Freshwater invert for smallish planted sump. Please help me find a critter!

[Racersk]

So what I have is a 10G bow 'tank' that is the return path for my Cascade 1500 canister filter mounted above a 125G 'semi cold' freshwater tank. Easier to show you what I got so here's what I have available...









Not a ton of area for critters, but there has to be something that will fit. Thinking ghost shrimp- but as long as it can't climb out of this sump!


Any other ideas?

Remember there is dirt in the bottom and a 125 this feeds, toms of water in here and zero ammonia or nitrites, 30 nitrates, always. (even after a 50% water change.). Softer water though.

 

[TL1000RSquid]

In my experience ghost shrimp have a tendency to jump, when I kept them always had dead ones stuck to glass tops. Neocardina types dont jump but I dont know how well they'll tolerate cold water(mine did survive at 65ish degrees for a week during Sandy)

 

[Krib]

i believe that the cherry shrimp are ok with that temperature and are the cheapest neocardina speices out there

 

[Racersk]

Cherry shrimp won't jump tank? Th deepest point is ~7" the shallowest is 4" but there are plants they can climb if they'd like... Climb right on out the tank... A concern I have.

I was almost thinking some sort of fresh water crab or a snail species even...

Thanks for the input! Keep it coming!

 

[Krib]

Crabs are a no they will climb out and leave the aquarium. I have a open top aquarium with cherry shrimp, with plants out side and inside the aquarium, with no problem of them climbing out of the aquarium. Also watch out for what snails you buy they also might leave the aquarium at night.

 

[TL1000RSquid]

Cherries will do fine I've kept them with plants growing out of the water they dont climb out. The only crabc that would probably be ok in that size setup are thai's I don't know if those will try to climb out.

 

[Krib]

I dont think the Thai crabs will climb out, but they will hide and not be seen. So if you are set on getting some crabs for the sump i would go with the Thai crabs. But if you wanted something that you could see during the day i would go with the shrimp. But going with the shrimp does not mean you cant also get some crabs to go with them.

 

[evil wizard]

thai micro crabs are fully aquatic but they are so small you wont even notice them most of the time.but they are about 4 bucks a pop.

 

[bacon5]

Maybe something like a marbled cray. Those things are invincible pretty much lol!

 

[Racersk]

Marbled Cray- these get too big for about 2 gallons of water to swim in!

I have like 2 or 3 ghost shimp left after the initial 10- I will keep adding them till I get a colony started. I want nothing I have to pay real moey for, 'feader' ghost shrimp work great- cheap to replace- and stay put. Score!

I feed them every so often, but I feel the current has been an issue for most of them (output of a canister flows through this tank) so I added some plant obstructions. Time will tell how it works out. Looking god so far!