Ghost Shrimp as Feeders

[abarilot]

How safe are ghost shrimp to use as feeders? Do they carry diseases that can be caught by fish? I've been wary to use feeder fish for this reason. I searched the forum briefly but didnt see any posts really answering my questions, but if I missed a thread point me the way. Any input would be great!

 

[Toby_H]

There are some/many diseases that fish can get that shrimp cannot... or that shrimp can get that fish cannot...

I have always heard that ghost shrimp are a cleaner source of feeders because of this reason...

I see no reason why a shrimp couldn't be affected by a parasite or otherwise carry them into a fish tank though... My solution to this concern is to not use feeders of any kind that I have not bred myself... They just aren't important enough to create the risk...

 

[BPags52]

I've always been under the impression that ghost shrimp are just as likely as feeders to transfer disease/parasites/etc to the fish eating them.

Not sure how accurate that is though...

 

[Youngbuck5009]

is breeding your own easy?

 

[swede]

get a 10 gallon tank and set it up for some american glass shrimp. they are full freshwater "ghost" shrimp and they are easy to breed for feeders. you should be fine using these shrimp as feeders

 

[sbuse]

i use them in my tanks, no problems just done put the water in the tank with them when you put the shrimps in.

 

[Electric45]

how many would you need to buy upfront for a 10 gallon, maybe like 30? then based onthis number, how often do you think u could use them as feeders.

 

[dwilder]

i have seen ghost shrimp with tapeworms but they are not supposed to be really much of a threat but i still am cautious with live fresh water fish inverts etc

 

[Lupin]

Captive bred inverts usually are fine as there is very little chance of them contracting pathogens that can be transmitted to fish and humans.

 

[Bubbles2112]

What Lupin says is correct. The problem is that most glass shrimp that are bought at pet stores/LFS are wild born due to the fact that they are so cheap to catch and there isn't any shortage of them in the wild (southern USA). They can and do transmit a varitey of parasites including worms among other things. Breeding glass/ghost shrimp is easy and very interesting. They are freshwater and do have a larval stage to go thru prior to becoming the shrimp that we know and love. They don't require any specialized foods and don't need a heater (although warmer water seems to speed up growth--at least this has been my experience) just a well aged tank and good water circulation.



You may want to try baby marmorkrebs crayfish for live foods--very healthy snack for your fishes and virtually no pathogens!!!