Swiss Chard as a Dwarf Shrimp Food

When cooked Swiss Chard has a flavor that is very similar to spinach and it also has very similar nutritional values. The one major advantage that Swiss Chard has over spinach is that it will grow almost year-round down here in Central Florida. Once the heat shows up spinach goes away!

To feed my shrimp I simply pull one leaf off the plant and blanch (boil it until soft) it in the microwave. It takes only 3 minutes to prepare and after washing it off in cold water I place small pieces of it in my shrimp tanks.

Observations:

• Neocaridina seem to like it more than Caridina
• If offered both Swiss Chard and prepared commercial food the shrimp take the commercial food.

I often feed my shrimp either Swiss Chard or Spinach (when in season) as the only food for the day. After a few hours the shrimp will completely finish off the food. The next day I will follow up with a commercial food.

Nutrition Facts

The Neocaridina heteropoda is now being selectively bred to display its natural color patterns as well as 2 other color variations.

Wild Type Neocaridina heteropoda:

 
There is the ever-popular Cherry Shrimp:

The newest of the group, the Yellow Shrimp:

 
With these examples it is exciting to think where they hobby is going.  There are many shrimp that are still unknown to the typical Dwarf Shrimp hobbyist and if only a fraction of those shrimp have the ability to be selectively bred from amazing colors like the Neocaridina heteropoda, the hobby is in for a quite exciting future.

So what is a true “Rainbow Shrimp”?

There is no true “Rainbow Shrimp”. The name has been incorrectly put on many shrimp species including Neocaridina Heteropoda (pictured to the right), Caridina sp. “Indian Dwarf”, Caridina sp. “Indian Whiteband” and many, many more.

Why does it matter?

The Dwarf Shrimp hobby is rapidly growing in the United States and it is important for hobbyist to know what they have. Generic names like “Rainbow Shrimp” and “Ghost Shrimp” make it difficult to know what shrimp a hobbyist owns and therefore makes it difficult to care for the shrimp properly.

Sponge Filters

Sponge filters are the most popular filters for Dwarf Shrimp breeders. They are filters that are built around a sponge and driven by an air pump. These filters pose no danger to any shrimp, adult or hatchling.

When choosing a sponge filter it is recommended to always choose one that is the recommended size for the aquarium of larger. Sponge filters work by allowing a large colony of beneficial bacteria to colonize the sponge and circulate water through the sponge. If the filter is not large enough there will not be a large enough bacteria colony and the water quality could suffer.

The biggest criticism of sponge filters is that they do not create much water movement in the aquarium at all. While this is true, it has never been shown to be detrimental to any Dwarf Shrimp other than Filter Feeders.

If filter feeding shrimp and planned to be kept a sponge filter is not recommended.

Hang-on-Back Filters

Hang-on-Back (HOB) filters are the most commonly available filters on the market. They can range greatly in size and cost. These filters can be very efficient at keeping aquarium water clean and stable.

HOB filters will require a separate pre-filter to cover the intake. The pre-filter is to prevent shrimp from being sucked into the filter and killed. The pre-filter should be made of a sponge like material and cover the entire intake.

When selecting a hang-on-back filter it is important to select a filter that is large enough and powerful enough to handle the size aquarium that it will be filtering. Because of the need for a pre-filter the water flow will be reduced a bit and undersized/underpowered filters will not be able to move enough water to efficiently filter the water.

When using a HOB it is important to keep the pre-filter clean. A dirty/clogged pre-filter will drastically reduce the efficacy and flow of the HOB filter.

Canister Filters

Canister Filters are the most efficient, and most expensive filters on the market. They can range from around $100.00 to a few thousand dollars. But for the serious aquarist, they are well worth the money.

As with HOB filters they require a pre-filter to prevent shrimp from being sucked into the filter. The pre-filter also requires frequent maintenance to prevent clogging and loss of flow/efficiency.

The large amount of filtration area provided by canister filters leads to very stable water parameters and very clean water. These filter can also put out a fair amount of water flow and are ideal for filter feeders!

Conclusion

When choosing a filter for a Dwarf Shrimp aquarium it is important to select a filter of the appropriate size/power. It is also important to choose a filter that will work with your goals. For an aquarium set up exclusively for breeding shrimp a sponge filter is the best, but for a show aquarium that requires sparkling clean water a canister filter is best.

What ever filter is selected maintenance if require for all filters to maintain efficiency.

Aquarium Size

Dwarf Shrimp are small and do not require a large aquarium. For most hobbyist a 10-gallon aquarium is adequate. This size aquarium helps keep water parameters stable, does not require much space and provides a fair amount of surface area for the shrimp live on.

Experienced aquarist can keep shrimp in smaller aquariums, but it is not recommended for beginners. These nano-aquariums can have large swings of water parameters because of the small amount of water and lack of buffering abilities.

