It was going so well.... Cherry Shrimp die off

[Fred Dulley]

Very rarely is it anything in the tap water unless its from a bore hole or something.
That product provides trace elements (micro nutrients) to the plants. As long as its not overdosed itll be fine. It contains nutrients such as iron, manganese, zinc, boron, copper (very small amounts so dont worry). I wouldnt switch as theyre basically all the same product.

 

[tomsouthall]

Thanks Fred, I'm really pleased with how the tank looks so will stick with it. I will try and step up the water changes - I've got a few big amano who have probably quadrupled in size in the 6 or 7 weeks I've had them - would genuinely be a bit upset if they went too!

Tom.

 

[jaypeecee]

You get paranoid though don't you... maybe it's something in the tap water!!!

Hi @tomsouthall

That's not an unreasonable thought to have. Is it copper in the tap water, I wonder. But, then, I think - why should the die-off only occur at night? Please take a look at your water company's detailed water report and check the measured copper concentrations. Not all species of shrimp are equally susceptible to copper toxicity. You may find it interesting/useful to take a look at:

How Copper Affects Dwarf Shrimp - Shrimp and Snail Breeder

Exposure to high copper disrupts respiration, inhibits reproduction, reduces fertilization success, decreases fecundity of the shrimp.

aquariumbreeder.com

I am mentioning copper just so that it is something to consider, not that it is necessarily the culprit in this case. BTW, there is a better test kit for testing copper than the API but we may not need to go down that route. What's more, Prime should deal with heavy metals of which copper is just one example (but probably the most important).

JPC

 

[tomsouthall]

Thanks JPC - will read. Here are the copper stats from my Thames Water report, I notice the report is quite old... not sure how often they update these. Clearly there is a bit of copper in the water, but it seems well below the regulatory limit?

Tom.

 

[jaypeecee]

Hi @tomsouthall

Those tap water copper figures look good. But, I've just spotted something in the Aquarium Breeder article that needs clarification - never noticed it before. I will contact the author of the article (Michael) about this. BTW, have you now measured KH and GH? If so, what were the figures? The API test kit is OK for these.

JPC

 

[tomsouthall]

At the moment, I only have the Tetra strips for kH and gH.... they are a little hard to read but show 6 d for kH and 8 d for gH. The water here is pretty hard (water report says 290 mg/l). Not sure how exactly how this relates to the 'd' measurement Tetra use... I assume the Tropica AquaSoil has softened the water.

Maybe I should invest in the API test.

Tom.

 

[Andy Pierce]

I don't know that the cherry shrimp would be more sensitive to anything than the amanos would... maybe you just got a bad batch of shrimp from a dodgy ebay supplier? Before you tear your hair out messing with tank parameters you could try a fresh batch of cherry shrimp from a different supplier. I used to use Neutro T and the related liquid carbon from AE, but switched to EI and EasyCarbo. I'm quite convinced the AE liquid carbon (maybe liquid carbon in general?) loses potency with time in the bottle since an old bottle of AE LC failed to spot-treat algae on hardscape while a fresh bottle of EasyCarbo worked great.

 

[jaypeecee]

The water here is pretty hard (water report says 290 mg/l). Not sure how exactly how this relates to the 'd' measurement Tetra use...

Hi @tomsouthall

1dH is approximately 18 ppm. To make things easier for you, try this:

Hardness convertor

Omrekenen van verschillende notaties voor hardheid.

www.lenntech.com

BTW, German Degrees is the one normally used in aquatics.

JPC

 

[jaypeecee]

Maybe I should invest in the API test.

Yes, it's well worth the minimal outlay. Both KH and GH are important water parameters, not just for the reason we're discussing here. I use the API KH/GH Test Kit and I also have the Tetra strips but you'll get more reliable results from liquid tests than you will from strips.

JPC

 

[jaypeecee]

...messing with tank parameters...

Is that the official term?

JPC

 

[jaypeecee]

I don't know that the cherry shrimp would be more sensitive to anything than the amanos would...

Hi @Andy Pierce

It is well-known that different species of shrimp have differing sensitivities to copper, for example. Take a look at the information to which I linked in post #23.

JPC

 

[jaypeecee]

Clearly there is a bit of copper in the water, but it seems well below the regulatory limit?

Hi @tomsouthall

I should have possibly mentioned this earlier but the regulatory limits are aimed at we humans, not creatures that swim around in fish tanks.

JPC

 

[PARAGUAY]

Everything seems covered here Source of your plants? If from UKAP sponsers they will be ok

 

[tomsouthall]

Yes, all from Aqua Essentials... another dead amano today (just one, at night again). Might just give up on shrimp!

Tom.

 

[PARAGUAY]

Think you can rule out plants then as AE only use l think European suppliers

 

[PARAGUAY]

Gabor Horvath has a article on shrimps in PFK February issue which has loads of information, alot of what is said on here covered but well worth aread if you can get a copy

 

[tomsouthall]

The kH test arrived and is measuring 7d, or 125.3ppm. Is this too high for shrimp? This link suggests that the ideal is 2-5.... Beginners guide to aquarium carbonate hardness (KH)

Could 7d be causing my problems?

Tom.

 

[Andy Pierce]

You don't have e.g. kids that might be "helping out" by adding stuff into the tank on your behalf?

 

[jaypeecee]

The kH test arrived and is measuring 7d, or 125.3ppm.

Hi @tomsouthall

And what is GH measuring? KH is a measure of how well the water can keep pH stable. GH is primarily a measure of how much calcium and magnesium is in the water. As you will no doubt be aware, calcium is important for shrimp.

Here is a website that provides suggested KH and GH for shrimp:

Red Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) | Care & info - The Shrimp Farm

Learn how to care for red cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi), the beginner-proof, easy dwarf shrimp for your freshwater aquarium.

www.theshrimpfarm.com

Amano Shrimp Care Sheet

Amano shrimp or commonly called Algae Eating Shrimp is a must have for your aquarium. Find out basic care requirements, diet, sexing, breeding and much more

www.theshrimpfarm.com

JPC

 

[jaypeecee]

I have also noticed...and also the appearance of Freshwater Limpets and small white worms - not sure if these arrived with the Cherry's or not (no proof).

Hi @tomsouthall

Looking back over your thread, I spotted the above. Could you please describe what the above critters look like or provide a photo? Please also take a look at:

How to Identify and Kill Planaria Worm The Easy Way

Planaria flatworm is a nasty parasite that wrecks havoc in a shrimp tank. You want I gone fast. here, I am going to show you how to get rid of planaria!

fishlab.com

As you say above, perhaps what you are seeing arrived with the Cherry Shrimp?

JPC