Red Cherry Shrimp - newbie

[CACAdmin]

I've got my first Red Cherry Shrimp. I've never had shrimp before so this is a whole new arena for me. They are in their own 2g tank, with a little gravel, 1 small unknown plant cutting and some java moss. It has a hood and a light which I think provides adequate heat... and shows them off really well. . I think I'll keep them in their own tank as I'd be afraid they'd find themselves on someone's dinner menu otherwise. :wideeyed:
I'd love to post a picture but my camera is incapable of taking a picture of anything that small. I'm amazed how active they are. Hopefully, active mean happy. I clueless at this point. So be prepared for some panic posts if anything goes wrong. In the meantime, any and all advice on care and feeding would be appreciated.:yes:

[Edgezilla]

Add something that raises gH in the water. That will help their shell develop. They don't need a lot of food. 80+ cherries takes 1/2 a day to chew on 1/4 piece of hikari algae wafer.

Give a nice mixed of meaty and veggie diet. You can alternate the food each time you feed them. I feed mine daily but some feed them bi-daily.

Temperature around 73 to 79f

[CACAdmin]

Thanks... ahhh, yes raise the gH... familiar territory for me (I do the same for my snails). So I'll add a piece of tufa rock... that ought to do it. Thanks!

[Soggybottom]

Definately don't stress about them, hehe, they are very easy to care for IME.
Mine get so bold they will swim up into the middle of a school of fish way bigger than them, right in the middle of a feeding frenzy. My favorite thing that they do is hanging upside-down on a leaf catching flake food as it floats by on the surface, sometimes there are 4 or 5 climbing all over each other for the best 'fishing' spot :)

[CACAdmin]

My favorite thing that they do is hanging upside-down on a leaf catching flake food as it floats by on the surface, sometimes there are 4 or 5 climbing all over each other for the best 'fishing' spot :)


That's priceless. Have yet to see mine do that. Mind you at the moment they are in their own little 2g tank. I did put a couple of fish in with them for a day and kept my fingers crossed... they all survived... thank goodness.