
However, i can manage this in the short term. 

My intention in the next few days is either, thin out the population, or set up a bigger tank. .

I have tried some smaller nano CRS tanks, but find it very hard maintaining water quality long term.
Too large a water change, is not good for the occupants.

I would  be well satisfied, with a a long shallow tank of over 150 ltrs.
Now how many could i get in there.


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## Fishy Did

Yeh! the footprint that counts more than the volume. I think I read that before


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## tim

I have a 12 ltr dedicated shrimp tank and although it looks ok the little fellas haven't thrived, soon as possible the tank will be upgraded to at least 30 if not 60 liters.


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## Fishy Did

Hiya Tim

What sort of shrimp are they? Do you think another sort might be better?


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## tim

Fishy Did said:


> Hiya Tim
> 
> What sort of shrimp are they? Do you think another sort might be better?


Hey fishy, I've tried crs,cbs pre ukaps cherries blue Jellies and I've currently got a few tiger shrimp and 1 blue jelly remaining this has been over a 3 1/2 year period so I'm leaning towards inexperience and too small a water volume, we'll see when I upgrade the tank if I'm more successful ? ?


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## Fishy Did

Michael W said:


> I
> If you don't mind dedicating a 200L aquarium to shrimps and not mind the bare look until you build a large enough colony by all means go for it as I'm sure the shrimps would love it!


 
Its doing ok, has its moments! It was begun last year with about 25 F2s, that bred from F1 hybrids from Sharnbrook. I;m hoping for tapwater -bred Taiwan bees, an illusive dream so far. I've sold on about sixty F3 to Alistair and kopite a bag each, and there hasn;t been alot of shrimplet action since ... till now anyway, its picking up again now, fingers crossed. Lucas sends out nice shrimp, so even though I haven't seen any TB's, they are still quality CBS and worth having. Probably the plan is to select some out and get new blood into the colony at the moment and we'll keep going with them.


 I keep F1's in the  50l tank


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## Fishy Did

tim said:


> Hey fishy, I've tried crs,cbs pre ukaps cherries blue Jellies and I've currently got a few tiger shrimp and 1 blue jelly remaining this has been over a 3 1/2 year period so I'm leaning towards inexperience and too small a water volume, we'll see when I upgrade the tank if I'm more successful ? ?


 
Quite a range there, both the harder and the easier to breed. Really hope you make a bigger tank work as after 3 1/2 years you really deserve to.


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## RolyMo

I have started to keep CRS in a 25ltr low tech tank. Going in with my eyes wide open and well aware that things can go wrong fast due to the size. But I have it fully planted and am doing all the things that the good people on here advise. Such as RO water, a very good substrate and watching the tank (plants and shrimp) for changes to indicate something is wrong. 

So far so good. 
Good luck


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## Lindy

I have a 54l crs/cbs tank and they are breeding well. I have started a 30cm cube that I hope to move some shrimp to. I never let my tanks get too busy and move on large numbers of juveniles that I don't want to breed with. I don't like to see over crowding.


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## Fishy Did

bogwood said:


> ...  have tried some smaller nano CRS tanks, but find it very hard maintaining water quality long term.
> Too large a water change, is not good for the occupants


 
Cheers Bogwood, thats a very good point


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## tim

Fishy Did said:


> Quite a range there, both the harder and the easier to breed. Really hope you make a bigger tank work as after 3 1/2 years you really deserve to.


Thanks fishy DiD, it's not all been bad my cbs bred but on lfs advice I added a Siamese fighter you can guess the out come lol, cherries in my 3ft breed regularly but fish keep the population in check, I'll also add whit pearls to the list which I kept and bred quite succefully until the wife dropped a glass on the tank and cracked it so I gave them away  my aim eventually is a shrimp rack, they are addictive little critters


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## Fishy Did

ldcgroomer said:


> I don't like to see over crowding.


 
 Hiya Lindy, I know its never going to be an exact science but is there a rough 'shrimp per litre' figure that you would use for 'overcrowded'?

This is one of the questions asked of contributors to 'Breeders and Keepers' Vol 1. where two breeders talk about social structure of shrimp which only develops with larger colonies (Luck and Deppler), but a couple of others (Pohler and Silva) talk about understocking for best results, giving a figure of 1 shrimp per 1-3 litres. Silva reckons problems tend to start in a 60l tank with 200 shrimp and ideal would be about 50.


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## Samuran

Great thread!
I've been wanting to get a shrimp tank for ages now, I've got old tanks I could use but not much space for them (also I'm not sure I want to use a tank that might have had copper based meds used in it). When I saw the feature in PFK I thought "ooo I could find space for that tank" then very quickly all I could think of was that it's too small a tank for any kind of colony, which I think is something everyone that keeps shrimps wants.
I'm keeping my eyes open now to try and pick up one of the Fluval EBI tanks / kits to start from but as with everything money doesnt grow on trees, well not for me anyway heh


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## Lindy

I have 7 or 8 breeding females at the moment and I think 20 would be max for me for breeding females and just a couple of males. For me tanks look over crowded when there are adult shrimp visible swarming all over a tank and not just at one place in a tank at feeding time. One female is the boss of my tank. I do have alot of plants/wood in my tank though so that is added 'standing space' too. I think minimal planting shrimp tanks should have less shrimp than heavily planted.
Sorry to be so vague. Basically, if it looks overcrowded it probably is.


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## Fishy Did

ldcgroomer said:


> One female is the boss of my tank.


 
 Really interesting! ... I've not been able to notice anything like that in my tanks.

Don't worry about being vague, that answer seems pretty good, thanks


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## basil

I've found that tanks with lower stocking density breed quicker. I introduced half a dozen mature PRL and shadow shrimp to 50L tank about 6 months ago, and I now have over 100. The females get berried, give birth and are berried again normally within 1-2 weeks. As the population increases breeding will slow, so it's my job for the weekend to thin them out again!


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