Stocking Thoughts? Nano Tank

[Bluesandtwo]

So I decided last minute that 8 was a more sensible number, based on research. I'll get some photos in a couple of days once they're settled in and coloured up. I tried to guess-pick more females so fingers crossed.

I'm also collecting another 20 cherry shrimp tomorrow. Puffers have been interested in the 10 shrimp already in there, but no attacks. To be honest, the shrimp seem completely unbothered by the very tiny new additions and are just going about their business scavenging still! So figured I'll try and add some more to give them a better chance and perhaps a free puffer-food source in terms of shrimplets!

 

[Bluesandtwo]

I know I said I would wait for photos... but..

I'd just like to add it's very hard photographing something that is smaller than 10mm!

 

[Deadeye]

Adorable!
Any idea on your male to female ratio?

 

[Bluesandtwo]

Adorable!
Any idea on your male to female ratio?

I think they're just too young and small to be certain. But if I had to guess I'd say 2/3 male 5/6 female at the moment. But I could be completely wrong

 

[Deadeye]

Ok, sounds good. Enough females to keep the males from going psycho.
The best way to tell even when young is the brown stripe males have on the stomach. Males also are a bit more yellow and have wrinkles around the eyes.

 

[twentyleagues]

From experience with mine females have better patterns too, males tend to have more spots that "bleed" together.

 

[Bluesandtwo]

So another 20 cherry shrimp added this morning. Bringing me to 30 cherry shrimp and 8 pea puffers. Early observations in the first 24 hours...

The shrimp give little to no care about the puffers. I've witnessed one shrimp take a large bloodworm right of the mouth of a puffer and equally seen another shrimp 'fight back' for a blood worm taken from it. The puffers, other than occasionally getting inquisitively close to the shrimp and spooking them - have not done them any harm. If one puffer ventures into the territory of another.. they have a little chase or standoff... but shrimp are allowed into the newly established puffer territories without issue.

At the moment this tank is proving to have so much going on and has me sitting infront of it for ages... you just have to sit quite close to see it going on haha

Nearly all the puffers have nice full bellies and look plump now, with just one or two looking skinny still. The shrimp do a good job or clearing the uneaten bloodworms.

 

[Rass]

I was gonna say another cool combo would be neon green rasboras, cherry shrimp, and a reticulated hillstream loach. Not sure if the pea puffers would mess with the rasboras or loach though.

 

[twentyleagues]

I was gonna say another cool combo would be neon green rasboras, cherry shrimp, and a reticulated hillstream loach. Not sure if the pea puffers would mess with the rasboras or loach though.

I have brigette rasboras in with mine, no issues.
Why is brigittae so hard to "say" with stupid spell check! I miss it 90% of the time.....lol

 

[Rass]

I have brigette rasboras in with mine, no issues.
Why is brigittae so hard to "say" with stupid spell check! I miss it 90% of the time.....lol

Very cool!