Cherry Shrimp & Copper

[Didge007]

I recently bought five cherry shrimp & the past few days they've been dropping like flies. I then found out this morning we have copper water pipes in the house so in my panic I've put the remaining survivor in a bucket of bottled water with filter (matured media), heater & plant. not the best set up but there was no use putting him in one of the other tanks as a) he would be eaten and b) it's the same water.

I'm now wondering, is copper pipes enough to be toxic to shrimp. If so, will I need to purchase a new tank as the old one has already had the water suspected to contain copper in it?

 

[Didge007]

I just read in another thread that copper from pipes isn't soluble? So therefore shouldn't harm my shrimp?

On my way to the lfs to get a bag for my carbon (which I already have) and ask them if they used snail killer on their plants at all as I added plants on Friday (although noone died until Monday?).

 

[StandbySetting]

Copper pipes and any oxides coating them are insoluble in water, so something else must be having an effect.

 

[Didge007]

Test results for the tank:
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate approx 10ppm (possibley slightly more but not really worth commenting on)

Copper 0.1mg/L

 

[ZoddyZod]

Test results for the tank:
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate approx 10ppm (possibley slightly more but not really worth commenting on)

Copper 0.1mg/L

how did you test the copper?

 

[Didge007]

With an API liquid copper test I got from my LFS.

 

[StandbySetting]

Did you find out if your LFS uses snail killer?

Does the kit test for ionic copper?

 

[ZoddyZod]

With an API liquid copper test I got from my LFS.

interesting - i did not know such a test existed. I assume it's designed primarily for marine tanks?

 

[Didge007]

Did you find out if your LFS uses snail killer?

Does the kit test for ionic copper?

They don't. I also have a tank stocked with their plants that has an apple snail in it, he's never missed a beat. As for testing ionic copper, I'm unsure. There's nothing on the packaging to specify. It's for testing copper levels in copper based medications to ensure they don't get out of hand. It also says on the packet, traces of copper should be undetectable for invertebrates. I am assuming this is a correct test? As all I was wanting to know is the level of copper?

With an API liquid copper test I got from my LFS.

interesting - i did not know such a test existed. I assume it's designed primarily for marine tanks?

Coldwater, Tropical and Marine

My apologises, I just realised it's an Aqua One test not API...duh!

 

[Didge007]

Update for this morning: Activated carbon was added to the HOB filter yesterday afternoon. Tested the copper this morning and providing the test kit is accurate, it's less than 0.05mg/L

 

[Didge007]

For any future readers of this post, the last survivor is back in his original tank. I am guessing I must've put hot water to warm up the water during a water change & due to their being copper in the hot water system it ended up in the tank. I don't remember doing this but it's the only explanation I have. I fixed it with activated carbon added to the filter.