Any advice on how to keep filter feeder shrimp?

[edishrimp]

Hey guys!

Just wondering if any of ya'll have experience keeping filter feeder shrimp? They're fairly common here although most of the LFS tend to stock lethargic specimens that seem to be on their last legs ? Just need some advice on how to spot and pick out healthy specimens for my community tank ?  

Also, anyone know where I could find the less common wood shrimp on steroids? Let me know ? 

Common Wood Shrimp

Wood Shrimp's Buff Cousin, Vampire Shrimp

[jayc]

20 hours ago, edishrimp said:

experience keeping filter feeder shrimp?

Nothing too special is needed for these guys. They are tough.

But! they do like a faster flowing tank. You will find them sitting near the filter outlet. That's how they catch food.

So a canister filter is a must have for any filter feeder shrimp.

 

Get them, you'll love them. I can just sit and stare at them filter feeding all day.

 

[edishrimp]

Alright thanks!! I’ll probably be feeding them Bacter AE when I can find some healthy specimens [emoji846]

Oh but I have read somewhere that canisters are a little too good at what they do and whilst they keep the water really clean biologically, that polishing kinda starves the filter shrimp since there isn’t any particulates in the water [emoji848]


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[Baccus]

I have a pack of Riffle Shrimp (Australia's Bamboo shrimp equivalent) in a 4ft quite heavily planted tank with a couple of airstones running 24/7 and a large HOB filter. I run my HOB on the side of the tank so I guess I should really call it a SOT. Where the filter return flows back into the tank I have a large slab of rock leaning against another rock which the Borneo Suckers really enjoy because it catches food on the slope for them while the Riffle shrimp will often also be either on top of the rock or underneath it. But their main preferred hangout spot to feed is in the leaves of the large anubius or Java fern which is positioned in such a way that the leaves are bobbing in the current from the filter return. If I ever see the riffle shrimp actually on the filter intake I know I need to up their feeding,

Food wise they get a staple of tropical fish flakes, along with various catfish wafers, shrimp pellets (pellets made of shrimp not necessarily pellets designed especially for shrimp), algae wafers but the main thing I ensure I give me Riffle shrimp at least 3 times a week if not more is first fry powder. This I find floats and hangs in the water column for a long time and gives the Riffle shrimp ample opportunity to wiffle their fans through the mix and have a good feed. I almost never see my Riffle shrimp on the floor of the tank ( unless I have put in something REALLY tempting for them) and once again if they are regularly scavenging on the floor in the substrate they need their food increased.

Because most if not all filter feeding shrimp come from high flow and usually cool water areas they also need good oxygen content in the water (cool water holds more oxygen than warm water and running water even more so), hence my airstones running in my tanks. My tanks in summer get insanely hot so they are all open topped and to date my Riffle shrimp have not been inclined to escape, although most shrimp are well known for making a break for it when conditions are not to their liking. Oh and even though it allows easy access for the shrimp to enter the filter I run the tank height right up and over the lip of the HOB return this makes good ripples across the surface and helps with water cooling.

Hope this info helps you.

Just on a side note, because Vampire shrimp get HUGE and would be quite heavy trying to teeter on a flapping leaf if you do get some vampire shrimp it would probably be best to try and set up some sturdy timber/ drift wood in the tanks current where the vampire shrimp can safely and easily clamber and get a good foot hold while feeding.