How Should I Clean This Shrimp Tank?

[Lindsey]

I've got a 10 gallon RCS tank that's thriving, but it's been up for a while and I'm starting to wonder what the best option is to clean the tank without losing a bunch of shrimp. I'm using a sponge filter and there are TONS of shrimplets living in the filter. I've also got about 2 inches of gravel and I'm thinking that vacuuming it will probably result in huge losses as well.

How are people keeping their shrimp and maintaining their tanks? Should I be running the tank bare bottom and just accept that there may be some shrimplet losses when I clean the sponge?

[Sprucegruve]

Do your normal water changes,try to avoid sucking up as many as possible,they can get out of the way pretty quick.

Siphon your water into a white 5gallon pail,let your water settle find the shrimp,net them back into the tank and dump the water.

[AJanzen]

If the tank is planted I would just get some Malaysian trumpet snails and you don't really have to worry about cleaning the gravel. As for siphoning I just use a length of airline tubing, it's slow going but I haven't sucked up a shrimp yet. With your sponge filter just pull it up and give it a bit of a shake. Like sprucegruve said, they'll scatter pretty quick.

[jumpsmasher]

I don't clean the gravel any more in any of my tanks just siphon the water from the top / middle of the tank. When I did however, I would keep one finger at the end of the hose by the bucket and before I start a section cover the end with my finger to stop the siphon and with my other hand (holding the gravel cleaner) shoo any shrimps away from the area than once the area is clear I proceed to clean that area.

if i do catch a shrimp inside the cleaner i just pause the siphon by putting my finger over the hole and release the shrimp by pulling the gravel cleaner out of the water. If it is already in the tube i have a net ready on the end of the tube to catch it.

As for the sponge filter, i don't clean those either.. the shimplet love feeding off it so I only replace it once it get really clogged. But ya if you give it a good shake they should shatter

[SuperGuppyGirl]

I have sand in my 10G shrimp tank, to avoid the whole gravel vacuum issue, I also got a suction cleaner half the size of the regular ones and just sweep it along the top light lot but way reduced flow but easier to avoid snagging any shrimp

[Lindsey]

Thanks everyone. Good advice. I've basically just been doing water changes by draining and replacing water. Good to know others are doing the same thing. The community is doing really well and I wanted to be sure I wasn't going to get caught by something because I haven't been vacuuming the gravel or cleaning the sponge and have a die-off. I also have Spixi snails in the tank but I'm not sure they're the best choice for this tank because they seem to like eating plants.

[jumpsmasher]

Ya, the bio load for shrimps is actually quite low... the bacteria in the gravel should be able to handle it. As long as your ammonia and nitrite / nirate level are low than you should be fine doing what you have doing since they are thriving.

Spixi snails are good for eating Hydra... depends on how much you value your plants.. lol