🏠The Cherry shrimp tank: 20 L, hardware and start-up
Cherry shrimp : A nano tank of 20 L or more, well matured and densely mossy, kept species-only or with peaceful micro-fish. Almost all medium-sized fish eat the juveniles.
In short: 2 to 3 cm as an adult, 20 L minimum for a colony of 10, water between 18 and 25 °C. A peaceful, gregarious invertebrate that grazes the decor in a colony and is kept ten or more strong. Copper is lethal to it even in tiny doses: ban any fertilizer or medication containing it, and acclimate it drip by drip.
20 litres minimum: why that number
For a group of 10+ Cherry shrimp reaching 3 cm as an adult, plan 20 real litres — and remember a big tank is more STABLE, hence easier, than a small one: parameters drift slowly, leaving time to correct. This volume suits a sturdy standard cabinet — just verify perfect levelness.
Hardware: filter, heater, lighting
The Cherry shrimp tank’s technical trio starts with filtration — three to five volume turnovers per hour, a heater around 1 W per litre set to 18 to 25°C, backed by an independent thermometer — built-in thermostats sometimes lie, and lighting on a timer at 8 to 10 hours a day: any longer and the algae win.
Substrate, plants and start-up
A fine-sand substrate is mandatory for the Cherry shrimp, a constant sifter — gravel wounds barbels and skin. robust plants (anubias, vallisneria, Java moss) and wood to structure the territory. Then patience: a complete nitrogen cycle (3 to 4 weeks, nitrites back to zero) before the first Cherry shrimp — the step every hurried beginner pays for dearly.
Frequently asked questions
What tank size for Cherry shrimps?
A real 20 litres minimum for a group of 10+ — below that, parameters drift too fast to catch.
Does a Cherry shrimp need a heater?
Yes, about 1 W per litre set to 18 to 25°C, with an independent thermometer double-checking the thermostat.
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