Shrimps keep hiding

[|squee|]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum, posting up my first thread cum post here

I've 3 cherry shrimps in my tank, introduced from a previous pioneer batch of 6 or 7 one or two weeks ago. It's my first time keeping these shrimps, and I must say they are intriguing.

However, I've been having trouble actually finding this shrimps. They seem to hide out most of the time among my blyxia japonica. Only recently have I discovered two on the japonica, and that's a mere 2 or 3 times so far.

I thought they were dead, or perhaps eaten up by my fish or something. It's a 40cm tank that I'm housing them in, with glosso, a single piece of bogwood, and japonica in the back. I've only seen them around the japonica so far. Cardinal tetras, "lampeyes" ( a type of killie i believe ) and a sole SAE.

Why are they hiding?

[kadios]

Hi there!

The last time I dumped in 60 cherries into my 3 ft, it was considered good if I can spot about 6-8 of them, and that is about 10% of the total population. IMO, it is fairly normal just to spot a few of them. When you have many of them, it will be much easier to spot them. By the way, if you are keeping cichlids, then that may explain the infrequent shrimp sightings as they tend to eat shrimps.

Cheers!

Kar Hwee

[whuntley]

Perhaps they molted recently.

Fish are particularly delighted to get a dinner of "soft-shell crab" o/e so the shrimp must avoid them while the new shell hardens.

My practice has always been to provide a pile of rocks or wood with deep holes and crevices, so they can retreat to a safe haven until they are forced out to eat. YMMV.

The more they have a protected retreat space, the more they seem to come out and enjoy life.

Wright

PS I have kept only a few shrimp species. Most of my experience was with dwarf crayfish. They became so bold they would raise claws and threaten me when I approached their territory.

[|squee|]

Hey Kah Hwee and Wright,

Thanks for your quick replies. I just planted some more japonica a few hours ago, and guess what, the two of them are out again!

Perhaps what you said was correct Wright. Thanks! Kah Hwee, that's really behaviour. I'm planning to get more cherries, along with a few more other speices :P

Love those shrimps.