Any shrimp experts out there?

[succinctfish]

I have been researching on the internet trying to get more info on shrimp, and it's not easy to find, especially if you don't speak german.  Why are all the cool fish sites german?(except OVAS of course, which is a cool fish site )

I am planning a 15 gallon tank, funny dimensions which I can't remember offhand, more of a cube than a regular 15, and I'm trying to figure out if there is a wee filter feeding shrimp that would be happy in there.  It's a tank for small critters, I have some Poeciliocharax weitzmani,  and furcata rainbowfish that are going to go in there.  I am planning to put a couple of otocinclis in and a cool snail (like the nerite I got at sp kanata if I can ever find it in the 90 gallon), or a thorny snail if we ever get some more in Ottawa.  I'd also like to put in a few cherry shrimp.  I know the furcata will eat the babies if the shrimp have any, but I'm not trying to breed the shrimp in there. It will be planted of course, with driftwood and small rocks.  I would like an appropriate sized filter feeding shrimp in there. I really miss watching my vampire shrimp feeding, so I would like a much smaller relative for this tank. Any suggestions?  Has anyone seen something at local lfs that would be appropriate, or know of any place I could order from?

[Laura]

You may want to check out petshrimp.com if you don't already know that site.

I've seen the bamboo shrimp in LFS http://www.petshrimp.com/bambooshrimp.html

I think you'll run into ph/hardness issues though - your snails and I think your rainbows like harder more alkaline water, and this guy likes soft acidic water (athough does okay in a range says the page)

[succinctfish]

I'm going to have to keep an eye on the ph issue anyway, as the weitzmani and the furcata have a very small overlap in requirements, as the weitzmani like the ph lower than the furcata.  I have the two together now, and all is well, but I monitor it, and do small water changes daily, as my water tends to be in the low ph range, and also the furcata are very sensitive to nitrites.  I do know about petshrimp.com. It's a good site for information, but I couldn't seem to find a definitive answer about space requirements for the bamboo shrimp.  It is a 15 gallon, and the shrimp is between 3-4 inches.  Is this enough space for it?  And aesthetically, because everyone else is so small, will it seem even more gargantuan in comparison?    I just want to make sure that the shrimp I pick is going to be happy in its new home.   I have a penguin mini with a biowheel that I am planning on adding to ensure water movement, and I will place driftwood near it that the shrimp can hang out on to feed if it likes.

[Shrimpy]

If you get amano or cherry shrimp I wouldn't worry about hardness or pH too much. I'm on well water which is very hard and my pH out of the tap is around 8.6-8.9. They seem to like it. Make sure you have hiding places for your shrimp. They like to hide after molting. 

[mseguin]

I believe I still have a few wood shrimp left at SP Kanata

[zapisto]

go with Atyopsis moluccensis not with Atya gabonensis who will become to big at my opinion for this tank.
but be aware of the PH moluccensis prefer acidic/soft water  even if they can adapt to wide range ph , they do better in acidic/soft water
chery like alkaline/hard water even if they can adapt to lower ph and hardness they do better in alkaline/hard water.

if you water tend to be acidic/soft you can replace chery with bee, crs or tiger shrimp.

If you get amano or cherry shrimp I wouldn't worry about hardness or pH too much. I'm on well water which is very hard and my pH out of the tap is around 8.6-8.9. They seem to like it. Smiley Make sure you have hiding places for your shrimp. They like to hide after molting.

yes but cherry will not like it so much in an acidic/soft environnement.
they will live but depnd of how low ph is , will not reproduce.
and i am agree on hiding place

[succinctfish]

thanks zap, yes, I have had atya gabonensis in a 90 gallon, great shrimp.  I wouldn't put one in a 15, especially shaped the way my 15 gallon is.  I will reconsider the cherry shrimp, and look into your suggested alternatives.  At this point, I am leaning toward a atyopsis moluccensis, I just find the size listed for them is different on various sites, anywhere from 6-12 centimetres, which is quite the range. 
Matt, can you tell me anything about the shrimp you have there, price, size etc.?  Should I just have one of these shrimp in this tank considering the other occupants, or could I have more?
Yes, shrimpy and zap, I know hiding places are important.  I haven't decided exactly what I will use in this setup, but it's in the back of my mind.  Thanks for the reminder.