# Mad shrimps after water change



## parotet (25 May 2014)

Hi all

This morning I did a large  water change to my 24 liters cube where I have 20 red cherry shrimps, 3 adult endlers and +12 endler fry. I changed more or less 12 liters, which is the normal volume of water I change once or twice weekly. It is a low tech, no carbon enriched, low light and once a week dosed tank.

When I did the change all the shrimps became crazy, doing weird things such as swimming up, jumping, then falling on their back... I would say they were suffering. Some of them looked actually dead. Endler adults and fry seemed not to be bothered. It is quite strange because for the first time I let the (tap) water rest for 48 hours with its amount of water conditioning (I normally fill a bucket with tap water, add in that moment the conditioner, wait for 5 minutes and add the water to the tank). When I saw this behaviour I quickly did another 10 liter water change, but this time adding the conditioner to the tap water and without waiting at all. Water temperature from the tap is quite similar to water temperature in the tank, so I think it cannot be a thermal shock.
Luckily, now all the shrimps are doing well and it seems that all of them survived but I cannot understand the reason...
Any idea of what happened?

Jordi


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## EnderUK (25 May 2014)

Maybe something got in while you had it resting? I have mine in a 25L beer bucket which has a lid. You could also try using those 5L mineral water bottles.


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## tam (25 May 2014)

Something leached from the bucket when the water was in there for a longer period?


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## parotet (25 May 2014)

It's only used for tank water... Maybe some substances from the plastic itself? It was in the bathroom, no one was home.


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## nickmcmechan (25 May 2014)

I had this before.

I solved it by preparing water a week before and matching, I.e. When I do this weeks water change I prepare next weeks water. This meant capatta leaves, mineral rock. I also used a heater to temp match. After I did that it stopped happening.


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## tam (25 May 2014)

I use beer buckets too - they are 'food grade' plastic so meant to not leach anything.


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## parotet (25 May 2014)

I'm not sure but I think what probably happened... I use a plastic with bubbles, you know the ones used for wrapping fragile objects (sorry, no idea about the proper name in English), floating in the water while I put the new water in the tank. This way I prevent the substrate or plants from being disturbed. This plastic is normally left in the terrace during the week and someone sprayed some bugs in a plant this week...  for the moment just one shrimp dead

Jordi


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## tam (25 May 2014)

It's just called 'bubble wrap' 

That could have done it  Might be worth doing another water change this evening and then daily ones for a little while just to water down any that's left?


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## tim (26 May 2014)

maybe chuck some carbon in the filter along with daily w/cs jordi, shrimp and pesticides are not a good mix, accidents happen though mate


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## parotet (27 May 2014)

tim said:


> maybe chuck some carbon in the filter along with daily w/cs jordi, shrimp and pesticides are not a good mix, accidents happen though mate


Thanks Tim... This what I did, the problem is that I am out doing some field work for one week, so no possible daily WC. 
Don't what I will find when I will be back home

Jordi


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## Gruff (29 May 2014)

bad luck, but good detective work


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