Breeding CRS - Please advise

[traderjacob]

hi, I have set up a new 10 gallon in my son's room to try and breed red cherry shrimp but I have not had any success.  I cycled the tank for 2 weeks with a used filter insert from an existing tank, I use only water from the cold tap, aged and treated with Prime, coarse gravel, a few ornaments, lightly planted, 8-12 hours of light per day.  There is a pre-filter sponge on the intake, I do small water changes regularly, and nitrate, nitrite, ammonia levels are all zero, pH of 7.8, temp of 80F.

For some reason they are slowly dying off rather than thriving and breeding.  There is a variety of plants and algae to feed on and no other critters in the tank.

Any advice you can provide would be apprciated,

thanks

[bettabreeder]

Hello traderjacob! So first note is CRS and RCS are two different species. Crystal red shrimp (CRS) are cardina species and more advanced and Red cherry shrimp (RCS or cherry shrimp) are neocardina. Looking at your parameters I've noticed pH is too high. Shrimp like acidic water or neutral for cherries. Also the temp is too high. They are a cold loving species that want water in the low 70's. Also stability is the keep to keeping shrimp. For my shrimp tanks I stay away from regular water changes as there is too much option for error. I'll top off with distiller water (grocery store) or make it myself with a RO/DI unit. These are of course my observations and can be disputed by others who keep shrimp. I hope this helps! Cheers,
Brendan

[exv152]

Red cherries (RCS), (not CRS or cyrstal reds as mentioned ^) are actually quite resilient. I can't get these suckers to stop multiplying, even in tanks with fertilizers and co2. If they're dying off, that would indicate something is not quite right with the water parameters/quality. I have a separate 7g cube where I've got a good colony of RCS going, I've got ADA amazonia which strips the water of its hardness, so the pH is somewhere in the 6.2-6.4 range, and lots of plants, no co2, no heater, and they colour-up quite intensely. Are you using any rocks in your setup? And what kind of substrate are you using?

[traderjacob]

hi, thanks for the tips, they are Red Cherry Shrimp (RCS) and the substrate is coarse gravel.  It is lightly planted with a variety of low-light plants.  No natural rocks, just some ornaments.

Based on feedback, I will lower the temperature, try to bring the pH down, limit water changes, introduce some rocks, and increase the plant life.

Thanks for your help.

cheers

[bettabreeder]

Some rocks can leach minerals and increase your Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) that's why exv was asking do all the changes slowly tho! You don't want to shock your shrimps. Hope this helps! Feel free to pm me if you have any additional questions
Cheers,
Brendan

[fishmonger]

Normally Cherry Shrimp are rather prolific breeders. Mine stopped for a year in my home where the temperature in the house was only about 60 degrees, ya, cold house. As soon as I installed a proper furnace, they started up again within a week.  Cherry shrimp don't need much TLC, maybe just give it more time and less diligence?

[Holly]

My cherries breed regularly, and my ph is 7.8. You mentioned there is a variety of plants and algae to feed on, but are you supplementing with any other foods? As this is a new tank there might not be enough for them to eat if you are not.

[traderjacob]

hi, thanks everyone for the tips on breeding Red Cherry Shrimps (RCS), I appreciate the advice.   I think the tank is more suitable now; we do have a handful of juveniles, but it is far from prolific breeding, and I think my adults are dying off.  There is some rock, some val plants, some wood and lots of gravel, the tank is warm (82F) and well lit with natural and fluorescent lighting.  Nothing unusual in testing, just a slightly high pH (7.6). Supplemented with ground flakes, algae visible on the glass, they are always busy eating.  If anyone has any other tips I would be grateful, but I am glad that they have at least bred once in the tank, I may just get some more adults and hope for the best.

thanks again!

[sidarnold]

Good Afternoon. Based on your current parameters I believe your temperature is still too high (should be around 70 degrees F) and I believe you still need to bring your pH down (7 to 7.2). Remember these shrimp originate from cool water streams in the hilly areas of southern China. Additionally the age of the shrimp plays a role also - max. life span is about 2 years.

Sid Arnold