Author Topic: Cyclops invasion!! (Read 8968 times) 32 replies

Diz1 · « **on:** April 27, 2015, 03:35:19 PM »

I've just noticed that I have a load of these in my shrimpery!
Looking on various sites, there are 2 schools of thought: one school says that they are a symptom of overfeeding – I feed very 2 days, either Hikari Shrimp Cuisine or Snow flakes. The second school of thought says that they are an indication of good water quality – my parameters are all good: PH 6.5; Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 5.0, TDS 102.

So, which opinion should I believe. The general consensus is that they're harmless (and in the spirit of live and let live, I'm happy to let these little creatures share with my shrimp, unless they do pose some kind of danger to them).

What are your thoughts?

Diz 1

Sanjo · « **Reply #1 on:** April 27, 2015, 03:55:21 PM »

Having just had an "invasion" of around 5 hydra I was curious about cyclops - especially as I feed frozen ones to the fish.
Found this, which is part of an article
"Cyclops can also be intermediary hosts to the Guinea worm (which affects humans, but not generally fish) and fish tapeworm.
These are rare occurrences for the Cyclops, and many aquarists consider them valuable as a fish food and even sell them.
I would not be overly concerned with them for most aquariums as long as good aquarium cleaning methods, such as vacuuming are practised; in fact as noted earlier they actually make a nutritious fish food.
The exception would probably be with fish breeding. In this case, vacuuming gravel and rinsing off live plants in a mild bleach solution (live plants can handle a 25/1 solution provided it is rinsed off) would be in order. Keep in mind that these copepods do not like areas of high current and do like a lot of algae, so changing these conditions would go a long way in controlling Cyclops.
"

Does that help?

I am now going to check to see if I have any of these as well.

Sigh.... I'm already spending a lot of time, either watching my fish or shrimp, looking out VERY often for more Hydra and now I shall be hovering over both tanks looking for cyclops.

Ah well, it just means there's even more reason why the ironing won't get done

Diz1 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2015, 04:01:27 PM »

Hmm, thanks Sanjo,

I won't be feeding any to my fish on this basis (and also because I'd be worried about inadvertently including some shrimplets in the net, and they'd get eaten as well).

Regarding aquarium cleaning methods, I'm not doing any cleaning of the substrate, as advised by the guy at Pro Shrimp, where I get my supplies from, so I'm not sure where that leaves me. I might actually drop Pro Shrimp a line and see what they say.

Hope your tanks are all clear anyway!

Diz1 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2015, 04:35:29 PM »

*EDIT*
Here's what Sebastian at Pro Shrimp says:

Nothing to worry about those little things. There is no way of getting rid
of them completely. You can siphon them out, but that will only lower their
numbers temporarily. Cut feeding back by a lot. I would suggest to feed your
main food once a week, bacter ae 2x a week (really small amounts) and
snowflake once a week. It's not that you have loads of shrimp in the tank,
the biofilm will be fine. You should see the Cyclops numbers go down after a
couple of weeks.

They are no real risk. When you have way too many they will compete for food
with your baby shrimp and might reduce survival rate that way if you don't
compensate with extra baby food - that's all.

So, I'll be cutting down on the feeding then, and we'll see how it goes.

Richard W · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2015, 04:54:48 PM »

Hydra will eat Cyclops, probably their main food

I'm amazed that Cyclops can survive in a fish tank since fish love them (in a culinary way)!

Diz1 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 27, 2015, 05:28:02 PM »

I think that's how they've survived in my tank – there's only shrimp in there!
They're quite cute really. I'm happy enough to have them as long as they don't affect the shrimp.

Sue · « **Reply #6 on:** April 27, 2015, 06:32:08 PM »

I feed frozen cyclops to my shrimp tank - to feed the fish that also live in there. Small fish need small food.

Totally irrelevant, I know

Diz1 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 27, 2015, 07:03:41 PM »

I know,
I almost wish I had a couple of ember tetras or something to put in there with them, but I've been told that even they might eat the shrimplets, so I thought I shouldn't get any.
What do you think? Would 6 ember tetras be Ok in the tank (23 litres) with the shrimp and their bables?

