A potential new weapon vs hair algae

[Whisperer]

Hi guys, I figure I will post this in a separate thread. I mentioned this in another thread earlier. It pertains to solving green hair algae problem.
In that thread I said I have these somewhat drab, colorless shrimps that I catch in my dock all the time. They were always with eggs, so I figure the shrimp frys would be great snacks for the mandarins in my 10G QT tank.
In another thread I posted pics of my clam. Someone noticed and mentioned the hair algae in that pic. I was having a really bad GHA problem in my display tank. The GHA covers all light-exposed sufaces including the oyster shells I tossed on the sandbed for the pods to hide at.
Anyways, I figured, there must be pods in those hair algae. So in goes one oyster shell covered with hair algae to the 10G QT tank (for the mandarins to pic some pods, hopefully).
The following pics will tell the rest of the story. They were taken less than 2 days apart. There were about 15 small shrimps in that tank. LooK...
Upon placement of the oyster shell with GHA,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jerrygarciamd/DSC_00012.jpg

Less than 48 hours later,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jerrygarciamd/DSC_00282.jpg
What do u guys think?
This is a new GHA-covered branch LR for their next project.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jerrygarciamd/DSC_00302.jpg
We'll see what happens in 2 days. Just sharing my new friends :D

[theatrus]

Nice. Its like how freshwater glass shrimp will eat hair algae in freshwater systems.

[kfisc]

I think that if you can manage to replicate the results, discern if there's any potential downsides, and find an investor, you've got a fairly good money-maker for some time to come.

[Whisperer]

oops, double posted.

[Whisperer]

The salinity of the river is almost that of fresh water even though it drains to the Gulf of Mexico. So, I think they are more of freshwater/brackish kinda shrimps. Amazingly, I never acclimate them to the SW. I just toss them in when I catch them and they dont get shocked. Not to sound cruel but I originally meant for them to be some kind of food supplement for my fishies. I guess, I'll be good to them now. :D
They are very timid. They do not bother the mandarins and the baby hippos in that QT tank. The 2 baby hippos sleep flat on the glass floor, the shrimps do not bother them.
The upside: They are always pregnant...meaning fish snacks. :D

[theatrus]

Be interesting to know the species - there are a lot of clear shrimp though - interesting about the fresh->salt transition as well.

Makes me wonder if freshwater glass feeder shrimp would survive... if not they're food anyway :)

[Whisperer]

bump.

[chrisstie]

If it helps I grew up on the gulf on an island and there were little clear shrimps like that that were 100% saltwater.

I wonder if they are the same? You could take a net to a piling encrusted with barnacles and they'd jump out into the net

[Whisperer]

I think they may be the same ones I catch here. After all, these are now in saltwater and are doing well. If that's the case, these shrimps may be a hardy specie.
Just for fun I took this pic this morning, she trying to snag a nauplii, see if this look like the ones you've seen.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jerrygarciamd/DSC_0014.jpg

[flfirefighter13]

Nopt sure if there the same critters but check out the marine shrimp janitor and feeders sold here.

http://mariculturetechnology.com/Foods.htm

http://mariculturetechnology.com/ShrimpJanitor.htm for more info

Ive got abunch and they seem to eat detritous like its going out of style, My only tank with GHA currently is full of carnivores so the shrimp dont have a chance, next order i place ill toss a bucnh in a tank with some GHA and see what i get,

[GSMguy]

cool

[Ironsheikh]

where can you buy a small sample of shrimp --didnt see anything on the links--pm me

[Whisperer]

Not sure from their pics, but these shrimps are about 1.5 inch and I'd caught a few bigger ones in the past. Did they mention if their shrimps eat hair algae?

[Paul B]

I usually see about 18,000,000 of them around my boat which is in salt water. They are very common on the east coast of the US. There are some in my reef now as there usually is but my bangai cardinal eats them. They are also great food for lions, triggers, eels, puffers etc. They are very plentiful and free.
The only problem with them is they jump out when something chases them.
Paul

[Whisperer]

Caught in the act!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jerrygarciamd/DSC_00432.jpg

[sean48183]

Do they actually breed and grow to adult size in the tank? If there are no predators (say like in a fuge) would they keep reproducing themselves? Then you could just scoop a bunch out and toss them in the main tank and have an eternal supply of food. Very cool little shrimp.

