# Cherry Shrimp Behaviour?



## Mr Bee (22 Aug 2008)

I've had my cherries a couple of weeks or so, and from the small ~half inch juveniles they were when I got them, they have now grown up a bit, with my biggest female being as big as my glowlight tetras now.

The last couple of days I've seen her do something strange - or is it normal?

She kind of swims up at the surface, upside down..... First noticed this when I put some crumbled up crab cuisine pellet in, which floated on the surface, so I assumed she was eating it off the surface (do they do this?) as that time there were 2 shrimps doing it.

Then again, yesterday she was doing it again; although this was just after feeding the fish their flake food there wasn't any free flake floating about, but can they maybe 'smell' food present and perhaps go for a look to see there is anything on the surface?

Each time, its only lasted for about 5 seconds (not doing it for a long time).  And yesterday, after a brief swim she then sat on top of the heater and climbed right up to the water surface ; and looked almost like she was trying to take a breath of air  :? 

Do shrimps take in extra air like this or anything?  There is the power cable for the internal pump, heater and the air line tubing all leading out of the tank, but she didn't actually try climbing out of the water, just looked like she stuck her antennae bits, or mouth parts out a bit.  So I'm guessing its not a water problem she was trying to escape from, as by all accounts they can easily climb up a power cable if they want to get out the water.

Any ideas, or has anyone esle seen similar behaviour from their RCS?


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## vauxhallmark (22 Aug 2008)

I wouldn't worry. They're clever little things, and can smell food extremely well. 

If you have any floating plants they'll probably learn to hang off them and grab flake when you feed the fishes too!


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## LondonDragon (22 Aug 2008)

I have seen my amanos do that in my main thank, which most likely do to the high rate of CO2 I was running for a couple of weeks. I haven't noticed that on my shrimp only tank where I have loads of cherries, then again I dont' dose any CO2 on that tank and stopped using EasyCarbo too, don't wanna kill my Crystal Red, not taking chances this time.


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## Mr Bee (22 Aug 2008)

Hmmm, could be normal then.

Incidentally, I'm not running CO2 or dosing with anything for plants.  I've only just added some live moss and a little fern yesterday, and I'm planning on just letting them grow without the use of any fert or CO2.

Oh yeah, I have discovered how much cherry shrimp LOVE moss!!


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## thebullit (24 Aug 2008)

oh yes they just love grazing and hanging out on moss. its perfectly normal for them to do that. i have floating plants and the shrimp just love to hang out in the roots of them and pick from the surface of the water.


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## Wolfenrook (25 Aug 2008)

My shrimp love floating riccia, as in they love to swim to the surface and grab some, then sink down with it and eat it...   

Ade


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