shrimplets survival rate low in isolation box

[ryangiggs]

Hi,

I have a densely planted 3ft aquarium with 9 cardinal tetra and some PRL and RCS. After noticing that the cardinal swallowed a very young shrimplet, i decided to catch most of the shrimplets and the berried shrimps and put them in those acrylic isolotion box (with 1mm holes). However the survival rates are very low... expecially those very small ones (only abt 20% survive)... the slightly bigger ones 4-5mms are doing ok... the berried shrimps are also ok but i did lost 1 berried mum...

the cardinal seems to ignored the bigger shrimplets that are more than 5mm...

How can i increase the survival rates? Will putting in ADA soil in the box help? I already have some floaters in the box for them to hide and eat...

Wanted to put the fishes in the isolation box instead... but it is really hard to catch them with all the plants and driftwood...

[Ralph]

The water circulation in any isolation box is usually not very good, so you might want to note that the chances of your shrimplets are definitely better outside the box, in the tank. If your isolation box's holes are small enough to prevent your shrimplets from escaping, then i don't think the circulation will be good.

Also most fishes will eat anything that fits into their mouth, so you should either isolate the cardinal tetras or place more plants to provide shrimplets hiding space.

And it is understood that not 100% of your shrimplets will survive. For survivals, there can be many factors but the one factor that you can have most control over, is food. You can either get them powdered feed meant for shrimpets or dose some bacteria powder that promotes biofilm growth (organic food) for shrimplets.

I guess placing some ada soil (those already in your tank) will help as there is usually some biofilm/bacteria/algae growing on them that the shrimplets can graze on.

Other than that, also watch your water parameters and temperature.

Good luck with the shrimplets. =)

[Urban Aquaria]

Try running an air stone inside the isolation box, its usually the lack of water circulation and oxygenation in that localized area that negatively affects the berried shrimps and younger shrimplets (the stagnant water inside the isolation box fouls much faster than the water in the main tank, creating more stress for the shrimps). The shrimps are stuck in the box and can't freely swim to other areas in the main tank with better conditions, so their chances of survival tend to be lower.

If possible, look for those higher quality breeder boxes which have more holes or large mesh windows and features whereby an inbuilt air stone pulls water from the main tank into the box continuously to generate extra circulation. All those factors can help improve survival rates.

[Cmlee]

I tried to use breeder box with those input airpump before. The fry cannot survive long in those boxes, so i think shrimplets will be worst

[ryangiggs]

Thanks for all the replies...

Yes i think the poor circulation might be a big factor... but mine is a small breeder box... abt 15cm cube with 1mm holes... even with the 1mm holes, the smallest shrimplets managed to squeeze through and got into the main tank... thought of putting in an air stone in but the flow is too big for the small breeder box...

looks like i have to get a bigger breeder box with those mesh wire window... preferably with some air stone for circulation...

saw a few more berried RCS in the main tank... maybe i will leave them there and see if the shrimplets will survive the main tank better or not...