Animals
Bunnies
Bunnies II 
Cat-N-Around Cat Club
Cat-N-Around Cat Club 2007 Annual Show
Hawkeye Cat Club 2004
Hawkeye Cat Club 2005
Chinchillas
Degus
Ferrets
Ferrets by BOB
Gerbils
Ground Squirrels
Guinea Pig
Hamsters I
Hamsters II
Hamsters III
Hamsters IV
Hamsters V
Hedgehogs
Kittens
Kids & Kittens
Mice
Mice Pets II
Parasites
Rats I
Rats II
Rats III
Rats, Hairless
S-T Opossums
Siberian Chipmunks
Sugar Gliders
Sugar Gliders II
Water Bottles

Bugs
Crabby 500
Crab 04 Results
Centipedes
Cray/Lobsters
Crayfish II
Crayfish III
Cray, Yucatan
Fiddler Crabs
Shrimp, Algae
Shrimp, Aqua
Shrimp, Orange Bee
Shrimp, Red
Shrimp, Flower
Shrimp, Ghost
Shrimp, Rudolph
Hermit Crabs
Hermit Crabs II
Madagas Roach
Mantids
Mini-Clams
Mini-Crabs
Patriot Crabs
Giant Millipedes
Red Claw Crabs
Reiman Butterfly
Spider, Black Widow
Snail, Apple
Snail, Colombian
Snail, Land
Snail, Malaysian
Snail, Mystery
Snail, Trapdoor 
Scorpions
Tarantulas
Tarantulas II
Tarantula Night 2006
TarantulaWeen VII
TarantulaWeen 9
Walking Stick
Misc. Bugs
Misc Bugs II  

Birds
Breeding Tips
Button Quail
Canaries
Cockatiels
Dove, Diamond
Dove, Ringneck
Finches
Love Birds
Parakeets
Pelleted Foods
Quaker Parrots
Parrot Pictures
Parrot Pix II
Parrot Pix III
Dave's Parrots

Lizards
Alligators
Anoles
Bearded Dragon
Beardies II
Calotes
Chamel, Jackson
Chamel, Panther
Chamel, Veiled
Crested Geckos
Gecko, Golden
Gecko, House
Gecko, Leopard
Gecko, Tokay
Horned "Toads"
Iguana New
Iguana Dragons
Iguana Q&A I
Iguana Q&A II
Iguana Training
Iguana Update
Cool Iguana Pics
Knight Anoles
Monitors, Nile
Monitors, Savana
Monitors, Water
Salmonella
Skinks
Skinks Blue-Tongue
Tegus
Uromastyx maliensis
Water Dragon
Misc Lizards
Misc Lizards 2
Misc Lizards 3
Misc Lizards 4
Misc Lizards 5
Misc Lizards 6
Misc Lizards 7
Misc Lizards 8
Misc Lizards 9
Misc Lizards 10


Snakes
Anacondas
Boa, Rosy
Boa, Red-Tail
Corn Snake
Garter Snake
Green Snake
Kids/Corn Snakes
Kids/Red-Tail Boas

Kids at Pet Expo 1

Kids at Pet Expo 2

Kids at Pet Expo 3

Kids at Pet Expo 4

Kids at Pet Expo 5
King & Milk
Python, Ball
Python, Burmese

Snakes Alive
Snakesgiving
Snakesgiving II
Misc Snake Pix
Misc Snakes II
Misc Snakes III  

Turtles/Tortoises
Box, Asian
Box, USA
Races
Snapping
Spiny

Sulcata
Water
Western Painted

Live Foods
Blackworms
Blood Worms
Br Shrimp I
Br Shrimp II
Crayfish 1
Crayfish 2
Crayfish 3 
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Dandelions
Daphnia
Earthworms
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Fruit Flies
Ghost Shrimp

Glass Worms

Grindal Worms
Infusoria
Mealworms
Microworms
Rosy Reds

Super Worms

Wax Worms
White Clouds

Decorating
Bubbles
Driftwood
Gravel
Plastic Plants
Rocks
Slow Growing Plants

Miscellaneous
Bob's Acclimation

How to Start
How to Add New Fish
How to Keep Healthy
Which Fish Get Along?
10 Questions to Ask
What is Ich?
Under Gravel Filters

Sponge Filters
Cloudy Water
Cool Water Tanks
Gravel Vacuums
Preventing Disease
Feeding to the Max
Frozen Foods
Green Water
Nasty Chemicals
Overfeeding
Power Filters
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Quarantine Tank
Mini-Tank
2nd Av Bait

Pet World Visit
Dandelions

Aquatic Plants
Amazon Swords
More Swords
Sword Plants III
Anubias
Anacharis
Aponogetons
A. boivinianus
A. fenestralis
A. ulvaceous
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Banana Plant
Bolbitis
Bunch
Bunch Plants II
Cryptocorynes
Crystalwort
Dwarf Lily
Grassy
Grassy II
Hornwort
Hygrophila
Lace
Java Fern I
Java Fern II
Java Fern III
Java Fern IV
Java Moss
Moss Balls
Onion
Vermiculite
Watersprite
Different Watersprite

Origins:  With a name like Caradina japonica, you have to suspect the algae-eating shrimps originally came from Japan.  Different species came from different swamps.  All these similar species like to eat algae.

