Kiddy Orange Australe & Amano Shrimps

[gary35111]

Hi all, may I know if Orange Australe is compatible with Amano Shrimp (the C somthing Japonica shrimp) ?

I saw this shrimp with a brownish vertical strip from head to tail in a local fish shop. They were very big compare to cherry shrimp. I was told that they were algae-eating shrimp.

Did some searching on-line and discovered that they are C. Japonica/Amano and can grow up to 6 cm! As big as an Orange Australe can get ! There is no mention whether they are compatible with Killies or not. Some site say that they eat fish...(lucky I have not buy them yet), others praise their effectiveness and efficiency in keeping your tank away from any form of algae, 'bottom-gravels clean' and their "peaceful" temperament.

Now, I am confuse and need some help from the experts before adding a pair of these shrimps to my tank. I intend to put them in a tank with live plants, a pair of ottos and a trio of cute little kiddy killies (these orange australes are only roughly 2 cm). Will adding these shrimps post a threat to my kiddy killies?

Thanks
Gary

[TyroneGenade]

I had no problems with my Aphyosemion australe living with my Caradina sp. aff. africana but I never had young shrimp grow up with the AUS. In the case of my Chromaphyosemion poliaki I often saw the big females swimming around with a shrimp in their throwts. My shrimp grew to about 3--4 cm.

I suggest if you try this that you instal some form of refugium where you can put in a colony of shrimp that can breed so you always have shrimp available.

Good luck!

[hwchoy]

your Yamato shrimps (their Japanese vernacular name is Yamato shrimp) should be fine with most killies due to their size. they are also not known to attack fishes that are not already half or completely dead.

BTW the scientific name of this shrimp is Caridina japonica but will be changed to Caridina multidentata, the latter name is an earlier name so it is the valid one.

[gary35111]

Huh? Wow...those name Caridina...'caca'..'tata'. I hate their scientific name. Btw, how do you differentiate male and female algae eating shrimps? I would like to get a pair and hopefully they produce enough larvae for my killies to snack on.

And Mr Tyrone spoke about installing a refugium. May I know what is a 'refugium' - in aquarist hobbyist's sense? Is it very big? And how do I install one? Can it be installed in my two feet tanks? I would like my pair of shrimps to be inside my two feets tank with my trio of killies and ottos.

Another question, does Caridina eat decomposing pellets or flakes?
Thanks.

[keehoe]

I will wait till the female carry egg. Male would never carry egg. Feed them tiny bit of cooked sweet potato/ cooked green pea or sinking fish food will do.

[Pconnieae]

Btw, how do you differentiate male and female algae eating shrimps?

You can find some information here.

[promethean_spark]

These guys are very difficult to breed. The larvae must wash downstream into the ocean (salt water) where they grow and migrate back to freshwater. The larvae probably make good snacks for fry as they'll last a few hours/days before dying.

[stormhawk]

Gary, shrimps are basically scavengers so those flakes or pellets might work. Bad water quality may send them straight to shrimp heaven though.

Scientific names may be a pain in the butt but they're necessary for proper identification. Likewise it can be difficult to remember but sometimes you just have to deal with that.

These Yamato/Amano shrimps have been raised in captivity before. The free-swimming larvae need to be raised in an alkaline environment. Without help from the keeper, none of the babies will survive in normal freshwater without some miracle happening.

[gary35111]

The aquarium shopkeeper told me that when Yamato Shrimp get big, it eat fish! At least this is what happened to his tetra...and so he said. My kid killies are only the size of a tetra, better be safe than be sorry. Think I'll stick to cherry shrimps then.

Thanks all.