# Cherry shrimp losing color!



## DD1880 (8 Oct 2019)

I have had these rcs for over a week now. Seems like they are happy and are foraging. They did hide from my fish in the beginning because my female cherry barb went after them but they have all calmed down now and I haven’t seen them chase them lately. I had two super red ones and the rest were less red! But now I noticed my big red female lost that intense red and has a tan line from nose to tale! And the tale is tan! What is this! There’s one left that I noticed that is red without that line! My ammonia and nitrates are always zero. I dose Nilocg thrive twice a week. Hope they can get that red back. Any ideas on how to fix this cause I miss how red my big red one was. I did have my chihiros rgb set at 57% when I got them and have recently lowered cause of algae. I do not use co2. I lowered it to 40%. Thanks for any help!


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## Keith GH (9 Oct 2019)

DD 
Nilocg thrive twice a week. What quantities?

Have you done a full water test if so how was it done?

Filtration type and medium used plus how often is it cleaned.

Water changes how often and what percentage.

I am the answer to you concern is there somewhere.

This is an excellent site for Shrimps
https://www.theshrimpfarm.com/articles/

Keith


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## DD1880 (9 Oct 2019)

Keith GH said:


> DD
> Nilocg thrive twice a week. What quantities?
> 
> Have you done a full water test if so how was it done?
> ...


I do usually three pumps each time for my 29 gallon tank. Sometimes only two. I have a aqueon power 30 HOB filter and clean it once a week with my water changes which were usually 50% but since I got the shrimp have been 30-40% water changes. I use seachem matrix in the filter with filter floss and purigen is the last thing before water goes back into the tank. I have a prefilter sponge on the inlet. I have done a full test and 0 ammonia 0 nitrates ph around 7.6-7.8 and I don’t have a hardness tester but my chicago tap water is a about a 7 as per the water reports from the city! Thanks for the help!


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## DD1880 (9 Oct 2019)

Keith GH said:


> DD
> Nilocg thrive twice a week. What quantities?
> 
> Have you done a full water test if so how was it done?
> ...


I do usually three pumps each time for my 29 gallon tank. Sometimes only two. I have a aqueon power 30 HOB filter and clean it once a week with my water changes which were usually 50% but since I got the shrimp have been 30-40% water changes. I use seachem matrix in the filter with filter floss and purigen is the last thing before water goes back into the tank. I have a prefilter sponge on the inlet. I have done a full test and 0 ammonia 0 nitrates ph around 7.6-7.8 and I don’t have a hardness tester but my chicago tap water is a about a 7 as per the water reports from the city! Thanks for the help!


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## Keith GH (9 Oct 2019)

DD
aqueon power 30 HOB filter
Stage 2 – Activated carbon removes toxins, odors and discoloration.
Do you have the Carbon in the filter if so please remove it as it's not required.

Water changes I would prefer 2 x 30-40% twice a week.

Is it possible it could be an external concern Room Deodorants/ Fly sprays etc.   If its none of the above  is it possible another inhabitant is causing the concern during lights off or when you are not at home?

Water temperature?

Can you post a photo of its location in the room please.

Keith


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## DD1880 (10 Oct 2019)

I use seachem purigen in the filter. The 100ml bags. I do have a plug in the wall outlet air freshener in the room. Water temp is about 78-80f. I have a bn pleco and farlowella catfish that are active at night. Also assassin snails. I don’t think the snails are a concern though cause I saw a rcs riding one the other day haha.


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## DD1880 (10 Oct 2019)

Keith GH said:


> DD
> aqueon power 30 HOB filter
> Stage 2 – Activated carbon removes toxins, odors and discoloration.
> Do you have the Carbon in the filter if so please remove it as it's not required.
> ...


As you can see in the pics I’ve made some changes since first setting it up. Hoping to scape it one day!


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## Keith GH (10 Oct 2019)

DD 

Is this the tank we are referring to?





Is this the tank "below" we are referring to?




Keith


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## DD1880 (10 Oct 2019)

Keith GH said:


> DD
> 
> Is this the tank we are referring to?
> 
> ...


Haha the one you first posted with floating plants. They are the same tank! Just the second pic is when I first got the tank. I slowly added real plants and new river stone gravel! I just didn’t have a updated photo of where in the room the tank was! Thanks


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## Keith GH (10 Oct 2019)

DD
There are several points I think will help the Shrimps

There are some excellent articles here.
https://www.theshrimpfarm.com/articles/

Run this program and post the results please remembering it's only a guide but a good guide.
http://www.aqadvisor.com/





I suggest several points here.

Pile the three pieces of wood together (nothing special) with No1
Move the HOB filter to the centre of the back of the tank.  This should give you a greater water movement.
Add plenty of tall plants across the back half of the tank. 
The front area add plenty of low growing plants.

By adding all the extra plants you will be able to give them plenty of natural hiding places.

I hope all these recommendations help to improve your tank and certainly help the shrimp.

Keith


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## DD1880 (12 Oct 2019)

Keith GH said:


> DD
> There are several points I think will help the Shrimps
> 
> There are some excellent articles here.
> ...


Thanks again! I will try that and I did want to add a lot more plants to back right! And maybe some Anubis petite or Bucephalandra red in front! I saw a nice red shrimp this morning that I still hasn’t lost it’s color eating the algae off of my Anubias and narrow leaf ludwigia in the left corner! I was a happy camper cause that’s one on the reasons I got the rcs to take care of the algae that pops up on the leaves from time to time!


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## Keith GH (12 Oct 2019)

DD

Great, the more plants the more natural Algae for them. In the mean time see if you can get any Algae food tabs depending on their size break the tab up and spread it between the wood and No2.   Once they start getting more natural food they will breed faster than rabbits.

This is what I used for many years.




Keith


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## DD1880 (12 Oct 2019)

Keith GH said:


> DD
> 
> Great, the more plants the more natural Algae for them. In the mean time see if you can get any Algae food tabs depending on their size break the tab up and spread it between the wood and No2.   Once they start getting more natural food they will breed faster than rabbits.
> 
> ...


Haha that’s exactly what I use for my bn pleco and farlowella catfish! I break up a wafer or half a wafer into about 3 or 4 pieces and spread through the tank on left middle and right side! Usually add it after lights out on tank and right before I turn lights out in the room! Not sure if they are getting any though before the pleco gets to it! Any ideas on other plants for my tank to add that don’t require co2 or high light? Or nutrient rich substrate? I just use inert gravel. I would rather not use root tabs either! Maybe a decent sized plant to attach to that piece of wood on the right side of the tank! Thanks for all the help and suggestion!


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## PARAGUAY (12 Oct 2019)

Maybe take a look at journal My Tanks nicpapa for everything about shrimp feeding


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## DD1880 (1 Dec 2019)

Keith GH said:


> DD
> There are several points I think will help the Shrimps
> 
> There are some excellent articles here.
> ...


Ok almost did what you suggested I moved the 1 piece over to the big piece and glued Christmas moss to pieces 2 and 3! I’m loving the way it looks! Just trying to figure out where to put piece one cause I don’t want to cover the cave that 3 created since I moved it! Thanks for the suggestion!


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## MJQMJQ (1 Dec 2019)

DD1880 said:


> Ok almost did what you suggested I moved the 1 piece over to the big piece and glued Christmas moss to pieces 2 and 3! I’m loving the way it looks! Just trying to figure out where to put piece one cause I don’t want to cover the cave that 3 created since I moved it! Thanks for the suggestion!


If u have some ketapang leaves or mulberry leaves at the front it would be great.It seems like u have quite a lot of fishes which may be stressing the shrimps out hence they would hide more.


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