Shrimp Stocking Question

[ThunderGoose]

I have a new Red Sea Reefer 250 (54 gallon ID) that is still cycling but I wanted to go ahead and start QT for some critters. I am planning on having an invertebrate heavy tank - the biggest fish will probably be a clownfish, flasher wrasse or a watchman goby.

So here are my questions.

1) Which shrimp is best for the first shrimp: cleaners or sexy shrimp?

2) I know sexy shrimp do good in groups. What size group? I'm thinking 5. Do I add them all at once for in two batches?

Thanks much!

 

[Joeganja]

Cleaner shrimp would be a better bet. They are probably the most people shrimp in this hobby. As far as sexy shrimp same thing. Peaceful and because they are smaller they won't bother anything larger than them that has taken its territory. I would either add 2-3 or three at once and then add the rest later. But if you can all at once.

 

[ThunderGoose]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm really excited to be joining this hobby. Patience is hard. It'll be nice to have something interesting in the QT to watch.

 

[Joeganja]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm really excited to be joining this hobby. Patience is hard. It'll be nice to have something interesting in the QT to watch.

I work at petco where we stock multiple shrimp such as Fire shrimp, cleaner shrimp, and even coral banded shrimp all together without a problem. In a much smaller space. Shrimp aren't as bad as long as you don't have them competing for food.

 

[ThunderGoose]

Awesome to hear. I've kept freshwater for year (cough *decades* cough) and it's the invertebrates and corals that convinced me to try a reef tank.

 

[Joeganja]

Awesome to hear. I've kept freshwater for year (cough *decades* cough) and it's the invertebrates and corals that convinced me to try a reef tank.

Well you got a good sized tank. Anything larger than a 29 gallon is perfect for beginners because there is less fluctuation in larger tanks. Freshwater you just worry about pH, nitrate, and temperature. Saltwater is salinity, pH, nitrate, if you have corals then calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, if you dose trace elements then I would watch out for copper because high levels of copper kill invertebrates and corals. But you should be fine. Just take it nice and slow.