[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Health of C. japonica
Roger Miller replied to Ray McKinney's inquiry about C.
japonica care, most of which I agree with fully. However,
the exoskeleton (chitin) of shrimp, crabs, and crayfish is
significantly composted of calcium carbonate, even if the
matrix is protein. So some attention to mineralization of
the system is important. In moderately hard and hard
waters, this requires little or no attention. I don't have
much experience in soft water, so can't offer suggestions
for compensation. Cuttlebone (as used for caged birds,
weighted as veggies, done with rubber band and rock) works
fine for snails, but I don't know if Amano's mouthparts are
strong enough for this material. I have used it for crays,
but their eating skills are a different order of magnitude.
Iodine deficit problems do seem to be a cause of molting
problems (and failures), but for these shrimp at least, seem
to me readily compensated by occasional feedings from marine
sources (tiny bits of shredded clam are a cause for
excitement among fish and shrimp, as are shredded shrimp or
crumbled FD shrimp, even if feeding shrimp to shrimp seems a
bit callous). This is purely anecdotal on my part.
The same isolation with simulated planting in lightly
brackish water should serve for the carrying female Amano as
it does for ghosts (some of which can do without
salt/buffer), but all I've learned to date is that the
female are cannibalistic, and the tiny, tiny fry are hungry
but for me picky. If you do better than I have, do let us
know.
Robert