Iodide for shrimp - is this the right stuff?

Wow, thank you both for your detailed replies.
Veneer, I'm going to read those articles, thanks for taking the time to provide all those links.
RTR, other than the water hardness it sounds like we have similar conditions - my tanks are also heavily planted, and supplemented with PO4, NO3, K and traces.
I'd like to learn how iodide helps, but based on what you say I have no doubt that it does and so I'll supplement with the Kent Tech.I at half strength.
As an aside, I can't believe you have a foot-long shrimp, that's quite amazing!
 
Blinky said:
Wow, thank you both for your detailed replies.
Veneer, I'm going to read those articles, thanks for taking the time to provide all those links.
RTR, other than the water hardness it sounds like we have similar conditions - my tanks are also heavily planted, and supplemented with PO4, NO3, K and traces.
I'd like to learn how iodide helps, but based on what you say I have no doubt that it does and so I'll supplement with the Kent Tech.I at half strength.
As an aside, I can't believe you have a foot-long shrimp, that's quite amazing!

Macrobrachium rosenbergii and its ilk may attain lengths in excess of 24 inches (a figure including the titular "big arms") - see http://www.msstate.edu/dept/crec/prawn.jpg, http://southcenters.osu.edu/aqua/intro/sld013.htm, and http://www.papuaweb.org/gb/foto/muller/ecology/08/ (note the degree of color variation in this wide-ranging species).
 
Blinky???

My LFS is getting those fan shrimp in soon.

Can they be kept with fish? Or species only.

I'm going to be setting up my 25g a la Diana Walstad, during my vacation next week. I'm wondering if later on, these shrimp might be beneficial, or if not, just plain interesting. Thanks.

The tank will be thickly planted at the outset, over sterilized soil 1.5 inches, with 1.5 inches of small aquarium gravel to cover. Do the woodshrimp prefer sand?

I found this link that explains alot, thanks :)

http://www.petshrimp.com/bambooshrimp.html
 
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Thanks for the link Swimfins! I have a Bamboo shrimp and he's always done well in my tank (always = 3 months or so). However lately he's been turning a deeper red color, and thanks to your link, I can see that means he's happy! :dance
 
The huge Macrobrachium is unfortunately no longer with us. He inhabited a huge cave in a 50 (probably should have been a 75) all by himself. As he was a bit conditioned that activity in the tank room might mean food, he tended to come out when visitors were over - more than one all but freaked - he was truly alien in appearance. Those long bluish arms sliding out, followed by the sci-fi critter the length of an adult Oscar but less massive. Great for showing folks how to read crustacean anaotomy, no magnifiers needed. But some folks did not want to hang around for the lesson for some reason. ;)
 
Swimfins, I'm using sand as my substrate because it's easy to keep clean and... well, I had some around so figured why not. The shrimp spend a lot of time scooping up fanfuls of sand and mouthing it - I guess they're grabbing little bits of food, bacteria, etc. I don't think they'd mind having any other substrate but they do seem to have fun with the sand :)
I had initially planned to add these guys to my 65g, but after having them for just a few days I feel they wouldn't do well there. It's a very active tank, with fast, greedy fish and they probably wouldn't get enough food. Being by themselves they don't have to compete for food (except with snails, and they're awful slow ;)) and won't get pecked at. I wonder if they'd be okay with fish that are tiny and tend to stay near the surface, like halfbeaks, hatchetfish etc? For now, mine are on their own - the tank has some decorations and quite a few plants and will hopefully become more interesting to look at as they gain confidence and start coming out more :)

RTR, sorry your creature isn't with you any more - I looked at some pictures of those shrimp, they're amazing. I'm fascinated with these animals, they're so different from us in every way; I would definitely have stayed for the anatomy lesson :D
 
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