# is there shrimp you can put in fresh water?



## cichlidsguy23 (Aug 12, 2012)

i was looking at getting some shrimp to breed for my african cichlids to eat and was wondering what the best ones for that are?


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

probably a basic Cherry shrimp colony in a 10 gallon will do you fine. easiest way is to use a substrate that lowers PH like ada, a sponge filter and lots of moss.


----------



## blurry (May 10, 2010)

as neven said, they are the cheapest and easiest out there, you can get them from 50 cent each to a dollar.


----------



## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

or marble crayfish...i just replied to his other thread lol


----------



## vdub (Apr 22, 2010)

Dwarf shrimps arn't really cost effective to use as feed for cichlids or any other fish for that matter. I know cherrys are prolific at multiplying, but they are so small you'd need thousands to properly feed your cichlids. It would probably take years before you have enough cherry shrimps to be able to properly use as feed. If you feed as a treat once in a while then it should be ok.


----------



## cichlidsguy23 (Aug 12, 2012)

that was my plan. i have all the stuff for a 10 gallon tank i just need to cycle and find a place near by to get the little shrimps


----------



## gsneufeld (Jan 28, 2012)

I think I read somewhere that the Thiaminisine in shrimp and minnows and feeder goldfish and lots of other foods can cause vitamin deficiencies... 

But I've heard that guppies that you've bred in your own tank (so you know that they're not diseased) that are gut loaded can make good feeders if you need live food, why not just cut up some frozen filets of tilapia or something though? Do they not go for dead food?


----------



## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

ugh, that reminds me of the fishtanks at StupidStore I saw the other day. All the Tilapia were diseased, had huge gaping wounds, some didnt have eyes. I cant believe they are allowed to sell fish like that.


----------



## cichlidsguy23 (Aug 12, 2012)

i make my own food so i know that they are getting all the good stuff they need im just feeding them some different live foods to change it up


----------



## barvinok (Nov 20, 2011)

For cherry shrimp try
http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/freshwater-livestock-25/fs-cherry-shrimp-29933/


----------



## Ebonbolt (Aug 12, 2011)

I'm not sure about Africans, but I know most SA/CA cichlids go nuts for worms. You could dig up a couple, give them a nice rinse, and see if they'll go for that. But yea with the cherry shrimp, IMO it takes too long to get enough of them to decent size to make breeding them for food worth while, even as an occasional snack.


----------



## trout (Mar 21, 2012)

cichlidsguy23 said:


> i was looking at getting some shrimp to breed for my african cichlids to eat and was wondering what the best ones for that are?


BKK or blue bolts would be the best ones. kidding aside, might be best to do some internet searching first so your posts dont come off as though your trolling. giving you the benefit of the doubt here....so heres my 2 cents

your best best would be to just buy feeder ghost shrimp and feed them sparingly as a treat as you said they already get fed well. or set up a cherry shrimp tank (RCS) if your really set on that, breed them and sell them off to folks that *wouldnt* be using them as fish food....then take your profits and buy feeder ghost shrimp, which ironically is probably the only thing at petsmart that cost less than *$1.00*, and dont bother taking your dead plant in


----------

