Question regarding products "specialized for shrimps"

[JohnnyBear]

Good evening all,

I'd like to ask if there is any difference between products used for normal aquariums and shrimp tanks, namely water conditioner / De-chlorinator and specialized shrimp foods.

Will feeding them stuff like algae wafers be sufficient? I know that the more branded ones boast having up to 30 vitamins and minerals and all that, but what about those cheaper $3-$5 ones? Any difference between, say Hikari Algae Wafers vs Hikari Shrimp Delight or Dennerle or Borneowild? The price tags for these really vary really greatly. Just wish to know what your opinions are.

Also for water conditioners, any difference? A LFS was trying to promote to me a shrimp-specialize brand that was almost 5x the price per liter of the normal water conditioner I use for my main tank.

Thanks!

EDIT: Can I feed shrimps blanched kangkong????

[Urban Aquaria]

Well, the foods and water conditioners for community tanks would generally be okay for most shrimps, but if you are keeping more sensitive (and hence more expensive) shrimps... then you may be more inclined to get those "specialized" shrimp products that are supposed to create a better environment for them to increase breeding rates, ease the molting process and maintain overall health.

Some people swear by certain products while others think they are just overpriced gimmicks. Personally i feel that those shrimp products do confer at least some additional benefits to the shrimps, but the cost premium to get those benefits is just many times higher than generic products.

I guess it all just depends on how much you are willing to spend on the hobby. If you've just spent $100-$200+ on a few expensive shrimps, then i guess you feel more compelled to buy the expensive shrimp products too (since you already spent so much anyways)... but on the other hand, if you bought a bulk bag of 50 x low-grade cherry shrimps for $10, i'd think you'll probably be less inclined to spend another $40-$50 on special shrimp food and vitamins/tonics just to feed them.

EDIT: Can I feed shrimps blanched kangkong????

I've fed those vegetables to my CRS and RCS shrimps before and they didn't exhibit any issues (though most of my shrimps are the average grade hardy types, not those high-end super sensitive ones).

Just make sure you wash the vegetables very thoroughly before use, in case there might still be some residual pesticides/chemicals remaining on them from the harvesting and packaging process.... or spend more and get those "organically grown" vegetables.

[JohnnyBear]

Well, the foods and water conditioners for community tanks would generally be okay for most shrimps, but if you are keeping more sensitive (and hence more expensive) shrimps... then you may be more inclined to get those "specialized" shrimp products that are supposed to create a better environment for them to increase breeding rates, ease the molting process and maintain overall health.

Some people swear by certain products while others think they are just overpriced gimmicks. Personally i feel that those shrimp products do confer at least some additional benefits to the shrimps, but the cost premium to get those benefits is just many times higher than generic products.

I guess it all just depends on how much you are willing to spend on the hobby. If you've just spent $100-$200+ on a few expensive shrimps, then i guess you feel more compelled to buy the expensive shrimp products too (since you already spent so much anyways)... but on the other hand, if you bought a bulk bag of 50 x low-grade cherry shrimps for $10, i'd think you'll probably be less inclined to spend another $40-$50 on special shrimp food and vitamins/tonics just to feed them.

Thanks for the reply. I guess it makes much more sense if you go by that logic. I was just baffled by the notion of a water conditioner selling for $65!

I've fed those vegetables to my CRS and RCS shrimps before and they didn't exhibit any issues (though most of my shrimps are the average grade hardy types, not those high-end super sensitive ones).

Just make sure you wash the vegetables very thoroughly before use, in case there might still be some residual pesticides/chemicals remaining on them from the harvesting and packaging process.... or spend more and get those "organically grown" vegetables.

My wife and I have a experimental hydroponics garden going on now, so I guess feeding the shrimps with failed batches is probably the most economical way to go.

Again, thank you for the reply.

P.S. You blog is a joy to read! Not many local aquascappers blog with such detail.