Added New Plants And 10 Minutes Later Shrimp Trying To Climb Out Of Th

[Ellieabbott4]

I'm absolutely furious! I put three new plants in my tank that I got from my lfs today. And after 10 minutes my cherry shrimp were going crazy and swimming all over the place, they all came to the surface and were literally trying to climb out the tank. I rinsed the plants before I put them in my tank but could it be that they possibly had some sort of fertilizer on them that contained copper? I've literally lost my entire cherry shrimp collection that I've built up for well over a year! They are all dying. I was scooping them from the sides of the tank and have put them in some fresh water with declorinator to see if any will survive. I'm not getting my hopes up though. I've got the tub floating on the tank, I'm going to leave it there over night. I can't believe how quickly they started going crazy and then just dieing. I've tested the water and it all come back normal. Does anyone else know what might have happened?

 

[Lillefishy]

I had the same thing happen a couple of years ago, lost all my shrimp after adding new plants.
I learned the hard way & any new plants now get a thorough washing then a soak for a few days before adding them
It does sound like they were treated with something, if it was copper you won't be able to have shrimp in that tank again.
Do a large water change, hope some of your shrimp make it

 

[KirkyArcher]

did you rinse your plants with un dechlorinated tap water, copper is usually present up to the region of something like 2mg/l and slightly higher in new properties in the UK, I've fed my plants with Nutrafin plant Gro and that actually contains trace amounts of copper but its only 0.0005% and my shrimp where fine with that, perhaps other fertilisers contain more!

 

[Ellieabbott4]

I rinsed them with normal tap water and then declorinated water. I'm baffled. A few of the shrimp have perked up a bit, I've moved them to a bigger container with a heater and air pump to see how they get on overnight. But one of my guppies has had a funny turn as well. She seems very lethargic. So I've put her in the fresh water with the shrimps. I'm dreading waking up tomorrow and seeing all my other fish dead!

 

[KirkyArcher]

fingers crossed

 

[KirkyArcher]

Any news Ellie?

 

[Ellieabbott4]

Only 5 shrimp died overnight that I put in the bigger container with the pump and heater. So I managed to save the majority of them. I still lost about 50 shrimp I reckon. The little guppy had perked up by the morning as well so I've introduced her into my smaller 60l tank with half of the cherry shrimp I had left. I did a 50% water change on my main tank and put the rest of the shrimp back in the tank. It seems that they are all doing ok. I looked in the tank this morning and there was a few shrimp that I missed last night and they seems to be ok so I thought I would risk it and put the others in there. I've contacted my lfs and I'm going over there tomorrow with a water sample and the plants that I got from there. They seemed as baffled as me when I phoned them earlier. They are going to test my water but I know it is fine as I've tested it myself. But they said they will check for copper in the water as well. It's definatly something on the plants it couldn't have been anything else.

 

[fluttermoth]

It's a pesticide that has to be used, by law, on all plants that are imported into the UK.
 
Just rinsing with tap water doesn't neutralise it, unfortunately. It can be got rid of by soaking the plants in very alkaline water (above pH 8) for a week or so.
 
I hope your remaining shrimps pull through, Ellie Don't put them back in the tank until you've taken the plants out and done some large water changes.

 

[Lillefishy]

It's a pesticide that has to be used, by law, on all plants that are imported into the UK.
 

Actually that isn't true, pesticides are not allowed to be used though it's suspected they are.
There is an article here http/forum.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/showthread.php?t=82321

 

[Ellieabbott4]

 

It's a pesticide that has to be used, by law, on all plants that are imported into the UK.
 

Actually that isn't true, pesticides are not allowed to be used though it's suspected they are.
There is an article here http/forum.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/showthread.php?t=82321
 

This thread on practical fish forums is exactly what the supplier told my lfs about the plants. I took a water sample over to my lfs and he said that my water wasnt right, even though i had tested it and its all fine. So he emailed the supplier and they told him about what this thread is saying. The culprit was the cabomba. He said to steer clear of stem plants that are grown in asia (and other countries), potted plants should be fine.
I think this thread on practical fishkeeping should be pinned somewhere to warn other people about these plants and shrimps. i wouldnt want others to face the same fate as what i have. 
The manager at my lfs was very good when i went to see him, he was very helpful and as a good will gesture gave me a free nutrafin master test kit.

 

[Essjay]

There is actually a pinned thread on this in 'planted chit chat' here

 

[Ellieabbott4]

There is actually a pinned thread on this in 'planted chit chat' here

I wish I had stumbled across this earlier.....

 

[Ch4rlie]

Thats very unfortunate that this has happened to you. Am sorry you went through a bit of a tough time.
 
But at least you managed to see what happened and knew what to do therefore saving a lot of shrimps.
 
I only found out about pesticide on plants after i had already set up my tank and added shrimps, so i was lucky really.
 
But now am aware and do look out for plants and ask if imported and pesticide treated or not, but unfortunately a lot of LFS staff, particularly at chain stores do not really know. So, if I have any doubts, i just walk away just in case.