Shrimp populations?

[150EH]

It seems the shrimp in my nano tank never let it get over populated, is this possible? It's a 2.5 gallon that is just over a year old, planted with AS but low tech, weekly water changes and filter cleaning plus I add new carbon weekly and no fertilizers unless I see a problem, so the water stays very clean. I also do not use a heater on this tank so it seems spawning slows in the winter but life spans increase, although I did notice a mature female today and she was loaded with eggs. I only seem to notice one mature female with eggs at a time and I realize all of this may be coincidence.

It is also very hard to get any type of count on the shrimp as the tank has Cholla and plenty of other places to hide so I can only go on what I see at feedings but I think my high number is around 40 at best. I also forgot to mention these are Cherry shrimp so I find it odd as I do not find them to breed like roaches as most others may find.

Do you think my population would be greater in a 10 gallon tank?

[DelawareJim]

No question you'd have more in a bigger tank.

Years ago I started with a dozen cherries in my 110. Within 2 years I had so many that when I decided to sell or swap for fresh genes, I'd just scoop a couple of nets full without even thinking about counting them out.

Cheers.
Jim

[150EH]

I think it's time to move some to another tank or setup a larger tank just for them. I thought they would just keep on breeding until there was no more room in the tank as long as I kept the water clean and food available but it seems they regulate their populations in some manner that pertains to the size of their living space.

I guess time will tell as the water warms and another breeding season starts.

[jweis]

I think 40 in a 2.5 is quite a few.

[150EH]

I was waiting to see what you'd say, it does seem like a good amount but I was suprised that it kind of stalled at that number, who knew shrimp are smarter than us and the Mayan's and would self regulate the population.

[DonkeyFish]

Lol. When I was doing crystals people never believed I just had them in a 2.5g. I swear it never mattered how many I scooped out to sell there were just as many left in the tank when I was done. I think perhaps along with being smarter than us they are fantastic hiders and haveinvisibility skills to fool us poor dumb humans when doing a headcount. I gave up trying to count...especially if you're including those microscopic shrimplets.

[150EH]

That's true, I thought the tank was near empty at one point so I pulled out both pieces of Cholla to reveal about 30 shrimp so there could be way more shrimp in here than I'm actually seeing. I've been using feeding times to do a rough count after withholding food for an extra day so it is a very rough guess.