@Anomander If you can post up a full tank photo, it could help folks get an idea of general tank health.
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Cherry shrimp dying off gradually
- Thread starter Anomander
- Start date
I know that shrimp can survive in the worst places as long as there is enough biofilm for them. Granted that they may require adequate filtration/water movement etc. But as said they can adapt and if they are dying off especially the older ones, then its just natural. How are they when you feed them? Are there anything like planaria in the tank?
They get quite boisterous when they feed; shoving each other off the food and running away with small bits. I have looked up images of planaria but I haven't been able to see anything like that in the tank (although I've also read that they are largely nocturnal?)
When doing my WC, I use a mix of hot and cold taps to get the replacement water to temperature (25c) before adding Prime to the bucket and then slowly feed the water into the tank via an airline tube. Even though I have a combi boiler, would it be worth using only cold water and adding my backup heater to bring the bucket of water to temperature? Just thinking of eliminating the possibility that, even though I've been using the hot/cold taps for the 4 months I've had the shrimps, there might have been something that changed with the water coming from the boiler?
I mean the tank looks good. Plenty of places to hide and no predators. What was the reasoning behind having a sponge filter? I think having some flow helps imo. You seem to be doing everything right. Have you added any new blood into the shrimp line? Its worth mixing and matching sometimes. Although having said that I gave my neice 5 cherry shrimps 5 years ago and her population went bonkers and she went to breed oranges, deep reds to natural colour shrimps. She is very bad with water changes and seems to do well. Granted its not London tap water. Have a little less hot water and if you really wanted. you can let the water gas out naturally. What about the prime? How much are you putting in? I cant remember the last time I added prime into my tanks. Maybe when I rescape! if its topping up its generally ok. Maybe leave the tank for a few weeks and let things play out naturally. I suspect its the weekly water changes that may disturbing something and its only shrimp you are keeping. There is very little waste being produced.
Do you use hot water from the tap? I wouldn't do that under any circumstances. It can always contain copper in quite high concentrations. If you had ramshorn snails, they would tell you if there is copper in the water. They will immediately retreat into their shell and won't come out again. If there is copper in your water, the only thing that will help is to change the water as quickly as possible.
How high is the temperature without a heater? Neocaridina also tolerate temperatures between 18 and 22 degrees very well.
I wanted internal filters as I didn't want to risk leaks with a canister (live in the top floor flat of a converted house) and decided to go for sponges attached to powerheads so I could still provide some flow/aeration (the flow rate is turned down quite low on both) and also some feeding area for the shrimps.
No, not since the original eight. Maybe I should look at introducing some genetic variety.
I'm putting in the recommended amount with pipette, maybe erring on a bit too much rather than too little. It could be a case of being overly-generous with Prime but it's something I've been doing the whole four months I've had the shrimp (unless something has built up over time?)
Now I'm unsure whether to increase or decrease the water change amount(!)
Also feed less. so little shrimp and you give them such high quality food 😀
Shrimps are forrage and not fussy what they eat. In my kids tank I dont feed them anything in particular. They basically eat whatever is left from fish flake. Once a week I put like a quarter algae wafer which the fish also pick at. Water changes in this tank is once every two weeks. filter clean once a month (60l)
Just leave it alone for a while and let it balance. No water changes. pick out dead shrimps if there are any.
Shrimps are forrage and not fussy what they eat. In my kids tank I dont feed them anything in particular. They basically eat whatever is left from fish flake. Once a week I put like a quarter algae wafer which the fish also pick at. Water changes in this tank is once every two weeks. filter clean once a month (60l)
Just leave it alone for a while and let it balance. No water changes. pick out dead shrimps if there are any.
It's quite a new combi-boiler (i.e. installed a couple of years ago) but it can't hurt to try the other heating method
Glass Box Diaries
New Member
Have you added any new plants to the tank recently?
Two of my shrimp tanks have over 80 shrimp in them and I expect a couple of deaths per week due to natural causes. Every now and then it all lands on the same 1, 2 or 3 days and I freak out checking everything thinking there's a problem but the rest of the colony is fine.
It could just be natural causes. Some neocaridina only live around a year and unless they were small juveniles when you got them, its difficult to guess their age.
Two of my shrimp tanks have over 80 shrimp in them and I expect a couple of deaths per week due to natural causes. Every now and then it all lands on the same 1, 2 or 3 days and I freak out checking everything thinking there's a problem but the rest of the colony is fine.
Have you noticed any small worms in the tank? I haven't had Planaria in my tanks but I've seen other shrimp keepers have issues with the little worms feeding on their shrimp.
Maybe there was a contaminant on them?
If you have a test kit its still probably a good idea to check in this situation. If you have the paper dip tests use 3 to 5 of them at the same time to try and get an average reading.
I added the Water Sprite back in mid-October (not long after I got the shrimps) to deal with a small BGA outbreak. The plant was from Tropica (via Pro Shrimp).
I haven't, and I do fairly close inspections. However, this is only when the light is on and I can't see behind the hardscape and plants
I added the cones and Catappa very recently, after the first couple of deaths>
Thank you for all the info
It won't be the boiler - modern combi-boilers use stainless steel heat exchangers not copper in any case. Regardless the copper leached into household water supplies from tanks and pipes is going to be negligible.
