Here's an update on the 5 gallon acrylic tank from 2019 some years later. I had a big move 2000 miles cross-country with car during winter 2022. I went from sea level (Miami) to a place 5000+ miles above sea level (Denver). They adapted to the huge altitude change. I'm sharing my experience if it can help someone who is considering a long distance move with these shrimp.
A friend at an aquarium shop bagged the majority of the shrimp in a freshwater/saltwater mix from his tanks with the original shrimp tank water. He used oxygen for gas and we kept the bag in a styrofoam carrier in the car for about 5 days. We would take all the shrimp containers into the hotel since the temps were a bit above freezing while driving across the Midwest.
About 50 or so shrimp that weren't bagged were put in a small paint bucket with the rocks. I figured if something went wrong with one container, at least there would be enough shrimp to reestablish the colony again. A small amount of remaining water was left in the tank to keep the substrate moist and keep the trumpet snails alive. Also some of those shrimps were really good at hiding. We wrapped up the tank in that protective cellophane for furnture to keep the lid on tight.
The tank survived the trip, and the colony bounced back. I lost a few due to the stress of moving, but not enough to impact the colony in any substantial way. They were breeding again after a month or so of getting used to the "new" tank.
The tank ecosystem is going well over a year since the move, and nothing has changed. I see zoes floating around regularly, and the few berried females hanging out in the rocks. It's pretty amazing how well they do in a stable environment. The tank gets topped off with RO water every month or so. If I notice the salinty is a bit low, I'll mix a bit of Instant Ocean (a couple teaspoons) with the top off water to bump up the salinity.
They are fed maybe once every other week, but I don't really keep track of anything. They get the same food as always: Hikari Crab or Shrimp Cuisine and Fluval shrimp food. They readily devour the food in a few minutes, so nothing stays uneaten in the tank.
The algae are growing like crazy which the shrimp will happily graze on. The LED light housing needs a wipe off once a month since the algae loves to grow on the housing. I drop a piece of cuttlebone in there once every 12-18 months or so to keep a source of calcium handy for the snails and shrimp. The current placement of the tank allows it to receive a lot of natural sunlight from the windows, so that has helped with keeping the algae active.
I'm aware the airstone isn't needed for keeping them healthy. I returned the airstone in the tank about 3 years ago (after my last post) since I noticed the water wasn't circulating. So that's why I left the airstone in the tank. The shrimp love picking at the algae growing on the stone and they love to swim through the bubbles. My view is if it's working with them breeding, then best not change it. I think everyone's tank could be a bit different, or the stone is unnecessary in most cases.
Overall I've been very happy keeping these hardy little shrimp for half a decade now. I appreciate all the help of everyone on this site and forums.
Edit: Fixed some typos and fixed some wording.
You'll get *more* bacterial/algae growth and the macroalgae may start growing again too (due to the fact that more CO2 is available without the airstone driving it out of the water). I remember you had some kind of "crash" before (probably due to overfeeding) where your shrimp were lethargic and your snails were "gasping" for air at the top. That was, again, most likely due to nutrition overload. In that case temporarily putting in an airstone (or, better, changing most of the water) can be useful, but you should take out that airstone as soon as possible.