[Whisperer]

I doubt that the frys will survive to adulthood because of predation and filtration in the tank but adults will prolly continue to reproduce...maybe until they get to menopause ( :D )

[chrisstie]

Those are identical to what i used to see but i've since moved to Orlando =\

I think that the 1 inch sizes are the full adult size for the species. they stay small like sexy shrimp.

now i wish i could get some, i used to keep some back home =\

Wonder if anyone has tried keeping a bait shrimp

[Whisperer]

Chrisstie, I think a bait shrimp will be too big for your sw tank.

[Randall_James]

A bit off topic but qt for mandarin is really not that necessary as the slime coat they produce protects them from virtually all parasites... I would get him in display myself :)

[Whisperer]

The female mandarin actually had white coat with plenty of white bumps on her head and chin for a good 4-5 days. I thought it was just a slime but it was persistent throughout the day. That's why I decided to catch them and place them in the QT tank. The said "slime" finally disappeared yesterday after 4 days of hypo. And yes, they are not exempt from parasites.

[kryppy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8573712#post8573712 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrisstie
Those are identical to what i used to see but i've since moved to Orlando =\

I think that the 1 inch sizes are the full adult size for the species. they stay small like sexy shrimp.

now i wish i could get some, i used to keep some back home =\

Wonder if anyone has tried keeping a bait shrimp

I keep them in a 90gal with a pair of groupers. They are cool to watch. They like to bury in the sand. The longest one has ever lasted was about two months...they never die of natural causes anyway..:)

[MIKE NY]

I think they are called glass shrimp ....I have a few in my tank and fuge also... they are good scavengers, but they also eat all the good critters too..pods, worms etc......

[Ironsheikh]

so where can I get some of these guys? I'm upstate NY -- 4 + plus hours from the ocean, know what Im saying ? ;-)

[Paul B]

I think you will have to drive eight hours with a net.

[flfirefighter13]

If you scroll down this link you will see a blue label for marine janitor cleaner shrimp (its got all kinds of leaf shapes behind it makeing it hard to read

http://mariculturetechnology.com/Foods.htm

Ive ordered from these guys and had good luck, quick shipping, just call to confirm what you want is in stock, they have some good prices on brine shriimp and snails as well, but there website is kind of a pain, I usually just call them. Ive got a bunch in my tank and have seen them eating detritous and algae, as well as being tasty snacks, if anyone local in orlando/central florida wants to go in on an order and split a bunch in a few weeks Ill be willing and able to go pick them up direct and avoid shipping.

[Whisperer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8577432#post8577432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul B
I think you will have to drive eight hours with a net.
You can't catch these guys with a net. They are typically caught with a bunch of twigs and left overnight. They hide there from predators.

[cristhiam]

Do you guys think they are glass shrimp?

[acrylic_300]

Are we sure that these shrimp will not eat any kind of corals? I would hate to dump 250 of these in my tank and then realize they are eating zoas or mushrooms or something.

I had a bad experience with peppermint shrimp is the reason I ask.

[Paul B]

That shrimp in the picture looks to me like a common grass (or glass) shrimp. I collect thousands with a net, unless they are smarter in Florada.

[Randall_James]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8586506#post8586506 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul B
That shrimp in the picture looks to me like a common grass (or glass) shrimp. I collect thousands with a net, unless they are smarter in Florada. Florada? (sp) could be Paul :lol:

[Radiography14]

water changes always the best

[Whisperer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8586801#post8586801 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Radiography14
water changes always the best
Not in this case for me. They are free, no mixing, no salinity testing, no ro/di making, no temperature adjustment. I'd say I'll go with these guys hands down. And water changes do not give you shrimp frys.

With regards to the issue with other tank inhabitants, I had them in the display tank. Did not bother anything. Back then I did not have the hair algae issue. They were easily spooked by fish and jump out. They frequented the rocks when not bothered. I lost all of those in my display tank when I bought 2 flame cardinals. These cardinals are the T-Rex of my tank. There is one post with one of my flame cardinal being hand-fed., BTW.

[arbee]

Thanks for the link. I just ordered my h erectus their Thanksgiving dinner.;)