Shrimp not interested in food?

[Memphis118]

I recently set up a PRL CRS 17 gallon tank, and have around 25-30 shrimp in there now. Anytime I put in outside food they just don't seem interested at all. None of them flock to it, they just pretty much continue to pick at the moss and or drift wood. Every other day, I dose Biozyme and GG Bacter AE (not the same days, alternating).

Someone once told me, that if they have more than enough food to eat in the tank, chances are they won't be flocking towards the new food being given to them. Is this true? Or is something else wrong with the tank?

PH 6.3-6.4

Temp 73

GH 5

KH 0-1

Nitrates 5-10ppm

The tank has a fairly good amount of moss, fissidens, and Staurogyne repens plants. 

[jayc]

13 hours ago, Memphis118 said:

Anytime I put in outside food they just don't seem interested at all.

Depends on what food you add in. I have not seen shrimp ignore my DIY food ... yet.?

But in general, YES, if you have enough biofilm in the tank, the shrimp prefer to eat that over unappetising food. And it looks like you are adding enough bacter AE & genchem biozyme to be developing biofilm.

What food is it that they are not eating? 

 

[Memphis118]

3 hours ago, jayc said:

Depends on what food you add in. I have not seen shrimp ignore my DIY food ... yet.

But in general, YES, if you have enough biofilm in the tank, the shrimp prefer to eat that over unappetising food. And it looks like you are adding enough bacter AE & genchem biozyme to be developing biofilm.

What food is it that they are not eating? 

 

So far, I've tried.... some of the following stuff:

Snowflake food

MK- Breed Cheese burger

CSF Edge Omnia Pro

CSF Exclusive Pure mineral

 

[jayc]

1 hour ago, Memphis118 said:

Snowflake food

Well snowflake is not a type of food that Shrimp will flock to in droves.

But we use it as a great holiday food, that can be added into the tank and does not break down for days. It doesn't foul the water even if it is left in the tank for a week.

Shrimp don't eat snowflake straight away when it's dropped into the tank. They will only start nibbling at it after a couple of days when it softens.

Snowflake is just a fancy name for what it actually is ... this is actually soy husks. The same soy husks that are fed to horses. Sold in 25kg bags for a fraction of the price paid when it is relabelled as shrimp food. It's a by product of making tofu.

 

1 hour ago, Memphis118 said:

CSF Exclusive Pure mineral

This ^^^

isn't really food either. It's just minerals in a pellet form. Can't blame the shrimp for not eating it. It probably doesn't taste like food.

 

1 hour ago, Memphis118 said:

MK- Breed Cheese burger

CSF Edge Omnia Pro

No comment on these two. Have not used them. But they seem to have some .... exotic (weird) ingredients.

Just because humans will eat chia seeds, doesn't mean a shrimp will.

Healing Earth - WTF!

 

My suggestion would be to try a feeding schedule of once every 3 days. So you are only feeding them once every 3 days.

Mix it up with some fresh food, instead of using processed food. Veges, leaves, flowers are a great supplement, just blanch and drop into the tank.

If you want a little project, try my DIY food.

 

Edited January 31, 2018 by jayc