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Taiwan Bee Poll


BlueBolts

Taiwan Bee Poll  

  1. 1.

    • They're too expensive
    • They're too difficult
      0
    • Not ready/experience yet, ONE DAY ....
    • Inadequate information/details


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The beauty and vibrance of TB's are so overwhelming, and I've responded to numerous PM's/discussions on their WP, setup etc....BUT there seems to be nervousness on them, and thought I'd create a poll, to understand and appreciate where we (forum members) need to assist other hobbyist in dispelling some myths, and/or pitfalls etc....

Please take some time to participate in this poll, so that as a community, we can assist one another....

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I started with two red wines and only have one left. The reason i dont have more is because of price, being a full time student doesn't help. They arnt difficult to keep, i only lost one because of a smoking hot day and my water was probably 28 degrees. My fault, forgot to hook up the chiller. In my opinion they arnt as hard to keep as everyone hypes them up to bee (see what i did there?)

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As I am only new at shrimp keeping I am yet to have the tanks/space/products/knowledge to keep them alive. Being in a single income couple atm also makes cost a problem.

Before I even come close to buying a TB of any form I will need to buy a chiller for a start, maybe a RO system and the adequate water adatives. Once I have the products i'll also want to keep RCS and CBS successfully before wanting to buy 4 minchling females and a KK, RW or Shadow panda!! man I love shadow pandas!!!

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I'm Only a Student, I don't make money in any way. I won't be expecting TBs anytime soon :redface-new: Unless a miracle happens.. Come on Lottery!

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This is an interesting poll BB :D

Personally, I would love to keep TBs and would be prepared to spend the money. However, first I would want to buy a new tank to keep them in, Benibachi substrate, RO system, an oxydiser and a chiller. I figure that this equipment alone would cost over $1000. The problem is that I'm a full time student, currently unemployed and have a lot of other animals to feed (they are literally eating in to my savings XD). I also still live with my parents, and don't really have the space for an extra tank right now.

Realistically, I probably won't be prepared for TBs for another five to ten years, when I'm done with Uni and have a place of my own/money to spare. I am really, really looking forward to that day ;)

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For me it is all about the price mainly and secondly how I would cope if they died on me... Like many of the other members posts, I am formerly a student who has just finished my Uni studies (WOOHOO!) and am now looking for work, so hopefully one day soon!

@Jess 5-10 yrs hopefully they will cost the same as red cherries do today! Who knows right?

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Like many others it comes down to the price. I'm slowly getting the gear together for a rack like BB's but with a child on the way and only an average job there is no way with the prices where they are would I be able to keep them at this time.

So at this stage I enjoy looking at the videos/photos of the people on this forum that keep them and dream of the day when I'll be able to keep these beautiful shrimp

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its a multiple choice poll robert, you can choose more then 1 answer

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I voted for price and experience.

When my rack setup is complete i will try and get myself a TB or two and a bunch of mischlings to kick off my TB colony. Maybe there sellers could make TB packs with say 1 BB male and 5 F2 -F3 Mischling females ??

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Being in the fish game for 20 odd years keeping everything from Lnumber cats, discus ,apistos down to guppys I can understand why the rarer higher priced shrimp cost what they do.Would love to keep and breed but at the moment times are tuff.Due to the cost of living and putting my three kids through school I have gone from running 140 tanks to 20 and from keeping 60+ sp to7 and a feww shrimp.Although these shrimp are out of my price rang at the moment I understand that with time the price will fall as more and more people get a hold of them and breed them.To be one of the first people to have any of these shrimp or fish is not without risk and cost thus the price ...supply and demand.As the economy picks up so will the ability to afford such things .Great idear to have a poll as it will give clear reasons as to why people are shy of such shrimp.I think that from what I/ve read on this forum that a fare few people would be confident in careing for these shrimp but are unable to take the risk of loosing such an amount of money that could be spent elseware.

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Agree with daydream. I have kept all sorts of rare and hard to breed fish over the years from catfish to wild caught fish and marine so I think the I wouldn't have a problem with keeping or breeding them but the outlay is pretty big. I have spent up to $1000 on a fish but the missus doesn't see value in a pair of bluebolts. And when I get tbs.bluebolts will be the first. Just a question bb if you breed a group of mishlings would you get any tb offspring? and if so what generation mishling is best to start with? This could be my way into the world of tbs lol.

Cheers Mick

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for me its all about price as well only a high school kid don't even get over $10 a week so these shrimps are out of my league

i might keep them in taiwan for grandparents place as there are heaps cheap but anyone give me some advise to keep shrimp population low

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Thanks for all the responses to date....great to see this level of conversation, and feedback.

Totally agree with Robert, TB's are not difficult to keep, more sensitive perhaps, BUT with poll's & feedback like this, our forum can collectively create the skill set to ensure the information and answers are readily available for all hobbyist. Set-up, and understanding and respecting the WP is critical too....on completion of this poll, I will start a thread on a set-up I do for my TB's.

