Crystal Red Shrimp FAQ

[silane]

Crystal Red Shrimp FAQ

1. What is the water parameter required by CRS?
CRS can adapt to and survive in wide range of pH. The optimal pH range is around 6.3 to 6.8 to show the color well. GH is best keep at around 3 to 6 dH. Nitrite(NO3) best kept within 25ppm.

2. What type of filtration should I use in a shrimp tank?
Usually low flow rate canister filtration is a better choice. Good filter medias (like Biohome, Substrate pro, ceramic rings) are also needed for bacteria colonization. These bacteria will help to break down ammonia and nitrate into less harmful substances. Undergravel filtration is recommended if u have no intention to have root plants in the tanks.

3. What should I feed my CRS?
Simplest form is sinking fish food. Fish food with high plant content is recommended. Plant content is good for CRS to show color and “meat” content is good for growth, Sera Premium Spirulina Tabs meets this requirements. Hikari Algae wafer and Crab Cuisine are the other 2 popular shrimp food. Boiled spinach is a good food for CRS too.

4. What do you recommend for a simple tank setup?
A canister filter with good filter medias, driftwood and moss, any soil type, a fan or chiller and a good light set.

5. What is the best temperature range for CRS? Is chiller a must?
CRS is best keep at 25C, a good compromise of color and electricity for the case in Singapore and other tropical countries. To achieve this temperature, a chiller or aircon is needed. CRS shows best color at 25C or lower (down to 22C, best color). At higher temperature, their color will start to run. A fan can achieve a degree or 2 lower than ambient which may not reach ideal temperature of CRS.

6. Anything to take care when I want to breed CRS?
A stable tank with no ammonia and no nitrite is the best. Other than that just hope your males are able to fertilise the eggs properly, usually will be the case if you have enough males in your tanks. Hiding places are also a must for them to create a stress free environment for gestating females. Filter inlet has to be protected with sponge so that shrimplets will not be sucked into the filter.

7. How to tell male CRS from female?

Male Crystal Red Shrimp
• shorter abdomen
• longer atennules (the shorter pair of antennae)
• straighter carapace near rostrum

Female Crystal Red Shrimp
• thicker abdomen
• shorter atennules (the shorter pair of antennae)
• rounder carapace near rostrum

8. Are driftwood and plant a must in breeding CRS?
They provide hiding place for shrimps that molts and small shrimplets. Plants do take in nitrogenous wastes.

9. What other shrimps can be kept with CRS?
All the algae eater class shrimps can be kept with CRS as they are gentle among the same species and others. However, only neocardina species (cherry) is recommended to keep with CRS as they are not known to cross breed with CRS. Having said this, not all from cardina genus can cross with CRS. For example, Yamato will not cross with CRS and bee shrimp may cross. In a shrimp community tank, the more aggressive species should be keep in lesser number.

10. What's the minimal recommended tank size for CRS?
Tanks 2ft or bigger will be better. It will be difficult to manage water parameters due to smaller volumes. There is some degree of success to use a 20l+ tank for some hobbyists.

11. My CRS is pregnant now, what should I do?
No special care is needed for pregnant CRS. There is no need to put pregnant CRS into separate tank, basically leave the female in the tank where it got pregnant. She needs some hidding place in the tank, driftwood and any boardleaves plant are good for this purpose.

12. What should I feed with my baby CRS?
No worry, they will find the food in the tank themselves. Microorganism or algae found inside the tank are the best food for them.

13. What gravel is recommended?
Soil based gravel like ADA Aquasoil Amonzia is highly recommended. It helps to keep water in acidic range and it is provides CRS “out of the box” water conditions. It provides a good contrast between the black soil and the CRS too.

14. How long do the eggs take to hatch?
At 25C, it takes about 22 days.

This FAQ is done by nbx and I, these FAQ addresses the basic questions for beauitiful CRS keep and rearing. In near term, we will come out with set of FAQ for intermediate and advance CRS keep.

Hope newbies in CRS here can benefit from this.

i already have.
good thinking silane. considering how popular ur sales are..more and more people are picking up the hobby!
i have a question tho. when you talk abt tank size.. 2ft and up better cuz of water parameters or because the shrimps just prefer a bigger ground area to roam about?? i observed my crs liking the ground gravel more than the DWs and Mosses.

i using US ground gravel from NA is it good to set up a 1.5ft X .5 X .5 tank 10gal tank for shrimps?
Need anything to start a proper Moss tank for shrimps?

Allow me to contribute a few Emergency + Intermediate FAQ.
(Correct me if i made any wrong points, Quite free now btw

Crystal Red Shrimp Emergency FAQ

1. What should i do if CRS death appears?

If dead CRS is found in the tank, immediately remove the dead shrimp from the tank and check on the shrimp for signs of injury. If no physical injury is determine, check the other shrimps for stress syndrome visually to identify root of problem. There is chances the shrimp had reached it's long journey and make peace from the world or, it is cause by changes in water parameters.

