Disappearing Ghost Shrimp

[Mr. Zee]

Hello folks. I have a 55gal pH6.4, soft water 81F tank with 5 cardinals,
11 Black Neon's, 1 pair of blue rams, 2 3/4 inch Chinese algae eaters, a
pleco which I see once in a while and one cory cat. The water and tank are
VERY stable, I've had these fish for over 6 months no with 3X weekly water
changes. No losses. In the last month I've tried to add some
Ghost/Glass/Ammno Shrimp. After a couple of day they just disappear! The
first one I added a month ago. he was fine for about 4 days, walking around
and eating. (SO cool to watch.) Then he just disappeared! I bought two
more three days ago. I saw them until yesterday. Now they are gone! What
give? Any advise? I've heard they can climb out of the tank but I have a
glass cover on it. It's not air tight but pretty solid. I'd so much like
to keep these little critters, their so much fun to watch. By the way they
were all about 1" to perhaps 1.5 ". Thanks!

[Elaine T]

Mr. Zee wrote:
> Hello folks. I have a 55gal pH6.4, soft water 81F tank with 5 cardinals,
> 11 Black Neon's, 1 pair of blue rams, 2 3/4 inch Chinese algae eaters, a
> pleco which I see once in a while and one cory cat. The water and tank are
> VERY stable, I've had these fish for over 6 months no with 3X weekly water
> changes. No losses. In the last month I've tried to add some
> Ghost/Glass/Ammno Shrimp. After a couple of day they just disappear! The
> first one I added a month ago. he was fine for about 4 days, walking around
> and eating. (SO cool to watch.) Then he just disappeared! I bought two
> more three days ago. I saw them until yesterday. Now they are gone! What
> give? Any advise? I've heard they can climb out of the tank but I have a
> glass cover on it. It's not air tight but pretty solid. I'd so much like
> to keep these little critters, their so much fun to watch. By the way they
> were all about 1" to perhaps 1.5 ". Thanks!
>
>
Real Amano shrimp (and other Caridina spp.) are escape artists and IME
your tank must be VERY well covered. Ghost/glass shrimp are tasty and
not as quick as the Amanos, and it's possible the rams could be eating them.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Fallout]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...
> Mr. Zee wrote:
>> Hello folks. I have a 55gal pH6.4, soft water 81F tank with 5
>> cardinals, 11 Black Neon's, 1 pair of blue rams, 2 3/4 inch Chinese algae
>> eaters, a pleco which I see once in a while and one cory cat. The water
>> and tank are VERY stable, I've had these fish for over 6 months no with
>> 3X weekly water changes. No losses. In the last month I've tried to add
>> some Ghost/Glass/Ammno Shrimp. After a couple of day they just
>> disappear! The first one I added a month ago. he was fine for about 4
>> days, walking around and eating. (SO cool to watch.) Then he just
>> disappeared! I bought two more three days ago. I saw them until
>> yesterday. Now they are gone! What give? Any advise? I've heard they
>> can climb out of the tank but I have a glass cover on it. It's not air
>> tight but pretty solid. I'd so much like to keep these little critters,
>> their so much fun to watch. By the way they were all about 1" to perhaps
>> 1.5 ". Thanks!
>>
>>
> Real Amano shrimp (and other Caridina spp.) are escape artists and IME
> your tank must be VERY well covered. Ghost/glass shrimp are tasty and not
> as quick as the Amanos, and it's possible the rams could be eating them.
>
> --
> Elaine T __
> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
> rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

I can vouch for their escapology skills. I put 3 of these in my tank over
the weekend, the next day I found one all dried out, half way down the
stairs, a good 7-8 metres from the tank. I hope the others remain in the
tank until I can get a better cover plate. Fascinating little creatures.

-Jon

[Mr. Zee]

Well that's it I guess. I don't want to have the poor things dying on me.
I didn't find them yet but I assume they got out. They were cool to watch
though. (I also saw in my dealers tank something like a fiddler crab.
(About the size of a half dollar. Anyone have any experience with them?)


"Fallout" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Elaine T" > wrote in message
> m...
>> Mr. Zee wrote:
>>> Hello folks. I have a 55gal pH6.4, soft water 81F tank with 5
>>> cardinals, 11 Black Neon's, 1 pair of blue rams, 2 3/4 inch Chinese
>>> algae eaters, a pleco which I see once in a while and one cory cat. The
>>> water and tank are VERY stable, I've had these fish for over 6 months no
>>> with 3X weekly water changes. No losses. In the last month I've tried
>>> to add some Ghost/Glass/Ammno Shrimp. After a couple of day they just
>>> disappear! The first one I added a month ago. he was fine for about 4
>>> days, walking around and eating. (SO cool to watch.) Then he just
>>> disappeared! I bought two more three days ago. I saw them until
>>> yesterday. Now they are gone! What give? Any advise? I've heard they
>>> can climb out of the tank but I have a glass cover on it. It's not air
>>> tight but pretty solid. I'd so much like to keep these little critters,
>>> their so much fun to watch. By the way they were all about 1" to
>>> perhaps 1.5 ". Thanks!
>>>
>>>
>> Real Amano shrimp (and other Caridina spp.) are escape artists and IME
>> your tank must be VERY well covered. Ghost/glass shrimp are tasty and
>> not as quick as the Amanos, and it's possible the rams could be eating
>> them.
>>
>> --
>> Elaine T __
>> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
>> rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com
>
> I can vouch for their escapology skills. I put 3 of these in my tank over
> the weekend, the next day I found one all dried out, half way down the
> stairs, a good 7-8 metres from the tank. I hope the others remain in the
> tank until I can get a better cover plate. Fascinating little creatures.
>
> -Jon
>

[Elaine T]

Mr. Zee wrote:
> Well that's it I guess. I don't want to have the poor things dying on me.
> I didn't find them yet but I assume they got out. They were cool to watch
> though. (I also saw in my dealers tank something like a fiddler crab.
> (About the size of a half dollar. Anyone have any experience with them?)

Make sure you know the species and habits of any crab you consider
before you buy. There are some crabs in the hobby that are brackish,
some that must have a dry area where they can sit, and others with
large, quick claws that can catch and eat fish like tetras.

Also, I don't know how much cover you have in your tank, but my Amano
shrimp will sometimes disappear in my "jungle tanks" for a week or two,
only to reappear in plain view sitting on a plant leaf.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Mr. Zee]

Thanks for the tip, yea I'll pass on the crabs. I want to give discus a try
bin a couple of months in this planted tank so I don't need anything that
will spook them. (Or me!) Perhaps your right about them hiding. My tank
is heavely planted and it's almost impossible to see in the back. Maybe
they are there. Thanks again to all for the tips...

Zee


"Elaine T" > wrote in message
. ..
> Mr. Zee wrote:
>> Well that's it I guess. I don't want to have the poor things dying on
>> me. I didn't find them yet but I assume they got out. They were cool to
>> watch though. (I also saw in my dealers tank something like a fiddler
>> crab. (About the size of a half dollar. Anyone have any experience with
>> them?)
>
> Make sure you know the species and habits of any crab you consider before
> you buy. There are some crabs in the hobby that are brackish, some that
> must have a dry area where they can sit, and others with large, quick
> claws that can catch and eat fish like tetras.
>
> Also, I don't know how much cover you have in your tank, but my Amano
> shrimp will sometimes disappear in my "jungle tanks" for a week or two,
> only to reappear in plain view sitting on a plant leaf.
>
> --
> Elaine T __
> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
> rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com