The size of the aquarium is only limited by the space and budget of the Dwarf Shrimp keeper. There is no limit to the size a Dwarf Shrimp aquarium can be. As long as the hobbyist is willing to care for the larger aquarium Dwarf Shrimp will be happy in it.

Aquarium Shape

Because Dwarf Shrimp are benthic (they live on the substrate of the aquarium) the most important factor when choosing aquarium shape is surface area. A tall aquarium with a small bottom might be great for mid-water fish but they waste a lot of space for shrimp. Aquariums with a large bottom that are shallow are much more desirable for Dwarf Shrimp.

There are many shapes available on the market today. One of the best shapes are the “breeders” (such as 40-gallon breeder or 30-gallon breeder). These aquariums offer a large amount of surface area and are not too deep. They are easy to service and are commonly available.

Conclusion

So when choosing a Dwarf Shrimp Aquarium it is important to choose an appropriate size and shape. While Dwarf Shrimp will survive in just about any size and shape aquarium they will be happiest if they are kept in an optimal size and shape aquarium!

Aquarium

Dwarf Shrimp do not require large aquariums. For a simple set up a 10-gallon aquarium is sufficient. Shape is not important, but aquariums with a larger surface area on the bottom are better than a skinny tall aquarium. Dwarf Shrimp do not spend much time in the water column so tall aquariums are wasted space for Dwarf Shrimp.

The type of substrate (often referred to as gravel) can be important for some species (Crystal Red Shrimp for example), but for most regular gravel is adequate. Darker colored substrate can help bring out the best coloring in a shrimp.  [more info..]

Filtration

One of the most important factors to consider when setting up a Dwarf Shrimp aquarium is filtration. Stable water parameters are essential to health and longevity of shrimp and a good filter helps keep parameters stable.

There are many filtration options but the 3 best for Dwarf Shrimp aquariums are sponge filters, hang on back filters and canister filters.

Sponge filters are the most commonly used in breeding aquariums. They are gentle and pose no threat to baby shrimp.

Hang-on-Back filters are the most common filter available in stores and provide great filtration. It is important to put a pre-filter sponge to prevent shrimp from being sucked into the filter.

Canister Filters are the most efficient, and expensive, filtration available. They move a lot of water and do a great job cleaning it. Canister filters also require pre-filters to prevent shrimp from being sucked into the filter.  [more info...]

Water Parameters

The parameters that are most important to Dwarf Shrimp are pH, hardness, temperature, ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. Keeping these parameters stable and in the optimal range will insure healthy and long-lived shrimp.

Each species of shrimp has its own preferences for pH, hardness and temperature. In general pH and hardness can be controlled using water filtration, such as reverse osmosis, and certain substrates. Temperature is easily controlled using a heater.

All Dwarf Shrimp are very sensitive to Ammonia and Nitrites. These should be kept a 0ppm. Nitrate is less toxic to shrimp and can be kept at 20ppm or less.

Plants and Decorations

Dwarf Shrimp require things to climb and graze on. They are much healthier and less stressed if they have plants/decorations to climb and to use as hiding places. The best decorations to use are live plants.

Live plants help keep aquarium water parameters stable and provide a food source for dwarf shrimp. They do require special care, but the benefits far out weigh the care requirements.

Conclusion

When setting up a Dwarf Shrimp aquarium it is important to plan in advance. That plan should focus on keeping water parameters stable and providing a safe and healthy environment for the shrimp. While Dwarf Shrimp are fairly easy to care for, any extra time put into planning and set up will pay off with healthier and happier shrimp.

Karen Hopkins wrote about this problem in a recent article found on the Scientific American website.

“Invading Species Carrying Parasites Have Healthy Appetites

An invading species that harbors parasites may have a bigger predatory impact on its new environment than invaders that are parasite-free. Karen Hopkin reports

Invasive species can decrease biodiversity and drive resident species to the brink of extinction. But how do these interlopers fare so well in unfamiliar territory? One idea is that they’ve escaped their enemies, for example, the parasites that keep them in check on their home turf. But a study in the journal Biology Letters suggests that notion doesn’t always stand up. Because at least one kind of invasive shrimp is an even bigger pest when it has a parasite on board. “

This article is about the Fairy Shrimp that is harboring a parasite. Fairy Shrimp are not commonly kept in the home aquarium, but the problem is real for native shrimp species in Hawaii. They have an invasive Neocaridina sp. that has taken over their waters and almost eliminated the local populations.

As you can see it has the normal colors of a Bee Shrimp but with a bright red tail, a red spot in the middle of its body and a somewhat red nose.

With the exception of the red spot and the intensity of the color, the shrimp reminds me of a wild type bee shrimp. They naturally have a red to their tail and the rostrum/nose area.

As you can see there is some red there, but not as vivid as the shrimp that Carole has. I would be interested to see if anybody has another shrimp that looks like this.

Carole says she is going to select some males to breed with this female and hope for the best!

Also, we are looking to add more species to the store, what verities are you interested in buying?

Here is the video, ENJOY the music!