2. What are the sign of stress in CRS?

CRS shows sign of stress usually when they are in bad water conditions like moderate to high ammonia, very high and unstable water movement in tank/bags, extreme high/low pH/temperature. The stress can be determine by the fade in colors (e.g. red to transparent pink), highly agitated movement of CRS in tank( when u add something) and lastly, sign of lethargic ness in the shrimps (shrimp stay at same position for a day long).
Note: Female CRS will show sign of stress when being chase by a large number of males. Male CRS will be highly agitated when they are in the mating mode. Sometime sign of lethargic ness maybe due to pregnancy / when the shrimp is about to shed the skin or they have already sheded.

3. What are the immediate treatment for my CRS when death/stress occurs.

If CRS die one after another, it is highly recommended for you to check the water parameters first before transferring the shrimps to other places. Before you proceed to check your tank, remove any left over food and planted plants if the plant is planted recently.

Checking water parameters
1) Check your water temperature. Is it higher then 29 degree??
[if answer is yes, try lower it. If no, proceed to 2)]

2) Check your pH, is it in recommended range?
[if answer is higher then, try add in ketapang leave juice first to control the situation. Other chemical made ph solution is not recommended. If answer is lower then, add in some tap water to increase it back. Sg tap water is ph 7.6. Else, proceed to 3)]

3) Check for ammonia. Is it at high level?
[if answer is yes, dilute your tank water with 1/5 tap water and see if improvement is made on the shrimps or not. if answer is still no, proceed to 4)]

4) Check for Gh. Is it at high level?
[if answer is yes, make sure you check the Gh level in the recommend range guide. If higher then range level, dilute the water. (Gh increases with some chemical input. SG tap is at 1 GH. If Still no...go to 5)]

5) Check tank physically for any missing equipment or spoiled equipment like Filtering system not running, air pump not pumping oxygen, worst case is you find a dead cockroach that you just killed with insecticide.
[if answer yes, remedy the problem, if answer is still 'NO', proceed to transfer guide.]

Transfer guide.

This is worst case scenarios. Something is wrong with your water and you can't determine it. Sickness in shrimp or water problem and you will need to transfer them.

1) Use back up age water. I always have a small bucket of age water with ADA soil back up in my room for such cases (for water changes too). Cool the pail and transfer the shrimps. Make sure the pH in tank and bucket almost the same.

2) If no back up is available, no worry, prep a small bucket (as small as possible for small numbers), filled it 4/5 with tap and 1/5 directly from filter/canister. Add in minimal chloride remover and add in bact solutions. (Ask friendly LFS uncle for good brands). If you have ada soil, wash a bit and slowly add it in. Else If you have Shikaru shrimp food, drop about 5-10 piece in to lower the ph. Cool bucket, pump the bucket with air for an 1hr. Critical part here is to lower the ph and try not to use back the tank water. Shikaru shrimp food is an expensive brand but is very useful for lowering ph incase you didn't notice. 1hr to let the food/soil to slowly adjust the water ph. Wash filter thoroughly and add in to the bucket. Now transfer the shrimp over.

3) If you do not have any of the above mention right equipment, i will suggest you get the age water directly from any shrimp keeper in this forum. But you will need to prepare a big plastic bag and a bucket to aid you in carrying the staff. More friends the merrier! Can trade for genes too.

-If death stop in the bucket after a day or more, there is some problem with your tank. What to do is up to your imagination.

-Else, if death still occur, there is chances you are late as the shrimp have already reach critical stages. Or, something wrong with the bucket method..

Note: The bucket method is use through my experience with my early batch of CRS when i turn the entire tank because of pH crash while using ph lowing solution. It contain high metal...

I seriously encourage solution 3). Fastest and safest method.

Waa bro, if i wrong correct me ma, minus my reputation..

Use food to lower pH is a no no, might as well throw a apple into your tank??? Trade genes is a no no, CRS breed nicer in line breeding.

above quote from some aynomus clicker.

My suggestion.
Use ketapang leave also can. But i see not enough time. If that is the case any better suggestion?? Throw apple can't lower ph. Ketapang leave can. And CRS eats them too.

Trade genes is a yes and must once u single breed the crs for 10+ generations. Else the future generation of you shrimp will die easily - "bad genes" or become darwf crs -"never grow up genes". This are info open to public long ago.

[Desiree]

Hi everyone,
overnight , i found empty skeletons of shrimps in the gravel. May i know if the shrimps are dead and eaten by other shrimps or do shrimps shed their shell?
sorry for the ignorance but i really need to make sure
thanks

Originally Posted by Desiree

Hi everyone,
overnight , i found empty skeletons of shrimps in the gravel. May i know if the shrimps are dead and eaten by other shrimps or do shrimps shed their shell?
sorry for the ignorance but i really need to make sure
thanks

Skeletons?? Is it the shell or head ??

[byfun]

Originally Posted by Desiree

Hi everyone,
overnight , i found empty skeletons of shrimps in the gravel. May i know if the shrimps are dead and eaten by other shrimps or do shrimps shed their shell?
sorry for the ignorance but i really need to make sure
thanks

The so call empty skeletons is the shell of the shrimps. This is call molting where the shrimp will drop their old shell because they are growing. So don't worry when u see those skeletons.

[Desiree]

Originally Posted by byfun

The so call empty skeletons is the shell of the shrimps. This is call molting where the shrimp will drop their old shell because they are growing. So don't worry when u see those skeletons.

Ok. Thats for information. I'm relieved..