# Flourish Excel & Amano shrimps



## Zak Rafik (17 Jan 2015)

Hi
When I started my 4 ft / 300lt planted tank in July 2014, I had about 18 Amano shrimps.
Just before mid October, I still had a nice population of shrimps even after accounting for occasional AWOLs ( aka jumping out the tank in the middle of the night)

As I had a outbreak of BBA and other Co2 related algae problems, I started to double dose as stated in many websites to control algae. Some even advocate triple dosing!

Yesterday after a 50% PWC, I counted only 4 shrimps. 

Dose double dosing of liquid carbon hurt shrimps?

P.S. I was also adding in 1 teaspoon of Potassium Phosphate 3x a week for GSA since November'14.

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/Amano-shripm-22_zpse9a479d3.jpg


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## John S (17 Jan 2015)

I don't think any shrimps do well when over dosing liquid carbon.


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## GHNelson (17 Jan 2015)

Im not a expert on shrimp...but I would dose the recommended amount! 
Try and fix the route cause of the problem!
hoggie


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## Zak Rafik (17 Jan 2015)

hogan53 said:


> Im not a expert on shrimp...but I would dose the recommended amount!
> Try and fix the route cause of the problem!
> hoggie


Easier said than done.

When I was dosing the right amount, the shrimp population was still there.


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## greenmac75 (17 Jan 2015)

never had a problem double dosing excel with amanos but I only did it for a few days, had same problems you BBA.
I dosed the affected areas with a syringe then used razor blades and tooth brush on hardscape.


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## GlassWalker (17 Jan 2015)

When I was experimenting with higher doses of EasyCarbo I eventually read somewhere that my crystal shrimps had about the same tolerance to the stuff as the algae I was trying to treat. Killing one would kill the other. Fortunately I wasn't dosing that high, but it also offered an explanation why the treatment wasn't appearing to work. Increasing dose obviously wasn't going to end well so I had to discontinue and as far as I know I didn't lose any shrimps from it. I started with 12 shrimp and at last count had in the region of 50. Doses I were using at the time peaked at about 2.5x standard dose, or 1.25x "heavily planted" dose which I guess was more applicable to my tank.


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## Zak Rafik (17 Jan 2015)

greenmac75 said:


> never had a problem double dosing excel with amanos but I only did it for a few days, had same problems you BBA.
> I dosed the affected areas with a syringe then used razor blades and tooth brush on hardscape.



The BBA was found mostly on my wood with Weeping & Christmas Moss. Once I did try to treat that area with liquid carbon and my moss reacted badly. They turned brown the very next day and started to mess up the tank even more.  Secondly, some of my plants were melting away due to insufficient Co2 and also I had to deal with a not so perfect inline diffuser for Co2. I thought, I could supplement the tank with liquid carbon during the time I take to trouble shoot the Co2 shortage problem.

Now I use Hydrogen Peroxide 3% to spot treat BBA but only on hard scapes.

Maybe it was my prolonged use of liquid carbon that sent my Amanos to shrimp heaven. 

But surprisingly my Red Cherry shrimps are doing fine. I wonder how?


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## Zak Rafik (17 Jan 2015)

GlassWalker said:


> When I was experimenting with higher doses of EasyCarbo I eventually read somewhere that my crystal shrimps had about the same tolerance to the stuff as the algae I was trying to treat. Killing one would kill the other. Fortunately I wasn't dosing that high, but it also offered an explanation why the treatment wasn't appearing to work. Increasing dose obviously wasn't going to end well so I had to discontinue and as far as I know I didn't lose any shrimps from it. I started with 12 shrimp and at last count had in the region of 50. Doses I were using at the time peaked at about 2.5x standard dose, or 1.25x "heavily planted" dose which I guess was more applicable to my tank.



Thanks for tip on CS tolerance towards liquid carbon.
Shrimps are doing only 2 things in the tank. Either eating or doing  the birds and the bees. 

Do you suggest that I reduce the dosage gradually or are there any draw backs to stopping it immediately?

Have nice weekend. Cheers.


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