Freshwater amphipods?
- Thread starter Deadeye
- Start date
I’ve never kept shrimp. So I can give no divinity answer if one is better.
But, I believe scuds will be cheaper and easier to maintain and probably reproduce faster.
Scuds tolerate a larger range of parameters. They are smaller and not as brightly colored so may go unnoticed, depending on type of fish. They are a good detritivore, but I've found so are cherry shrimp. Cost is definitely a factor, you get a lot more for the cost of 1 cherry shrimp. It only takes a couple to match the scavenging power of a cherry shrimp.
Having had both I can say the scuds lasted longer in tanks with fish that would notice that kind of animal as a worth while energy expense in catching. Cherry shrimp are eaten as soon as they are seen by every fish I have ( with the exception below) and they are easily seen. Scuds are eaten but they blend in better. In any of my tanks both were/are eaten except my pea puffer tank. I've not had scuds in there only cherry shrimp and the population slowly grows. There may still be scuds in the pond but I've not seen them lots of hiding places unreachable by the fish including the sump. The ropefish and synodontis actively hunted the scuds. Most active couple of days in the pond ever. I need to get more scuds so I can see my synodontis collection again.
The scuds are more of a natural cleaner that is less noticeable for many fish. I enjoy watching them in my reef. Cherries work but are easier prey for larger fish.
Got a shipment of 100 in today, looked like a bit less but who’s counting...
I put a few in my puffer quarantine, they disappeared but I don’t know if they ate them.
A good amount in my snail breeding tank to hopefully get a culture there.
And the rest in my 36 gallon planted tank. They all vanished into hiding, many being snatched by the acara and loaches. Those that made it should hopefully reproduce fast. If it goes like my reef did, there should be hundreds in no time...
I put a few in my puffer quarantine, they disappeared but I don’t know if they ate them.
A good amount in my snail breeding tank to hopefully get a culture there.
And the rest in my 36 gallon planted tank. They all vanished into hiding, many being snatched by the acara and loaches. Those that made it should hopefully reproduce fast. If it goes like my reef did, there should be hundreds in no time...
