# Amano requirements



## CalRed (26 Jan 2021)

I'm looking to introduce some Amanos to my 90l setup soon. I'm inexperienced when it comes to keeping shrimp.
Despite being a relatively hardy species, are there any measures I should take before introducing them?
-My pH is between 7 and 6.5 depending on CO2 period.
-NH3 and NO2 are 0ppm
-Unsure of copper levels so maybe a copper test?
Same with calcium.
Any suggestions of how to drip acclimate effectively and carry out 50% weekly water changes would be welcomed.
Thank you


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## veerserif (26 Jan 2021)

I keep my amanos in a 100L/29gal tank, no CO2. I use soft tap water, and I bring up the KH with crushed coral (to around 2 dKH) and use Seachem Equilibrium to bring GH up to about 6 dGH. I also have a chunk of cuttlebone in there as insurance. If you don't know what your calcium levels are, and you're using tap water, try finding your local water report?
I actually got mine shipped from an online store - floated them in the bag for 15 min to acclimate to temp, then used a bit of airline tubing and a spare small bucket to drip acclimate for a further 60 minutes. This was probably excessive. I do a weekly 30 - 50% water change, the amanos have never once seemed to mind.


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## CalRed (26 Jan 2021)

I did check my water report for copper concentrations but there seemed to be such a wide range between the min and max values I wasn't sure if it would be wise to go by that. 

The calcium is on average 4.5mg/l or ppm according to my report, i've just had a look. My GH is usually 3° and KH is 0° straight from the tap. I don't currently add anything to mineralise during WCs. 

Good to know they don't seem to mind the large water changes!


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## Libba (26 Jan 2021)

CalRed said:


> I did check my water report for copper concentrations but there seemed to be such a wide range between the min and max values I wasn't sure if it would be wise to go by that.
> 
> The calcium is on average 4.5mg/l or ppm according to my report, i've just had a look. My GH is usually 3° and KH is 0° straight from the tap. I don't currently add anything to mineralise during WCs.
> 
> Good to know they don't seem to mind the large water changes!



What was the max value of copper?


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## CalRed (26 Jan 2021)

0.0669 mg/l


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## CalRed (31 Jan 2021)

Managed to pick up 4 amanos and a baby one on saturday. They've disappeared into thin air overnight. I know this is common behaviour but i've scoured the tank all day. Just hoping nothing bad has happened. Is there any way i can coax them out to check numbers ie food?


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## noodlesuk (31 Jan 2021)

CalRed said:


> Managed to pick up 4 amanos and a baby one on saturday. They've disappeared into thin air overnight. I know this is common behaviour but i've scoured the tank all day. Just hoping nothing bad has happened. Is there any way i can coax them out to check numbers ie food?


Algae wafer usually coaxes my shrimp out. They have a habit of going missing for weeks on end, then suddenly appearing, it's amazing the hiding places they find.


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## CalRed (31 Jan 2021)

Yeah i can imagine! I've got my Oto's hiding spots nailed down but these fellas are a different league. Ill try the wafers, thanks!


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## Driftless (9 Feb 2021)

I often see my "missing Amano's" when the lights are cycling down at sunset.

Or in the mouths of my GBRs in that tank.


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## jameson_uk (9 Feb 2021)

CalRed said:


> Managed to pick up 4 amanos and a baby one on saturday. They've disappeared into thin air overnight. I know this is common behaviour but i've scoured the tank all day. Just hoping nothing bad has happened. Is there any way i can coax them out to check numbers ie food?


I have nine in my 180l and they are one of the most visible occupants and the first on the scene when there is food on offer but I don't have any large fish in there to scare them and they are pretty huge shrimp now.  I don't remember them being particularly shy when first added but I suspect they would probably have hidden whilst they got used to the tank (also the water might have triggered them to molt after which they are vulnerable so will hide).   Give it a few days and I suspect you will spot them.

One thing to note is that they do go walkies.  They can walk out through the smallest of gaps and I have found a couple a few meters away from the tank (although never from my main tank which does have a reasonably sealed hood.)


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## tiger15 (9 Feb 2021)

_I keep Amano in a gallon bowl.  Water is filled up to the rim, yet they have never attempted to walk out, perhaps because they are happy with the water, no fish harassment, or lack of access to cable or plastic to cling to.  I have floaters blanketing the surface though so they can easily crawl on top and leave, but apparently feel safe and have no urge to escape.  

