Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping => Invertebrates - Shrimps and Snails => Topic started by: Geoffish on March 13, 2018, 08:53:54 PM

Title: Amanos messing about
Post by: Geoffish on March 13, 2018, 08:53:54 PM
I've got 14 amanos in my tank and generally they hide away or busy themselves on the bogwood or stones all day. However, earlier almost all of them were swimming about all over the place. This only lasted for about 5 minutes and was shortly after I added Algexit to the tank. I added a bit less than the instructions suggest since there's no issue with algae, I just want to avoid the bogwood going green.

Anyway, does anyone know if shrimp have an issue with algae treatments? I've used it before with no issue and no reaction from the shrimp. All the other fish seemed unaffected, last water change was yesterday and all tests are as they should be.

It's now 30 mins later and shrimp are back to normal. Was it just a funny 5 minutes?!?
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Matt on March 13, 2018, 08:57:30 PM
Does it contain any copper?
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Sue on March 13, 2018, 09:03:04 PM
Two possibilities:

They didn't like the stuff you added

A female had released "ready to mate" pheromones and the male shrimps were looking for her. The males do swim like crazy all over the tank to find the female. But if the females were doing it as well, that rules this option out.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: fcmf on March 13, 2018, 09:05:56 PM
Do your shrimp generally act excitedly any time the tank lid is opened? The reason I ask is because my fish start behaving excitedly when I dose the plant fertiliser - the opening of the tank lid plus the addition of something to the tank that breaks the water surface seems to make them think it's food. The excited behaviour is infectious with one darting to the surface causing the others to follow suit. However, the behaviour usually only lasts for a minute or so - nowhere near 5.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Geoffish on March 13, 2018, 09:14:36 PM
@Matt - No, I don't think it contains copper. At least, there's no mention on the bottle (or by googling it). ???

@Sue - This may be a silly question, but how I identify females? They've never reacted like this to this (or anything else) before, so I'm optimistic that it was coincidence.

@fmcf - No, not at all, not even when feeding. In fact, they couldn't ignore me more if they tried!
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: fcmf on March 13, 2018, 10:06:13 PM
This may be a silly question, but how I identify females? They've never reacted like this to this (or anything else) before, so I'm optimistic that it was coincidence.
I'm not at all familiar with shrimp but a quick google led me to this article https://gabhar.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/breeding-amano/ which might help you differentiate between males and females - and there's a description which might well account for the "funny 5 minutes" (does it?), perhaps induced by the algae treatment (or the males mistook it for female pheromones :rotfl:).
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Geoffish on March 13, 2018, 10:31:08 PM
Wow! That certainly seems similar to what happened, but I didn't notice a female being mobbed (but it didn't last long enough to really see). I'm yet to identify any females as my lighting timer went off shortly after my last post and I didn't want to bother the little guys, so will see if I can work it out tomorrow.

If they are breeding that would amaze me since this is my first tank and I've only had it 2 months! Having read the info on the link I reckon shrimp breeding is a few leagues of expertise beyond me right now! Mind you, if I see more solid evidence I might get advice from my LFS and try it... after all, even Accrington Stanley enter the FA Cup right!?!  ;D
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: TopCookie on March 14, 2018, 12:54:26 AM
Geoff...  with 14 algae munching Amano shrimp in the tank, I would personally refrain from adding algae treatments to the tank...  There's little chance of your bogwood going green with those soldiers on patrol and such treatments could in fact deny them a perfectly natural and healthy food source... 
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Sue on March 14, 2018, 11:27:13 AM
There is more than one species sold as amanos, but with the ones I had a few years ago males had dots down their sides while females had dashes. And if it was a female releasing hormones, she would have laid eggs very shortly afterwards. Females carry the eggs under their abdomens between the swimmerets and you can see them looking like a cluster of berries. However, amano shrimp eggs hatch into larvae which need salt water to grow so you won't see any baby amanos in a freshwater tank.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Geoffish on March 14, 2018, 09:21:01 PM
@Cookie - yep, think you're right. It was just a bit of paranoia and newbie naivety on my part rather than addressing a problem, so I'll do without and see how it goes.

