Cherry

The Amanos and snails have kept the tank in very good condition, and after monitoring my water parameters carefully, I have found them to be stable.

Time to add the shrimp that I was looking for when I set up this tank: cherry shrimp (Neocaridina Davidi).

These freshwater shrimp are smaller than amano shrimp, and so they will have even more hiding spots in this tank. And, more importantly; their larvae will grow in freshwater!

I could maybe get the amanos to breed, but, their larvae need brackish water to survive. I do not have the tanks to do this. Cherry shrimp however, can live their entire lives from egg to adult in freshwater. Bingo.

Off to the pet store, that I have frequented whenever I was in the vincinity, just to gaze at the fish and shrimp. But, this time to get a small troupe of cherry shrimp. I had discussed my parameters with one of the store employees, who keeps shrimps himself, and he agreed that my parameters looked good to keep shrimp.

8 cherries set me back 200 swedish krona, about $20. But, lucky me, the guy at the store told me he “is bad at counting, you may have gotten extra…”

When I got home and checked, I counted 11 in the bag.

And one of them seemed to be a berried female!

I was slightly worried that she might get stressed and release the clutch of eggs before they hatch… but I would do my best to keep her happy so she can keep her eggs happy.