I have had three dwarf gouranmi for about two years now. No issue at all with the shrimp. I quarantined the gourami for about 5 weeks before putting them into the main tank and haven’t had any issues since. I started with 6 cherry shrimp and they have happily bred and ther are now so many i have spread some around into other tanks and even given some away to friends. Also have CPDs (my favourite fish) black neons, embers and chilli rasbora in the tank.
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Tank mates for shrimp?
- Thread starter Ben Cox
- Start date
richardcunliffe
Member
I have a similar stocking in my 60x40x40, 17 cardinals, 6 ottos and yellow neocaridina. I also have 3 honey Gouramis and the shrimp population is going crazy.
Amusingly, I was about to post a thread asking the opposite question. What would be a good micro predator to keep the shrimp population under control? Given the current stocking levels I'd like a single interesting fish, but critically, my tank is lidless. Perhaps a small group of barbs is the answer, but if anyone can suggest an alternative?
Amusingly, I was about to post a thread asking the opposite question. What would be a good micro predator to keep the shrimp population under control? Given the current stocking levels I'd like a single interesting fish, but critically, my tank is lidless. Perhaps a small group of barbs is the answer, but if anyone can suggest an alternative?
Would also suggest a Gourami, but like many I haven't had good luck with the neon or red dwarf types, usually dying from bloat in 6 months to a year.
However, I have had multiple variations of Honey Gourami and they've all been relatively peaceful shrimp tank mates and fairly long lived (4 years or so). Though I realise they aren't that much bigger than many tetras.
They might snack on a few babies but I've never struggled to grow a population in a community tank with them given enough hiding places.
However, I have had multiple variations of Honey Gourami and they've all been relatively peaceful shrimp tank mates and fairly long lived (4 years or so). Though I realise they aren't that much bigger than many tetras.
They might snack on a few babies but I've never struggled to grow a population in a community tank with them given enough hiding places.
I made the mistake of introducing some Endler guppies to a tank once, not realising how big the females get once mature.
Safe to say that guppies are ravenous and I didn't see a single juvenile shrimp after that and the colony eventually waned away.
tam
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I think a lot of the variation you'll see on advice fish and maintaining a shrimp population will depend on the habitat you've created in the tank. You can get away with some quite larged mouthed fish if you have dense planting and hardscape... and possibly also linked in how and how much you are feedingboth fish and shrimp . There a difference between fish that will never take a shrimp and having enough cover that those fish that will take a shrimp can't easily take them all.
Limiting the population but not eradicating it is more tricky. I'd be tempted just to ask your LFS if they'll trade shrimp for store credit.
Limiting the population but not eradicating it is more tricky. I'd be tempted just to ask your LFS if they'll trade shrimp for store credit.
richardcunliffe
Member
Didn't realise that!
Yea I don't want to decimate the population just not have my tank crawling with them. It's pretty heavily planted so I think the Honeys aren't causing issues. I'll try the trading route, though I like the idea of feeding shrimplets to other fish - or rather, being able to keep a fish that generally requires live food, without having to go buy that food and simultaneously controlling population from another tank. Anyone doing shrimp hunger games?
tam
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Scarlett basis maybe? They are micro preditors. They will only take babies so you might need to combine with physically removing some adults to reduce the visible population and baby production.
richardcunliffe
Member
Hi all,
cheers Darrel
I have, and I think <"it might be quite difficult"> to get a balance between <"predation and obliteration">, you might need a refugium type arrangement to maintain shrimp populations.
cheers Darrel
tam
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They are more lower 6" slow sculking around slowly looking for snacks in behaviour, so I think unlikely jumpers. Not sure how they would get on with the honeys.
