Shrimp feeding

[cdn_beaver]

I currently have 1 Pepermint Shrimp, and 1 Cleaner Shrimp in my tank. I have no fish yet, but I still feed the tank twice daily. Will the food that drops to the bottom be enough for them? Should I be feeding them something else? Thanks for the help. Just want to make sure my livestock stay healthy.

 

[bigarn]

Mine love BioPlankton....Give it to them as a treat!

 

[cdn_beaver]

Thank you
Is this something that the LFS will have? How is it administered?

 

[bigarn]

Most LFS may have it. It comes in a small bottle with a pump on top. I put one drop into a cupful of tank water and mix. Then just pour it in. Keep it in the freezer ....It doesn't freeze.

 

[b0gart]

My cleaner and fire shrimp eat anything I offer them, flake.....frozen.....slversides(they try to steal them from my anenomes)....brine......even krill....does that make them cannibals? The brine and krill that is. They actually eat right out of my hand. The peppermint eats all the same stuff.
they don't seem to be all that picky.

 

[sergeant]

My peppermint shrimp love squidd but I only feed them once a day. I have to watch my overfeeding habits.

 

[nm reef]

I keep 3 peppermints...2 skunks...and 2 blood reds...I never actually try to feed them directly. They pretty much get whatever is offered to the fish and corals. I use assorted meaty type foods...some carefully selected flake products...seaweed selects...cyclopeeze...and assorted suppliments. I'd use caution if you are only feeding the 2 shrimp twice a day...sounds like you may be overfeeding your tank which may result in problems down the road. Even with the amount of mouths I have to feed I normally feed only once every other day...and not a lot at any one time. Excess foods can lead to excess nutrients which can lead to assorted problems.

 

[cdn_beaver]

Thank you all for the help. I had previously been only feeding once a day, but I noticed my shrimp taking a swipe at the snails and each other, and somebody had suggested that maybe they were hungry.

 

[evilss]

my cleaner usually eats what ever is left over from what i feed my fish. this method usually works out good for me. now givin them a treat from time to time would be a good idea.

 

[bang guy]

They will normally find plenty to eat providing you slightly overfeed your fish
I have found that if you occationally hand feed them a treat then they will be a lot more visible and friendly.

 

[cdn_beaver]

Thank you all for the help. What do you hand feed them?
Also, it looks asthough feeding twice a day was indeed too much. I tested my water today to find the ammonia up to 0.25ppm from a previous 0ppm. I have since started to feed a pinch of food once daily. How long should it take for the ammonia to dissipate into Nitrites - nitrates and so on? I'd like to start introducing a fish or two into the tank sometime soon. Will the 0.25ppm of ammonia overly shock the new livestock?
Thanks again.

 

[bang guy]

Newly acquired fish have enough stress going on without also having water quality problems.
I would guess you ammonia level will be back to zero before nightfall.
I would suggest you continue to overfeed your tank slightly until the bacteria population increases to where it can handle the excess food.
IMO, that's when you'll be ready for a fish.
You don't want the bacteria population playing catch-up after you add the fish, you want to bump up the population before you add the fish.
I hand feed my shrimp shrimp.