Fire shrimp in a nano? help!

[Doglover_50]

I had a fire shrimp in my 70g reef, never saw him. I hear you need a pair for them to be bold in a larger tank.
HOWEVER, in a 16g bowfront, or in 12g jbj nano, is it small enough that they come out and are visible?

Otherwise, I'll just go with skunk cleaners. Thanks for input!

 

[smash102]

On the same note, I have some questions as a newb about the fire shrimp.

I was looking at a fire shrimp today. Petco had it for $28 but not sure I really want it. I hear that they tend to eat some soft corals. How true is that? Also I have a peppermint shrimp in my nano. Should I consider getting it and if I do, will the two shrimp coexist?

 

[raastamon]

I have a fireshrimp in my 10g. He doesnt touch a thing. At first he always stayed hidden behind the rocks. However he does start to come out and hang around the edges of the rocks. During feeding time he scavenges the sand for leftovers. But he doesnt eat any of the corals IME.

 

[matt_schultz]

my friend has had fire shrimp in his 29 for going on about 2 years and hasn't had a problem with them. i think if you just give them adiquate food they will leave the good stuff alone.

 

[Doglover_50]

OK, good thoughts, but I'm afraid the thread was hijacked to an interesting but off topic question (I've never heard them being a problem).

Still wondering--do they hang out in the open in a nano?

 

[ellio]

Fire Shrimp / Blood Shrimp tend to be very shy and like to hang upside down in overhangs. They will venture out occasionally but only briefly. They're beautiful shrimp but don't get one if you want a shrimp that stays in the open.

 

[taketz]

They will likely hang out in the open more in a nano than a regular sized tank given that there is less place to hide even if they wanted too...

 

[Grunt]

I've had a fire shrimp in a 15gal for over 2years. He does jsut fine, the tank is small enough we always see him. Do you consider that bold? lol
cheers

 

[Lpabsolute]

I've only heard good things about them. I believe that in a smaller tank you would see them more often then in a bigger tank. Also if you have 2 then you'll double your chance of seeing them

 

[smash102]

Cool. Thanks.

 

[saltman123]

I am shopping for a Blood shrimp now too. I must say that my cleaner shrimp was a little move star the way it danced around anytime someone was around.

Cleaners definitely have a ton of personality. Never owned a Blood shrimp yet but have heard they aren't a fraction of an entertainer.

 

[dendro982]

Have two blood shrimps, from different sources. The shorter, stocky, dark red one and the elongated one of a medium scarlet color, the last is more open and playful, but tend do the less fish cleaning.
Both were horsing around the tanks (10g standard and 4.5g 6" deep translucent container with corals), when they were the biggest or the only moving animal. In the last was especially good - always came to take the food from tweezers. Both tank had the LR for hiding or macroalgae.
All changed after the fish was added. You may see them, if their cave is opening to the front of the tank and has not much flow through it.
Here - after cleaning fish, not nano-tank:

Usual position:

Here - usual hanging place in the 20g XH nano:


I wanted the saltwater tank only because of them, but tanks tend to have life of their own...

 

[chujai]

i just got 2 of them yesterday in my 16 gallon, and i already had 2 skunk cleaners in there... they dont seem to bother the bloods, but those are always running around... the bloods seem to be ok, just hanging around like people are saying, but yeah its small enough tank that i can see them always....