18x18x24 RETF - Natural Style - Build

[deranged chipmunk]

How is wood on back order? Lol

Sadly, you won't see any juvenile shrimp. The larvae of grass shrimp need brackish water to survive. They are a weird shrimp, compared to all the other freshwater species.

[DigitalPunk]

The wood is a Manzanita Branch, well 2 of them. They aren't tech on back order, but they are getting a new shipment of them in at the end of the week and wanted to wait for it so they could pick me out some better pieces.

I am hoping the tannins from the leaves and sticks make the water suitable for the shrimp to breed in, but if not than no big loss. I will just keep restocking it as needed. Everything I have read online says that my setup should work. I will have a high mortality rate in the baby shrimp, but I am not looking to mass breed to sale them I am just looking to keep the tank populated.

[DigitalPunk]

Ok this tank is down. The original plant was tossed, the stems were not strong enough to support the adult RETF. they leaves would bend down and touch the water then they got on them. I ditched the Pot Idea, mainly because it was a pain keeping them from floating. I instead used a Large Pyrex mixing bowl with a couple rocks in the bottom to anchor it in place then planted it with 3 Snake Plants, 4 Pothos clippings, and that one plant my wife picked up the other day.

Anyways here is the final layout. I may add another platform for feedings or for a water bowl, but here is how it stands for now.

[Mentat]

Hi Paul! The water is very cloudy which could make observing shrimp and removing any dead ones or uneaten food difficult. Also, think your RETFs would benefit from some foliage higher in the enclosure to help them feel safe. Good luck !

[DigitalPunk]

Yeah the water was cloudy for the photo because I had to move some of the soil around. The vines will eventually make it up closer to the top of the tank, but in the other tank our RETF stayed on the Snake plant and never spent a lot of time up near the top. As thing grow in more it should provide them will more cover options.