LA Pic
Algae-eating shrimp are also known as Amano shrimps.

Appeal:  Plant-growing expert Amano-san popularized these hard working crustaceans in his series of incredibly beautiful books of natural aquaria.  He extolled their well developed algae-eating talents.  So effective were his mentions of the algae-eating shrimps that many people call them Amano shrimps.  He recommended two per gallon.

LA Pic
Not all algae-eating shrimps look alike.

LA Pic
Cute little beady eyed critters.

Size:  Algae-eating shrimps hit the market at one inch and grow to about two inches.

LA Pic
Algae-eating shrimp careful comb your sponge filters for bits of algae and other snacks.

LA Pic
Out of algae?  They also eat green beans and fish food.

LA Pic
Algae-eating shrimp also eat vacation food blocks.

LA Pic
Algae-eating shrimp also eagerly eat a deceased tetra.

Foods:  Obviously algae-eating shrimps eat algae.  They also eat fish food (first).  Don’t feed them anything if you want them to get rid of your algae.  When they run out of algae, they will eat your plants.  Add food at this point.  They also munch on deceased fish.  We’ve never seen them attack fish but would not put it past them.  They do not like the blackish, furry algae.

                     
LA Pic
Algae-eating shrimp climbing from net and running across the counter.

Housing:  If you need an algae eater for a small tank (or tank with small fish), put algae-eating shrimps on your payroll.  Keep yours covered.  We’ve watched them crawl out.  They are not helpless out of the water.  They run like a cockroach. 

LA Pix
Algae-eating shrimp do not hesitate to exit the water when they feel like it.

Out of the Water:  Most shrimps go limp when caught in a net – not the algae-eating shrimps.  They instantly crawl out of your net and drop to the floor.  They can jump straight up about four inches.  They flip laterally as much as a foot per flip.

Tank Mates:  Algae-eating shrimps get along great with smaller fishes -- tetras, moons, corys, dwarf cichlids and others until the “others” grow large enough to scavenge your scavenging shrimp.  Gouramis with their smaller mouths get along well also.  We’ve never mixed these guys with ghost shrimps.  They’re tough enough to turn them into real ghosts. 

Temperature:  Your average tank temperature works fine. 

  LA Pic
You often find your algae-eating shrimps crawling on your sponge filter.

Temperament:  Some people say algae-eating shrimps are shy.  Others say they are nocturnal.  We’ll just say they’re small and not stupid.  If you provide a forest of hiding places, they will use them.  In sparse tanks, they’re out front.  They love to crawl on sponge filters.  They like sorting thru the detritus they collect.

LA Pic
They blend in like the Predator in the Schwartzenegger movie of the same name.

Décor and Plants:  Algae-eating shrimp love java moss.  They munch on it continuously.  Otherwise, decorate to your taste, not to their taste.

LA Pic
Algae-eating shrimp are huge compared to cherry red shrimp.

Water:  Unless you plan to breed them, don’t obsess over their water.  Since they come from swamps, you know what you provide will usually be better.

LA Pix
Captured algae-eating shrimp relax for a moment, then take off for Tokyo.

LA Pic
Here's the first one we've seen with eggs.  They're black.  01.02.05

Breeding:  We don’t know how to breed the little rascals, but the Chinese have it figured out.  Our last price list included 300-packs of three different species of algae-eating shrimp from Taiwan.  Apparently brackish water affects the equation.  Protecting the tasty babies from the adults also ranks high.  Try making a breeding cage out of nylon netting.  The babies should escape thru the mesh.

LA Pic
Stubborn algae-eating shrimp do not necessarily pour out of a catching cup.

Last Word:  When teamed with otocinclus, algae-eating shrimp complete your algae-eating team.  LA.

© 2004 LA Productions

Jaguar Spawning II
Jewel Fish
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Misc Cichlids VIII

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Misc Odd III
Misc Odd  IV

Misc Odd V

Sharks  
Bala
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Bull
Chinese Hi-Fin Banded
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Pond Info 
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