Sulawesi shrimp are the newest shrimp for the hobby. They are also very sensitive, needing very specific water parameters.
WATER PARAMETERS
Parameters should be almost exactly as follows:
PH of 8.0-8.2
GH 1-2
KH 4-6
Temp of about 82
The best way to achieve these parameters is to use water with the correct GH, the PH and KH of the source water not being important as the crushed coral will take care of that. The substrate should be crushed coral. Many people mix the coral with sand because it looks a lot better that way. You also need to use water with the correct parameters for water changes, so you will need some kind of bucket with crushed coral, a heater and an air stone in it. These shrimp are so sensitive it is not recommended to do any more than 10 percent water change at a time.
More specific water paramaters by lake
Water Parameters Towuti Lake - Harlequins, Redlines, Red Orchids, Yellow cheeks and many others are from here
Temperature average: 30 C
pH: 8.3
gH: 6
kH: 5-6
Conductivity: 181
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 2
Iron, Copper: 0
Water Parameters Mantano Lake - Where Cardinals are from
Temperature: 29.5 C
pH: 8.6
gH: 7
kH: 5
Conductivity: 227
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Iron, Copper: 0
Phosphate: 1
TANK SETUP
But having correct water parameters alone will not suffice to keep these shrimp. They even more sensitive than other types of shrimp known for being tough to keep such as blue tigers, black tigers, and SSS crystal red shrimp.
The tank should not be heavily planted, these shrimp like to climb around on rocks. Lava rock works best. You want your rocks to be stacked so that the shrimp can be in nooks and cranny around the rock work, and also hang out upside down. They seem to like this. Some moss is good, but not covering all the rock. Driftwood is present in the lakes as well, it looks a lot like manzanita
TANK MATURITY
You still need more than a good layout and good parameters to keep these shrimp though. A freshly cycled tank is doomed for failure. The tank should be well established with lots of bio-film. A good way to do this would be to use the tank for fish for a few months then switch it into a shrimp tank. These shrimp will also appreciate Indian almond leaves, but don't use too many at once or it could reduce the PH. This is unlikely however unless the entire bottom is covered in them. One or two at a time is fine.
FEEDING
These shrimp eat the same stuff as other shrimp. Just remember not to overfeed or feed too much protein. Both these mistakes kill shrimp.
Try fresh veggies, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, and specialty shrimp foods like mosura and shirakura
OTHER SULAWESI CRITTERS
Tylomania snails make good tank mates, they are very large compared to pest snails growing to several inches as adults. They give live birth to a single young snail at a time. Some species eat plants.
Many awesome fish are from the sulawesi lakes as well, but they are not available in the hobby as of yet with the exception of one goby species. Others maybe but very hard to find.
WATER PARAMETERS
Parameters should be almost exactly as follows:
PH of 8.0-8.2
GH 1-2
KH 4-6
Temp of about 82
The best way to achieve these parameters is to use water with the correct GH, the PH and KH of the source water not being important as the crushed coral will take care of that. The substrate should be crushed coral. Many people mix the coral with sand because it looks a lot better that way. You also need to use water with the correct parameters for water changes, so you will need some kind of bucket with crushed coral, a heater and an air stone in it. These shrimp are so sensitive it is not recommended to do any more than 10 percent water change at a time.
More specific water paramaters by lake
Water Parameters Towuti Lake - Harlequins, Redlines, Red Orchids, Yellow cheeks and many others are from here
Temperature average: 30 C
pH: 8.3
gH: 6
kH: 5-6
Conductivity: 181
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 2
Iron, Copper: 0
Water Parameters Mantano Lake - Where Cardinals are from
Temperature: 29.5 C
pH: 8.6
gH: 7
kH: 5
Conductivity: 227
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Iron, Copper: 0
Phosphate: 1
TANK SETUP
But having correct water parameters alone will not suffice to keep these shrimp. They even more sensitive than other types of shrimp known for being tough to keep such as blue tigers, black tigers, and SSS crystal red shrimp.
The tank should not be heavily planted, these shrimp like to climb around on rocks. Lava rock works best. You want your rocks to be stacked so that the shrimp can be in nooks and cranny around the rock work, and also hang out upside down. They seem to like this. Some moss is good, but not covering all the rock. Driftwood is present in the lakes as well, it looks a lot like manzanita
TANK MATURITY
You still need more than a good layout and good parameters to keep these shrimp though. A freshly cycled tank is doomed for failure. The tank should be well established with lots of bio-film. A good way to do this would be to use the tank for fish for a few months then switch it into a shrimp tank. These shrimp will also appreciate Indian almond leaves, but don't use too many at once or it could reduce the PH. This is unlikely however unless the entire bottom is covered in them. One or two at a time is fine.
FEEDING
These shrimp eat the same stuff as other shrimp. Just remember not to overfeed or feed too much protein. Both these mistakes kill shrimp.
Try fresh veggies, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, and specialty shrimp foods like mosura and shirakura
OTHER SULAWESI CRITTERS
Tylomania snails make good tank mates, they are very large compared to pest snails growing to several inches as adults. They give live birth to a single young snail at a time. Some species eat plants.
Many awesome fish are from the sulawesi lakes as well, but they are not available in the hobby as of yet with the exception of one goby species. Others maybe but very hard to find.
Sulawesi Shrimp
Sulawesi Shrimp and other inverts