Everwhere says that Amano are great algae eater, but I disagree.  They don’t clean gda and gsa off glass and I have to rely on snails.  They don’t eat tough filamentous algae clado and spirogyra, only soft ones.  _


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## CalRed (9 Feb 2021)

I've no idea if they've upped and gone to be honest, not seen them for about 4 or 5 days. Water change tomorrow so we'll see if they show their faces after a good trim


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## Kevin Eades (9 Feb 2021)

Any way they may have got into the filter? I don't know the size when you got them. What filter intake you have


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## CalRed (10 Feb 2021)

Kevin Eades said:


> Any way they may have got into the filter? I don't know the size when you got them. What filter intake you have


Low and behold, three of them were in the prefilter chamber of my canister filter. Presume they must have been sucked down the skimmer as the holes on the intake don't look big enough for them to be sucked down? Its a glass 16/22 evo aqua set of lilypipes. Very strange!


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## Kevin Eades (10 Feb 2021)

CalRed said:


> Low and behold, three of them were in the prefilter chamber of my canister filter. Presume they must have been sucked down the skimmer as the holes on the intake don't look big enough for them to be sucked down? Its a glass 16/22 evo aqua set of lilypipes. Very strange!


I have the same issue with my skimmer but normally only my cherries get in. I even found a fish in the filter. Must of jumped and landed on the skimmer is my only logic. Luckily when I did my filter change I found him still alive !


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## CalRed (10 Feb 2021)

Might try and modify it to stop it happening again, maybe some mesh or netting. That is lucky! I've sucked a corydora in somehow during a water change. I could see him looking at me through my inlet hose haha


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## Kevin Eades (10 Feb 2021)

CalRed said:


> Might try and modify it to stop it happening again, maybe some mesh or netting. That is lucky! I've sucked a corydora in somehow during a water change. I could see him looking at me through my inlet hose haha


I recently tried a bit of mesh in the hole but it caused too much surface tension and it didn't skim right. Struggling to find a solution that works well at the moment. My issue is too much weight and it doesn't skim it intakes below the surface just enough not to pull the film in which is why I got it in the first place


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## CalRed (10 Feb 2021)

Kevin Eades said:


> I recently tried a bit of mesh in the hole but it caused too much surface tension and it didn't skim right. Struggling to find a solution that works well at the moment. My issue is too much weight and it doesn't skim it intakes below the surface just enough not to pull the film in which is why I got it in the first place


Tricky one! It's typical that the rare occasion i do see them they're on the opposite side of the tank. Can't imagine them venturing up to the skimmer but they obviously are. Hopefully someone else has a solution. The only other thing i can think of is during night hours, using the mesh and sacrificing the skimmer until they hide during the day again.


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## Kevin Eades (10 Feb 2021)

Mine seem to be always active very funny watching them fight over algea wafers


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## jaypeecee (10 Feb 2021)

CalRed said:


> -Unsure of copper levels so maybe a copper test?


 Hi @CalRed 

Here's some very useful bedtime reading:









						How Copper Affects Dwarf Shrimp - Shrimp and Snail Breeder
					

Exposure to high copper disrupts respiration, inhibits reproduction, reduces fertilization success, decreases fecundity of the shrimp.




					aquariumbreeder.com
				




Although the above article recommends the API and Seachem copper test kits, I would definitely not select the API test kit. I have the API copper test kit and it is not sensitive enough. The Seachem may be a better choice but it cannot reliably measure to "less than 0.01mg/l". I use a dip stick test:









						SenSafe® John's Copper Check 0-2ppm (Bottle of 25 tests)
					

This Copper colour test strip, from our SenSafe® brand allows for quick and accurate testing of Free Copper in water. This is a simple dip and read test and you will have your result within 2 minutes. Our patented aperture strips are unique in the way the water flows through them and detects the...




					www.itseurope.co.uk
				




JPC


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## CalRed (11 Feb 2021)

jaypeecee said:


> Hi @CalRed
> 
> Here's some very useful bedtime reading:
> 
> ...


Thanks jay i'll have a look later this evening and order johns copper test kit.


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## CalRed (19 Feb 2021)

Kevin Eades said:


> I have the same issue with my skimmer but normally only my cherries get in. I even found a fish in the filter. Must of jumped and landed on the skimmer is my only logic. Luckily when I did my filter change I found him still alive !


Trying this currently and seems to be working so far. Needs cleaning every couple of days but its keeping the shrimp where they're supposed to be. I clean the skimmer regularly so it requires no extra effort really. Its just some fine netting with the relevant holes cut.


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## Simmo (7 Mar 2021)

Can I clarify something? My query is very similar as have soft water and have ordered some Amanos. Where do Amanos get their calcium from? If I feed them with a shrimp food that is calcium enriched and have a whole cuttle bone for them to graze on (will they?) do I also need to increase hardness of my very soft water? If they absorb enough calcium in their diet is it needed in the water? Thanks


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