Cover for Shrimp Tank?

[rgrling]

I'm starting up a 10 gallon shrimp tank and am aiming to replicate Takashi Amano's aquascaping style (tall order, I know!) One design I'm really interested in is how Amano uses an oversized wood that protrudes past the rim of the tank. However, most shrimp-keeping articles I've read insist that a secure tank cover is required to prevent the shrimp from escaping.

So, in your experience, is a cover for the shrimp tank absolutely necessary? If some branches of the wood sticks out of the water, will the shrimp climb along the wood and suicide like a lemming? Or do they have enough instinct to stay in the water?

[Mferko]

cant speak for all shrimp, mine were very lemming like and found ways to end their lives even with a lid on that had a half inch gap around the edge, they dont even need a branch to assist them either
luckily they breed faster than they suicide, i swear theres still a 3" bamboo shrimp somewhere in my house that escaped and i never found

[rgrling]

lol, so I should make sure that the fertility rate is above the casualty rate in the tank! Hope your bamboo shrimp reappears soon!

Any other experiences or advice?

[tang daddy]

I've seen my CRS try to escape in my 30g breeder, little rascals hahahah

I have an air stone to circulate the water since I use an under gravel system, I often seen shrimp swim in the bubbles and where the bubbles break at the surface the shrimp emerge like a submarine on land, none have actually made it out of the tank but they climb out 1 inch from the water....

My suggestion to you is don't fill the water too close to the rim, leave atleast 1/2 inch gap then when you place your wood in the tank make sure it's not touching any edges. Basically if the wood comes out of the water somewhere in the middle of the tank even if the shrimps climb out of water they will have no choice but to jump back in!

[Tn23]

^I agree with what Chris says as well, some shrimps do tend to jump I've seen a couple on my floor once in awhile. However I don't use covers on my tanks personally but you'll have to pay for that in the long run

[pdoutaz]

I lose at at least 2-3 week from my covered tank - they have about a 1/4" gap by filter and somehow manage to play kamakazi

[effox]

I have a rimless 10g and didn't have issues, but like Chris said, I didn't fill my water to the top, I left about an inch from the top.

You'll find water evaporates A LOT faster without a canopy too though, which is a pain in the rear when you want to keep your water parameters perfect without meddling with it a bunch (for CRS\CBS in my case).

[rgrling]

yeah, I thought evaporation would be a factor but didn't realize that it will affect water parameters that much!

Looks like I'll have to choose the piece of wood very carefully and notify my goldfish that they may be having shrimp for dinner in the near future.

[gimlid]

So, in your experience, is a cover for the shrimp tank absolutely necessary? If some branches of the wood sticks out of the water, will the shrimp climb along the wood and suicide like a lemming? Or do they have enough instinct to stay in the water?


Yes, they will certainly escape. they love to climb out.

[neven]

i've had only 2 shrimp escape. As for the evaporation comment, i just have a bucket of tap water that sits out all week, i top of the tanks every day or two to keep up with evapouration