One of the easiest plants you can grow in your fish tank is Java Moss. So, do your Cherry Shrimps like this type of plant? You can find out in this article from Aquarium Blueprints.
What is Java Moss?
Java Moss is a stringy plant that is free-floating, which means that it shouldn’t be buried in a substrate as it takes nutrients from the water column.
As we stated above, Java Moss is low maintenance as the plant will remain healthy, with a dark green coloration, with just ambient room lighting. In the wild, this type of moss prefers shaded areas.
What are the benefits of Java Moss for Cherry Shrimps?
Java Moss provides a lot of benefits for Cherry Shrimps. The biggest of which is food as the plant provides a place for algae and small microorganisms to grow on. The flakes or pellets you feed will often get trapped by the moss as well.
Another major benefit for this plant in a shrimp tank is that it will keep the water pristine. Java Moss will consume ammonia and nitrates from the water column. Furthermore, it will provide surface area for beneficial bacteria that will consume ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.
If you have tankmates that may eat your shrimps, then the density of the Java Moss will help your pet inverts hide from the potential predators as well.
In the end, Cherry Shrimps have a symbiotic relationship with Java Moss. For shrimps, the moss provides food and hiding places along with keeping the tank water healthy. For Java Moss, the shrimps will keep the plant clean and provide nutrients (through their excrement) to help it grow.
What are the disadvantages of Java Moss for Cherry Shrimps?
The only disadvantages of having Java Moss in your shrimp tank is that it can look mess. If you leave the plant alone, then it may eventually grow all over your tank, which makes maintenance a lot harder.
Because it provides a lot of hiding places, you may also have a hard time spotting your Cherry Shrimps due to the density.
When adding Java Moss to a shrimp tank, we recommend that you attach it to a rock or another aquarium safe object so that its growth is limited to a certain area of the aquarium. We also recommend removing a portion when it starts to overgrow so that you can keep your tank looking aesthetically pleasing.
Do Cherry Shrimps prefer Java Moss?
From our experience, our Cherry Shrimps love Java Moss as we often see them picking at the stems of the plants.
Not to mention that the dark green coloration of this plant makes the Cherry Shrimps, especially the Red Cherry Shrimp, look great in contrast.
If your inverts don’t seem to hang around your moss too much, then we recommend that your drop food into the plant. By doing so, you should see them swarm over to the Java Moss in no time.