Neocaridina - cherry shrimp and daphnia feeding

[Dashrimp]

Hi all. I'm a newbie. I'm keeping a 90 litre tank with cherry shrimp and daphnia together. I'm feeding them spirulina and commercial shrimp food.

 Does anyone know what else I should be feeding them? Anyone else have this mix of tankmates?

[jayc]

There are so many varieties of food you can be feeding them.

Have a read of this Food & Nutrition section for more ideas.

Leaves, flowers, vege scraps.

Frozen bloodworms.

Bee Pollen.

 

[sdlTBfanUK]

Thats a great idea, keeping daphnia with the shrimps! I am trying to keep daphnia in a small (2L) container and after week one it appears to be working ok? I won't be able to keep the daphnia with the cherry shrimps though as there are fish with the shrimps (the daphnia is for the fish)!

There are a lot of shrimp foods out there but you may not need any extra if the tank has lots of biofilm unless there are LOTS of shrimps in the tank. As JayC states, you can feed vegetables, though they need to be organic and blanched! If you are just looking for a little boost for the shrimps I would go for a 'complete' commercial food and maybe a 'Baby' food - each manufacturer makes one of each of these, but always use less than they recommend!

Simon

[Dashrimp]

Thanks.  I was feeding the daphnia yeast before I put the shrimp in.  I am nervous about the shrimp and the yeast though. Do you think it is safe?

 

[sdlTBfanUK]

I feed my daphnia yeast and spirulina as well! I wouldn't think that yeast would affect the shrimps as long as you don't use too much, I know the spirulina is fine as that is used in shrimp foods. I buy powdered both and mix together so they get some of each every time but they aren't in the same tank as shrimps!

I would try a tiny bit first, watch closely, and increase it a little each time to be safe and cautious! I think yeast uses up oxygen so IF I am right don't use too much yeast? I have very limited knowledge on yeast though!

Simon

[Dashrimp]

Do you mix the yeast with water or do you sprinkle it dry?

[sdlTBfanUK]

I mix the 2 powders together and store that in a container then I get a small bit of warm water from the fish tank in a cup and mix the powder mix in that for a few minutes and then pour it around the daphnias tank!

Do you keep the daphnia to feed to fish, or do you just find them fascinating in there own right?

Simon

[Dashrimp]

Both. I wanted to set up a varied invertebrate tank so I went for daphnia, cherry shrimp and nerites. I love the daphnia, but when they thrive they're betta food!

[sdlTBfanUK]

They do have a curiousity as they move about. I keep mine for the betta! I haven't managed to keep them in the house during the summer, it must be too warm I guess, but usually they keep indoors in the winter ok so I fish them from the outside pond. They disappear from the pond in winter!

There is this old film about daphnia which I found interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbfc30nw1PQ

Simon

[Dashrimp]

I do love them, weird little creatures. I have a six year-old who loves water critters

[sdlTBfanUK]

I was watching mine while eating my dinner, (they're on the table) they were all down one end in a ball shape nearest the window!

Simon