Japonica Shrimp as cleaners

[Apisto Mike]

I was wondering if it is safe to use japonica shrimp as cleaners in my fry tanks? The lfs claimed that they would be fine with the fry, but the is marked difference between both the size of the shrimp and fry, andthe size of the fry and fish the shrimp had been kept with. So if anybody knows, please inform me; as these guys seem like they can be real handy.

 

[scott]

i have personally never used them in fry tanks but i have heard that once the fry are freeswimming the shrimp pose little threat. don't go putting them in with your fry on my advise as it's only what i have heard and have not tried it myself. if you mean to use them for algae cleaners may i suggest another option. what i do in my fry tanks is only use the ambient light in the room rather than a striplight directly over the tank. i find that even though there doesn't seem to be enough light for algae to grow my java moss does ok it doesn't grow fast or anything but it does grow. if you mean to use them for clean up of uneaten food and other deteritus that's another story all together. i do water changes every other day in my fry tanks so i don't have much need for "cleaners" other than the gravel vac of course. if you do end up using the shrimp let me know how it works out as i have considered it in the past but never tried.

 

[fishgeek]

i find the small snail species are usueful at picking up excess bits of food

not tried shrimp and have seen mine eat frozen brine and bloodworm so assume they are capable of eating fry, whethter they would i do not know

 

[ervis]

Amano Shrimp

I'm using Amano shrimp in my fry tank. I'm sure they are quite incapable of capturing and harming a free swimming fry. They scour the tank eating algae and the cling-ons in the java moss. They also do a bang up job of cleaning up any food that isn't eaten quickly. I also have an otto in there too.

steve

 

[Apisto Mike]

well. I have had them together for 2 days now and everything seems to be alright. The fry are about 2 an 1/2 weeks old now, so they are usualy a good half inch or so off the bottom of the tank. Scott, I got them for clean-up, because even though I too do water changes every 2 days (10%) I also really really pump the food into the them, so I still need the cleaners in the tank. I had otos in there bt pulled them so mom wouldn't harrass them to death.

 

[kahunabill]

I have these shrimp with a tank of apisto's. Most of the time, they are left alone, only when they venture too close to a nesting area, they get attacked. But most of the time, the shrimp get the point that they are getting too much attention and scuttle away. None have died from protective parents. On a side note, my otto's are kinda dumb, and venture too close, and get harrassed. But they too have posed no danger to the babies, or even eggs so far.