What do crystal shrimp eat to grow? Keep them this way and they won't die

Crystal shrimp are a type of shrimp developed through genetic improvement of bee shrimp. Because of their good looks, they are widely kept by fish hobbyists. However, their lives are very delicate, and they can die if you are not careful at all, so management must be strengthened when keeping them. So what do crystal shrimp eat to grow? How should they be kept so they won't die?

1. What do they eat to grow?

1. Vegetables:

Mainly feed spinach, natural mulberry leaves, kelp and various other pesticide-free vegetables.

2. Feeds:

Frozen bloodworms and fish feed used for small lamp-eyed fish.

3. Grains:

There are three kinds: grains, those rich in vitamins, and vegetables. Do not use meat-based foods, or foods rich in whitening or reddening agents.

4. Things that must not be used:

(1) Aquaculture products. For example: shrimp and crab products.

(2) Bloodworms. Bloodworms absolutely must not be fed to crystal shrimp, so they are not clean.

(3) So-called additives, whitening agents, reddening agents, astaxanthin, etc. I never use these products! When an organism is healthy, it is naturally beautiful. There is no need to blindly pursue feeding crystal shrimp chemical additives and the like.

2. How to keep them:

1. Keeping techniques

(1) Choosing the fish tank

The glass fish tank chosen must not be too small; it is best to choose a fish tank of 60cm or more. If the fish tank is too small, the water volume is low and the water quality is not easy to control. The impact of water quality changes in a small tank is often the factor in the survival rate of crystal shrimp.

(2) Filters

Generally, they can be divided into undergravel filtration plus canister filtration, or the use of canister filtration. Personally, I prefer the same as a planted tank, using ordinary canister filtration equipment. Whether undergravel filtration plus canister filtration or canister filtration, the most important purpose is actually to filter dirty debris from the water and cultivate enough beneficial bacteria in the filter canister to decompose components harmful to aquatic organisms.

(3) Substrate sand

Broadly speaking, the most common and commonly used substrate for keeping crystal shrimp is soil. Alternatively, the bottom layer can first be covered with a layer of volcanic rock, then covered with soil. The bottom layer of volcanic rock has the effect of cultivating bacteria, helping to break down components harmful to aquatic organisms.

(4) Adding montmorillonite

After the water has been properly conditioned, montmorillonite, which must be added when keeping high-grade crystal shrimp, should also be placed in. It can adsorb harmful substances in the water and release trace elements.

(5) Water quality

According to the traditional method, setting up a shrimp tank takes about half a month to a month before the water quality is considered basically stable. In the past, Japan used B4 powerful nitrifying bacteria, which could set up a new tank within 2-3 days, but that thing is extremely expensive, and it cannot be bought domestically either.

(6) Driftwood and other equipment

Moss is the most commonly used type of aquatic plant in crystal shrimp tanks. Its growing requirements are very low, and it does not need much care. Just tie it to driftwood and it can be used. It helps the shrimp hide, especially during the period after the shrimp molt when they are at their most vulnerable.

2. Notes on keeping them:

(1) Water temperature

The water temperature for keeping crystal shrimp is between 24-28°C. However, when breeding crystal shrimp, the temperature should not be too high. At a water temperature between 24-26°C, the survival rate of shrimp fry is the highest. The water temperature should preferably not exceed 27°C. When the water temperature is higher than 27°C, although the female shrimp can carry eggs, the birth and survival rate of the young shrimp will be greatly reduced. When the water temperature reaches above 30°C, crystal shrimp are at risk of dying out. So controlling the water temperature well is very important.

(2) Acid/alkaline quality

Alkaline water quality is not good for keeping crystal shrimp. The suitable PH value for crystal shrimp is between 6-7. If PH<6, the water is too acidic, which causes corrosive damage to crustaceans. If PH<5, it is not suitable for keeping shrimp, and even tenacious snails may not necessarily

(3) Algae

Having a little algae in a breeding tank is beneficial. But not all algae are liked and eaten by crystal shrimp. For example, blue-green algae and filamentous algae will grow more and more, eventually covering the entire fish tank. Although they will not necessarily affect the crystal shrimp, they are very unsightly and need to be removed. But remember, crystal shrimp are very fragile aquatic organisms, and absolutely no medication may be used to deal with algae.

(4) Microorganisms

Microorganisms are also one of the food sources for crystal shrimp. It is said that 60-70% of the shrimp's food source comes from microorganisms and minerals in the water. In a healthy and stable fish tank, there are many microorganisms invisible to the naked eye. As long as there are enough microorganisms in the water, newly born crystal shrimp can absorb microorganisms from the water to survive, until they grow larger and are able to find some algae on their own or eat the food provided. Microorganisms are the most important food source for crystal shrimp. This principle is similar to the role of plankton in the ocean. Of course, adult crystal shrimp do not have to rely on microorganisms to survive. But for the young shrimp in a breeding tank, they are indeed very important.

(5) Water quality management

Regardless of whether they are large or small crystal shrimp, the stability of the water quality must be maintained as much as possible. Sudden drastic changes are a great threat to their lives, especially for shrimp born in the tank. The water quality referred to here includes the minerals (trace elements) in the water, water temperature, PH, GH, and so on. So when changing the water for a crystal shrimp tank, try to avoid changing too much water at once. It is best to change only about 20% of the water at a time.

(6) Mixed keeping

Many people worry about keeping small fish and crystal shrimp together, and about which fish will not harm crystal shrimp, and so on. The answer is bound to be very unfortunate and disappointing. Simply put, shrimp are the natural food of most fish, so mixed keeping should be avoided as much as possible. There are exceptions, actually. The otocinclus is a very gentle companion for crystal shrimp. There are also examples such as keeping a few small cyprinid fish in a crystal shrimp tank, such as neon tetras, cardinal tetras, and similar small cyprinid fish (maximum only 1cm+), which will not pose much threat to large crystal shrimp. But in a crystal shrimp breeding tank, everyone surely will not let the young shrimp take the risk of being pecked by fish.