TB's are expensive....the 1st KK cost approx. $1.5k, and the $ has been driven down due to successful breaders like Dean & others...Due to the set-up requirements & cost, 50+% less shrimplets in comparison to CRS/CBS (brood #'s), and the minerals/RO Water...etc, I doubt they'll ever be as cheap as cherries or CRS/CBS. The challenge of successfully breeding them is awesome.......so many question asked & answered, so much learnt.

I would advise on starting with a TB (Male), and some Mishling's....I have found F2/3 x TB, would result in a small portion of TB shrimplets (1-3), but a F4+ Mishling x TB will have a greater % of TB shrimp lets..... If pateince & $ isn't too an issues, then pairs of TB's would definitely kick start the colony......

Anyway, back to the poll.......please do participate on the poll, and like members that have already contribute, please do expand on your thoughts...etc...

Thanks All....

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Bluebolts thanks ffor the heads up on breeding sucsess of what gives the best results.One thing I do understand is the cost and paitance involved in creating and maintaining such things.Agreed that they will never be as cheap as cherries but the price will eventually come down.My first pep b/nose cost me $395 each at 4cm some 10/12 years ago by the time I spent 27 months growing them and spawning and raising my first fry they had droped to$120 for 4cm fry.Have seen this happen with many fish and some shrimp sp.Ido beleve that a price will be set a a time that will make them more affordable to the majoraty but its a bit off yet.Think that its great to see this forum is so set on educating and helping out other members.Have only been on this forum for a very short period of time and must say from what I have read and seen so far I am impressed.Def would like to chat or even meet with you some time as I could see this being an enjoyable and educational chat.

Jeff

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I totally agree with Daydream!!! These rarer animals are always going to fetch a higher price. But as stated,Once more breeders get into it the price will come down! When I first started shrimp KK were $500. Now there closer to $350-$400 and thats only in a 6 month time frame.

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My sweet spot price for TBs would $200 each, so one could get 5 for $1K. This means it's a decent starting point for a colony of TBs. Just my 2-cents (pun intended) :stupid:

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Thanks for the advice on breeding percentages bb. Looks like I still need a pair of bluebolts to start with as I would prefer at least 50/50 of pure offspring.

Daydream I know where your coming from. My first longfin bn cost me $300.now a pair is worth $80. First frontosa you don't wanna know the price. I still have trouble admitting I paid that much for fish lol.

Spare I agree with $200 being a sweet price. Probably not that far away for some of them.

I remember all the L number catfish being very expensive until everyone worked out how easy they are to breed now a fish that was a few hundred dollars are worth $20. Does anyone think that the Tb will become breed able in tap water situations where they will no longer need a chiller or specialised soils/additives. That is how most fish become cheaper during the breeding process from wild caught to every day staples. Just a thought or two

Cheers Mick

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I voted for price and not being ready yet as factors for not keeping them yet.

For me, I made a decision that whilst I'm still thoroughly enjoying selectively breeding CRS/CBS and cherries I would hold off on buying the more expensives TB's. To selective breed any variety you need a fair amount of tank space, and this is already occupied with the varieties that I already keep. It works well for me, because by the time I am ready the price will have come down, and if I do lose some, it won't be as much of a painful experience for me.

I suppose I should add to this, that I am still learning about keeping crystals successfully and have had some ups and downs with them as well, so I figure until I master keeping them alive most of the time, I would not want to risk the higher valued shrimp.

All of the above is not to say, that if I was offered some to try, I would not jump on the opportunity.

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Dont know if they will everbe able to be breed in straight tap water but

have had shrimplets from 6or 7 gen crs live and breed at 28 deg not in my tank

but a freind I gave them to in brisbane.Have had fish where ph of 5.4 and tds30-50

for wild caught to breed and py 4-5 gen will breed in ph6.8-7.2 and tds 165-225.

This is something only time will tell.

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Great to see so much feed back and thoughts about the TB.

what i would like to add to this is.....

The key to breeding TB successfully is having the right tank setup. There is no secret formula that is kept by the people breeding them already :)

everyone that asks me about them get the same advice on setting up a tank for TB.

These are what all the successful breeders in Australia use.

Benibachi soil 7-10cm thick

Ro water with SaltyShrimp Bee shrimp mineral GH+ (measured to an EC reading of 200) not TDS but EC

Oxydator

UV sterilizer

chiller.

regular water changes/maintenance program. (maybe Bluebolts can help/write up a good program for this???)

:)

Now the best thing about setting up the tank correctly to house TB is that this setup is perfect for all other forms of lower grade crystals.

so once you realize how easy it is and how well it works for all other shrimp you will kick yourself for not setting up the tank correctly the first time.

If you ask any successful breeder of TB what there setup is, you will get told all of the above things are used.

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that's how i set up my tanks with tb and with success! i believe jpn has also done this now with success and hopefully honcho soon :)

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Personally it's a combination of both the price (out of my range) & as well as experience (still a noob)...Therefore too much of a gamble @ this point of my shrimp hobby...Need to learn more, be successful with breeding (building confidence) and getting the set-up to top quality (cost money again)...But wouldn't mind in the near future having a go when price drop down alittle bit more hopefully...:)

Interesting thread Bluebolts...Made me look outside the square in terms of breeding challenging/expensive shrimps...CJ

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