Guidelines

What is a ShrimpBubble?

It is a simple symbiotic ecosystem where an equilibrium of live organisms is established and self-sustains for a prolonged time.

Algae in the ShrimpBubble only need light (natural or artificial) and a mixture of dissolved inorganic nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) to thrive. Algae make their own food. Through a process called photosynthesis algae use light, the chlorophyll in their cells, carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) to produce glucose and oxygen (O2). The algae use the glucose as food and the oxygen (O2) is liberated into the water.

Shrimp breathe oxygen (O2) and release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the water. Algae provide oxygen (O2) for shrimp to breathe. Shrimp need food to survive and thrive. Shrimp feed on microalgae and microorganisms that colonize all solid surface areas (substrate, volcanic rocks, marine shells, sea-fan branch, the interior glass walls of the shrimp bubble). Shrimp digest their food and discharge a solid waste matter (excreta) from their body.

Microorganisms breathe oxygen (O2) and exhale carbon dioxide (CO2) into the water. Algae provide oxygen (O2) for microorganisms to breathe. The microorganisms feed on the shrimp’s solid waste matter and break it down into dissolved simple inorganic nutrients that are freed into the water.   

Algae recycle carbon dioxide (CO2) through the process of photosynthesis and use the dissolved inorganic nutrients (yield by shrimp and microorganisms) to produce their own food, thus closing the symbiotic chain and perpetuating a self-sustaining ecosystem within the shrimp bubble.

 

 Photosynthesis: Light + Carbon Dioxide + Water + Chlorophyll = Glucose + Oxygen

 

Caring for your Shrimp Bubble

Be a responsible pet owner. Treat your Shrimp Bubble with the same care as you would treat any other pet.

Understanding the simple symbiotic, self-sustaining principle on which your Shrimp Bubble ecosystem functions, and properly caring for it, will insure its prolonged existence.

Light is the balancing element

Too much light and the algae will overgrow, affecting the biological equilibrium and eventually crushing the ecosystem. Move the Shrimp Bubble to a lower light intensity spot or reduce the lighting time to stop the algae overgrowth.

Not enough light and the algae will slowly weaken and break apart, eventually crushing the ecosystem. Move the Shrimp Bubble to a spot where it is exposed to indirect light for a longer period of time and the algae will slowly regrow.

KEEP AWAY FROM DIRECT SUNLIGHT

NEVER place your Shrimp Bubble in direct sunlight, near a window or on the window sill, nor in a place where it will receive even a small amount of sunlight at any time during the day.

Regardless of the room temperature, even a short exposure time to the sun's UV rays will rapidly raise the temperature inside the Shrimp Bubble above shrimp’s maximum endurance level, causing their death.

Keep the Shrimp Bubble only under regular room light, where direct sunlight does not reach at any time during the day, or under low intensity artificial light, between six to eight hours a day. Ceiling light intensity will suffice. Don't keep the Shrimp Bubble in complete darkness for more than two days.

• Keep the Shrimp Bubble at room temperature, 60F to 85F.
• NO excessive and rapid temperature fluctuations allowed. This stresses the shrimp and may kill them.
• Always keep the water level in the Shrimp Bubble one inch lower from where the bottle neck begins. Always leave an air pocket at the top for breathing.
• Never add tap water. Any eventual evaporation should be replenished with distilled water only.
• Keep the scrubber magnet above water level when not in use.
• Do not vigorously shake or swirl the Shrimp Bubble - it will harm, and even kill the shrimp.

NEVER put/add anything inside the Shrimp Bubble; snails, small fish, plants, Marimo moss ball, algae, rocks, toys, etc.

NEVER RELEASE PETS IN THE WILD.

ShrimpBubble Kit Assembly Guidelines

The ShrimpBubble Kit comes already assembled inside the clear glass bubble. The sand is pre-washed, as well as the Hawaiian black lava rocks, the sea shells and the dried sea fan branch. The clear glass ShrimpBubble comes with a craft cork top. Use the craft cork when displaying the ShrimpBubble as a decorative piece of living art. We also provided an extra “Travel” T-cap to top the ShrimpBubble when moving it long distances. Neither the decorative cork stopper, nor the T-cap work as 100% leak proof tops. However, the T-cap fits much tighter. Do NOT turn the ShrimpBubble sideways or upside down when filled with water - it may leak.
 
A  small discoidal magnetic scrubber is placed inside the ShrimpBubble. A second magnet, that works outside of the ShrimpBubble to manipulate the inside magnetic scrubber to clean the inside of the glass bubble, is provided with the kit.

The marine shrimp and the marine algae are packed separately in an 8oz plastic bottle filled with filtered brackish water. Don’t panic if the shrimp look listless and discolored when you take the shrimp transportation bottle out of the shipping box. The shrimp will come back to their normal behavior within 24 hours after they are transferred into the ShrimpBubble and kept at room temperature, 60F - 85F.

Transferring the shrimp to the glass ShrimpBubble:
 

•     Remove the T-cap from the clear glass ShrimpBubble.

•     Place the paper funnel (provided with the kit) in the glass ShrimpBubble.

•     Remove the cap from the plastic shrimp bottle.

•     Gently pour all the brackish water, the shrimp and the algae (via the paper funnel) into the   ShrimpBubble. Make sure that all shrimp are transferred into the ShrimpBubble. Normally, the shrimp transfer well into the ShrimpBubble from the first trial. Do NOT panic if one or more shrimp remain in the bottle - gently pour some brackish water from the glass ShrimpBubble back into the plastic bottle and try again. Do NOT try to pull/push the shrimp into the glass ShrimpBubble with your fingers or any other utensils. They are very fragile creatures and will NOT take such a shock.

•     Some finer sand may float at the top of the water - gently shake the glass bubble for the floating finer sand to sink to the bottom. If left alone, the floating finer sand will settle later, by itself.     

•     Place the pin magnet on the ShrimpBubble's outside wall and gently move the pin magnet over the glass until it connects with the discoidal magnetic scrubber placed inside the ShrimpBubble. Use them together to scrub the algae inside the ShrimpBubble. When not in use, keep the magnets at the top of the ShrimpBubble, above the water level.

•     Plug the ShrimpBubble with the decorative cork stopper. You are DONE! That was easy! Enjoy your ShrimpBubble!