@Sue - I've got quite a few hidey holes, so it's hard to be sure, but I haven't seen any females with eggs today.

Maybe they were just annoyed/disappointed with me because I was questioning their algae cleaning skills!  :)

Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: TopCookie on March 14, 2018, 10:33:51 PM
I can totally connect with the: "a bit of paranoia and newbie naivety..."  thing Geoff...  :)

It really is tricky as a newcomer to a hobby that actually starts with advanced needs long before us young (lol) pups have picked up the knowledge and experience... 

As for Amanos, I have a dozen of them, although you never see them all at any one time, and they did a sterling job of munching down the excess algae I had in the tank which I had encouraged by being clueless about photoperiod requirements and had been leaving the lights on waaaaaaaay too long...!!!  Now they have munched their way through that, they have become accomplished drive-by fish food snatchers...!!!   :rotfl:
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Matt on March 15, 2018, 06:50:15 AM
Now they have munched their way through that, they have become accomplished drive-by fish food snatchers...!!!   :rotfl:

Lol, I know exactly what you mean... mine will grab a bit of algae wafer intended for the gobies before they can get to it and drag it away to some hidey hole... I only have 2 of them and so have got into the practice of putting at least 3 pieces of algae water in the tank!

I can only imagine what your gang of 12 get up to when your not looking... tagging up their territory, collecting safety money from the fish... pimping their exo-skeletons... doing deals round the back of the largest rock.....
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Littlefish on March 15, 2018, 09:58:19 AM
I have amano shrimp in several tanks, and was also concerned the first time I saw this unusual behaviour.
This is one of my females in a previous tank, which caused quite a stir amongst the males. Eventually she climbed up a plant to release the eggs, and was surrounded by the penguin tetras who made the most of the free meal.
I had considered trying to breed these shrimp, as I already have some experience with brackish tanks, but after researching it I decided that it was difficult with very little chance of success.
The second pic is one of my little fellas stealing an entire algae wafer from the BN plec. Cheeky monkey.  ;D
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: TopCookie on March 15, 2018, 02:46:08 PM
Lol...  there's nowt so quick as a hungry Amano shrimp when algae wafers rain down, eh...   :rotfl:

The ones I have are the Hikari micro-wafers, which are conveniently small & light enough that the shrimp can carry them off...!!!  Needless to say, some jumbo algae wafers are on order at Cookie Towers, specifically to try and foil the algae wafer organised crime ring...!!!
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Sue on March 15, 2018, 02:50:46 PM
With 5 stiphodons and an army of red cherry shrimps (which are nowhere near as bad as amanos) to feed, I crush algae wafers to small pellets, soak them in water, then add them to the tank.

When I had amano shrimps several years ago one of the females was the biggest creature in my tank. She was bigger than dwarf chain loaches.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Littlefish on March 15, 2018, 05:35:40 PM
The females I have in my temperate tank have been with me the longest, and they are a lot larger than I expected.

@TopCookie I don't think jumbo algae wafers will help. My amanos still manage to steal them. It's like watching a small dog try to run away with a large frisbee. Very entertaining, so worth taking the time to watch.  ;D
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: TopCookie on March 16, 2018, 06:13:55 PM
Amano Mob update:  got the full size Hikari algae wafers today...  Popped one in and by jove it brought all 12 Amano shrimp into full view - a very rare sight...!!! 

Zero chance of them swimming off with these monster biscuits, but crickey they still have a go at dragging it off...!!!   :rotfl:

Tried the crushing smaller algae wafers t'other day...  Worked really well, too...  I'll continue doing that when targeting the shrimp I think...  :)

Also...  @ Geoffish ...  How are your Amanos doing...?
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Geoffish on March 16, 2018, 07:06:01 PM
It seems I'm not the only person that's come to be shrimp fan! I originally put them in to do a job, but they might actually now be my favourites to watch. They all seem well and I've not seen any more crazy antics. As far as I can tell they're all males by the way.

Mine seem to be better behaved than yours.  :) I haven't seen them pinching food, just foraging on what the other guys leave. Incidentally I've been putting a couple of blanched spinach leaves in every couple of days and they disappear overnight. I've not actually seen anyone eating them though! It's either kuhlis, shrimp or otos... Any thoughts?

Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Sue on March 16, 2018, 07:17:06 PM
Or all of them  :)

I love shrimps - and snails though a lot of people can't stand the thought of snails. I have already decided that when water changes on my 180 litre get too much for me, I want 2 small tanks - one for a betta and one for my shrimps.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: fcmf on March 16, 2018, 07:52:20 PM
I'd love to see some video footage of members' shrimps and their antics if anyone wants to post a link to a video clip.  ;D
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Geoffish on March 16, 2018, 08:24:34 PM
Ok, will do!  :) I'm due a water change/clean tomorrow, so will give it a go after that...

Incidentally, I'm going to get some new fish tomorrow. My plan is a group of one of the following, depending on what my LFS has in stock:
Dwarf gourami
Dwarf rainbows
Celestial pearl danios
Kuhlis (already got some, but plan to get them some buddies)
Otos (as with kuhlis, they need some chums)

Ultimately, I'm planning to get all of the above and in the longer term some marble hatchets (probably next year). I'll then be at 80% based on the community calculator and I'll be done.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Sue on March 16, 2018, 08:31:03 PM
Just a heads up - be careful with dwarf gouramis. A lot of the ones bred in the far east are already infected with Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus when they they reach the shop, and any bred elsewhere which have been in contact with far east bred gouramis will probably also have it. Check all the dwarf gouramis in the tank and if any of them look the slightest bit iffy, don't get any. Look for listlessness, sores on the body, darkened colours, inability to swim - and any dead ones in the tank.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Geoffish on March 16, 2018, 09:01:58 PM
Good to know, thanks Sue! They're top of my wish list, so fingers crossed. Is there a risk of it being transferred to other fish?

My LFS has been very good so far. Their fish generally look better than what I've seen at MA for example.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Sue on March 16, 2018, 09:23:19 PM
Some say there is no risk, others say it can be transmitted to other Trichogaster gourami species. I don't think anyone knows for sure yet.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Geoffish on March 16, 2018, 10:30:47 PM
Thanks, keeping fish really can be a minefield!
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: TopCookie on March 16, 2018, 11:51:32 PM
Small Gouramis are on my wish list too Geoff...  Accepted wisdom is to opt for Honey Gouramis instead of the Dawrf ones...  Size is much the same but they come without the health risks/complications...  A rare "have your cake and eat it" moment in the world of fish keeping...  :)
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: TopCookie on March 17, 2018, 12:03:14 AM
It seems I'm not the only person that's come to be shrimp fan! I originally put them in to do a job, but they might actually now be my favourites to watch...

I can easily spend more time watching the shrimp than the fish...  and even though they're not "pretty" in the classical sense, I am always entranced when you see them actually swimming - they're incredibly graceful, eh  :)
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Geoffish on March 17, 2018, 06:23:41 PM
So, I created a couple of short videos as promised.  :) The first one is more shrimpy but I did it before my WC today so the glass is a little grubby. The second one is better, but less shrimpy (most of them were hiding). However, it does show off my new dwarf red gourami... Particularly one that wants to be famous!

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@Cookie - I didn't see your post until after buying the fish today. These guys looked immaculate in my LFS though, so I took the risk.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Littlefish on March 17, 2018, 06:53:38 PM
Oh yes, that one loves the limelight.  ;D
Great to see your tank & inhabitants.  8)
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: TopCookie on March 17, 2018, 09:45:56 PM
Looking fab Geoff...   ;)   Is that a Khuli Loach I see in one of the clips...?
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: Geoffish on March 17, 2018, 11:12:25 PM
Thanks! Yep, my kuhlis are often out in the open. They seem to be more confident than other people have described, so I've been lucky.
Title: Re: Amanos messing about
Post by: TopCookie on March 17, 2018, 11:37:42 PM
I have always liked the Khuli Loaches, fantastic looking little fish for sure...  Ended up opting for Corydoras instead and believe they're not especially good tank mates together...  Still love to see Khulis though, there's something truly fascinating about them...