Dying shrimp

**mermaidwannabe** · 05-09-2012, 08:23 PM

Just to be safe, I would remove the lead weight bands from your plants and bury their roots in your substrate to anchor them. If they have rhizomes (Anubias or Java Ferns), don't bury those, but attach them to something using fine grade fishing line. If there's nothing to attach them to, you can bury the roots only, but leave the rhizomes on or above the substrate.

Foods aren't the only places you might find copper. If there is copper in your water pipes, that can transfer to your tank when you do water changes. That's why you need a test kit for copper, so you'll know.

The point about chemicals having been sprayed on new plants is a good one to consider. It's a good idea to thoroughly wash and scrub new plants before putting them into the tank.

As for the shrimp pellets being too tough for them to handle, the trick is to soak them in tank water for awhile, in a small cup, and when they've softened up, then serve them.

Ditto for algae pellets and Veggie Rounds.

You can feed a little more often than you've been told. Just don't put in a lot at one time. A tiny pinch, maybe once or twice a day, is sufficient. It's okay to fast your fish one day a week, but if your shrimp are starving, don't start doing that yet until you can be certain they're receiving adequate food.

Don't always believe the folks at your LFS -- sometimes they give accurate information and sometimes they don't. Come on here for answers -- you'll usually get good advice.

-- mermaid

**Jacko** · 05-09-2012, 08:42 PM

Crystal reds are a touchy shrimp, ScottishFish is right that they are best added to an established aquarium, the smallest parameter spike will stress and potentially kill them. Your ph is also too high for crs, I shoot for 6.5 - 6.8 for mine, the temperature is just right though.

Your feeding schedule is fine IMO, if it works dont change it. My tank with vietnam white clouds and crystals s fed twice a week, thats it, same as my other shrimp only tanks.

Id suggest just starting with the red cherries and seeing about lowering the ph nturally (indian,almond leaves work great for that) before you add anymore caridina species (crystals, bees, tigers)

**f1shg33kz** · 05-09-2012, 09:20 PM

Another possible issue is calcium. Shrimp need calcium in order for them to harden their shells. There are a lot foods you can feed to help with their calcium levels. Just another thing to consider. Zucchini is supposed to have a fair amount of calcium and shrimp like it.

**crystalite** · 05-09-2012, 10:19 PM

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I think I might stick to the cherry shrimp if these ones stay healthy. My last crystal is still hanging in there but is definitely not well. I'm going out tomorrow to get some testing kits and I'll try to fish out the weights. I do have java moss but I attached it with thin cotton threads is that safe? I was told by the store that my ph was ok so now I'm quite annoyed they've been telling me all this stuff. Its hard to get fish/shrimp from anywhere other than the places I've been going and I think there pretty useless so I'd rather take my business elsewhere. I might try my shrimp with some zucchini (that's courgette right?) just to be sure the shrimp I have left are getting the best chance possible.

**f1shg33kz** · 05-09-2012, 11:24 PM

Zucchini is courgette, correct. I like to blanch mine, boil it until it is soft. That helps it sink. I break up a few pieces and put in there. My colony of RCS devour it pretty fast.

**Cermet** · 05-10-2012, 11:15 PM

After reading the post i do not believe the tank is cycled - a month with just a few tiny fish didn't necessarily cycle the tank. Any reading of ammonia means the tank isn't cycled. You are wasting time, money and shrimp if you are not testing for ammonia and nitrites every day. Shrimp are hyper sensitive to waste - if you have ammonia then nitrite is very likely too and chemicals will not 'fix' that. Get the water test kit and prove the tank is cycled before adding any more shrimp.

Regardless - don't ask the people at the LFS - ask here. You and the shrimp will benefit.

**Strider199** · 05-10-2012, 11:45 PM

I agree with Cermet on the ammonia, nitrite thought. Shrimp can not deal with these. Do yourself a favour and get your own liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
Just to be on the safe side while you find your kit, keep up daily partial water changes. These will help keep the bad gases to a minimum.

I have fairly hard water (7.8 pH) from my tap and my 10 gallon red cherry shrimp tank is doing really well now for over 6 months.

Java moss is a great plant to have in your tank and the cotton thread should not be a problem. I too use fishing line only because I have it and it's hard to see in the tank.

Keep the faith and dont give up. You'll get through this.

**wijnands** · 05-11-2012, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by crystalite

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I think I might stick to the cherry shrimp if these ones stay healthy. My last crystal is still hanging in there but is definitely not well. I'm going out tomorrow to get some testing kits and I'll try to fish out the weights. I do have java moss but I attached it with thin cotton threads is that safe? I was told by the store that my ph was ok so now I'm quite annoyed they've been telling me all this stuff. Its hard to get fish/shrimp from anywhere other than the places I've been going and I think there pretty useless so I'd rather take my business elsewhere. I might try my shrimp with some zucchini (that's courgette right?) just to be sure the shrimp I have left are getting the best chance possible.

You keep the LEAD weights on the plants?!?! And you wonder why the shrimps display all the signs of poisoning?

Most store staff is hard put to provide accurate advice on fish, shrimps are miles beyond them.

**imma24** · 05-11-2012, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by crystalite

Just saw your reply after I'd posted mermaidwannabe. In answer to your questions I was told one month was cycled enough for the shrimp and I assumed that was right because I'm a complete novice to all this. My ph is 7.4 and I've got the temp set at 23c (not sure what that is in farenheit) because I wanted a temp the fish and the shrimp would be happiest at. The filter came with the tank so I'm not sure what it is but it has a sponge and some pebble things in it. I've asked all over about the bioload and I think I'm well under what my tank can handle so that shouldn't be a problem. I considered up grading to a bigger tank but this experience is putting me off as it's awful to see them struggling for so long and then dying.
Please keep all the advice coming and let me know what I'm doing wrong as I'm starting to think the stores I've been going to have given me some bad information so far.

1st of all I agree that your tank isn't cycled yet - you were told "one month was cycled enough" - you can NOT place a time limit on cycling - it is done when it is done - when your water parameters read 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites & 20 or less nitrates.

2nd please do not mess around with your pH - that is the least of your worries - it's more important to test your water and change your water often enough that toxins do not build in the water to stress the shrimp or fish.

3rd as everyone else here has already stated, even if a pet store is very established & well known, that doesn't mean the employee you speak to knows their stuff - they are there to sell you fish and & related products.

**crystalite** · 05-11-2012, 02:51 PM

Well I removed the lead weights and went to get the API master test kit yesterday but by the time I got home I'd lost all of my shrimp. I did a copper test on the water in the tank and the water straight out of my tap and both were copper free. I had the water tested in a store that uses the same API kit and the levels of amonia were below 0.4 but they said thats common when somethings died in the tank. My amonia levels have been zero every other time I went.
I think the store I bought the fish from sold me bad stock as they had signs up saying do not sell these fish but the assistant sold me shrimp from this tank. I assumed it just meant the fish weren't for sale that were in with the shrimp but the other store told me that if one fish in a tank is sick then the whole tank should be classed as sick and nothing should be sold from that tank until its sorted. I guess I've just had to learn the hard way this time.
Thanks for everyones help on this and for letting me know my tank is probably not fully cycled. I think I'm going to leave the shrimp idea until I can be 100% sure this won't happen again.
I am definitely going to upgrade to a larger tank in the long run and will seed it and leave it cycling for at least two months before I start to transfer my fish. I've also invested in a drip acclimating kit so any future fish will have the best chances.