Sanjo · « **Reply #8 on:** April 27, 2015, 07:07:46 PM »

Ooooh, I'd be interested in the replies.
I'm still really tempted to put a few fish in with the shrimp, especially as the shrimp hide most of the time.

Diz1 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 27, 2015, 07:11:12 PM »

Well I know Sue does keep her shrimp in with fish, but I think she has more choice where she lives. I'm in north-east Scotland and the most likely fish I'll be able to get are Embers. She might have some suggestions for you though

Richard W · « **Reply #10 on:** April 27, 2015, 07:16:44 PM »

I have Celestial Pearl Danios and Salt and Pepper Corydoras in with shrimps. They all seem to get on fine. I was watching them the other day and a shrimp was feeding on one of the pellets I'd put in. A cory blundered straight into the shrimp, then sort of rolled over the top of it. The shrimp didn't bother at all, just carried on eating. I always think it's a good idea to have similar sized creatures in one tank, these are not that different. I want to put some other small peaceful fish in the (60 litre) tank (unlike most of my tanks it isn't near capacity yet). My water's a bit hard for Ember tetras, I'm thinking of maybe Lampeyes or possibly one of the small Blue-eyes.

Diz1 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 27, 2015, 07:21:57 PM »

Hi Richard,
I do like the CPDs. Are they Ok with the shrimplets as well as the fully grown adult?
I think I could fit a few of these into my 23 litre?

Sanjo · « **Reply #12 on:** April 27, 2015, 07:31:34 PM »

I have hard water too so I suppose I should be thinking in terms of Endlers. Can't do much at the moment though as going away soon and leaving the other half to look after both tanks !! $:-\$

Sue · « **Reply #13 on:** April 27, 2015, 07:37:22 PM »

My tank is 50 litres with a 60 x 30cm footprint. I have pygmy cories (couldn't find any salt & pepper!) and Sundadanio axelrodi. These fish may well eat some baby shrimps but there are always plenty left.

I used to have female endlers in this tank before I got the sundadanios. I didn't have nearly so many babies with them in the tank. But female endlers are quite a bit bigger than males, so maybe males would be OK. I also found that females spent all their time eating while males spent some time eating but most of their time displaying to each other or chasing each other - behaviour less likely to result in baby shrimps being eaten.

Diz1 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 27, 2015, 07:45:05 PM »

Hi Sue,

I don't think I could get any of these Sundadanio axelrodi up here. What doe you think of CPS or Ember teras with the shrimp(lets)?

Sue · « **Reply #15 on:** April 27, 2015, 08:38:45 PM »

Cpds would probably be OK. Maybe even ember tetras.
Can you get any of the Boraras species? They are smaller and would probably eat less shrimplets.

I'd only ever seen the sundadanios once and bought them. Then very recently I saw some in MA and that branch has never had them in before.

Diz1 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 27, 2015, 08:41:06 PM »

Not sure. Will have a look when next in LFS. Thanks Sue

Sue · « **Reply #17 on:** April 27, 2015, 09:04:51 PM »

The Boraras you are most likely to find are chlli/mosqioto/brigittes rasboras (Boraras brigittae), sparrow rasboras (B. urophthalmoides) and possibly B. merah or the slightly larger B. maculatus.

Diz1 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 27, 2015, 09:32:42 PM »

THanks Sue, just posted a query on local Facebook group. It seems they can sometimes make their way into LFS's here, so I'll have to keep an eye out

fcmf · « **Reply #19 on:** April 27, 2015, 10:33:44 PM »

...and the little Boraras are in Fishkeeper Scotland/Maidenhead Aquatics. They are usually very good at trying to source and ordering in whatever you're looking for. I see that they have a store in Inverness but appreciate that it may be miles away from you.

Cyclops Invasion!!

Cyclops Invasion!!

Author Topic: Cyclops invasion!! (Read 8968 times) 32 replies

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