Thanks Troi! I feel a bit intimidated by all the beautiful CO2 tanks in the journals section tbh! I'm hoping that my experiences might contain useful information for anyone else thinking of starting a soil tank, so I put it here!
but sadly don't seem to be doing very well. One arrived DOA in the bag and three more have died since addition. There are still three remaining. Perhaps they are just more sensitive than I expected.
Perhaps both.wonder if it's the soil substrate or dense planting that makes my crypts grow so big?
They shouldn't be sensitive at all(judging by my own) But they'd be sensitive to new water parameters at first(perhaps a change too much at once) and transportation. Did you try drip acclimating?I introduced some fire red sakura cherry shrimp a couple of weeks ago, they are beautiful but sadly don't seem to be doing very well. One arrived DOA in the bag and three more have died since addition. There are still three remaining. Perhaps they are just more sensitive than I expected. I've only kept Amano shrimp before which were much hardier.
Yes I drip acclimated the shrimp. They were larger than I expected so I think they were adults. I do have hard water so perhaps it was the shift in water parameters that weakened them. I haven't seen them for a long time so I'm not sure I've got any left nowThey shouldn't be sensitive at all(judging by my own) But they'd be sensitive to new water parameters at first(perhaps a change too much at once) and transportation. Did you try drip acclimating?
If you got older(bigger shrimp), they don't adapt as well as juveniles.
Thanks so much!This is a stunning tank - the water is so clear, and it's lovely to see such that healthy plants can grow in a low tech set up. It's (almost!) inspiring me to redo my tank with a soil substrate.
Sorry about your shrimps, though. It does seem suspect if one was DOA.
The water is lovely and clear
I haven't seen them for a long time so I'm not sure I've got any left now
Unfortunately the supplier I bought them from was careful to only give me females - I guess they want people to buy more from them, not breed their own.If they are in low numbers, they'll hide very well. You may not see them at all. Once they multiply to a nice group, they get very confident and swim around like fish do. Even if you have just one male and just one female somewhere, they'll multiply.
I don't think so, I bought from Sharnbrook Shrimp and they state the shipping sex is female. http://www.sharnbrookshrimp.co.uk/Fire_Red_Sakura_Shrimp_p/sakura-red-fire.htmIs there any chance you can ask for specific gender when you buy?