Cherry Shrimp Dying

[Helen Louise]

Hi All

I set up a small shrimp tank a week ago & I have lost one shrimp per day & only have about three left,

The tank is just over 20ltrs & brand new, washed out thoroughly before adding 2/3 of water from mature tank topped up with tap water (dechlorinated) I added a sponge filter in which the sponge part had been sat inside a external cannister filter for near on a month before adding to this tank,

I have heavily planted the tank rinsing all plants before added to tank,

water chemistry

ammonia 0
Nitite 0
Nitrate 0
GH 16d
KH 8d
ph 7.5

The only chemical I use in any of my tanks is tetra dechlorinator, I don't use fertilisers etc

Any thoughts?

Helen

 

[KittyKat]

Were the plants new, from a shop? Or did you use any medication in the tank they came from? If yes, how did you wash them?

 

[Helen Louise]

Didn't use any chemicals & I rinsed the plants off in a bowl of dechlorinated water after soaking them for a few hours

Forgot to say temp is a steady 76f or 24.2c

 

[ZoddyZod]

how do you temperature match your water during your water changes? Do you use a hot tap? If so, what sort of heating system do you have, combi-boiler or hot water tank?

shrimp are incredibly senstive to copper. Hot water tanks tend to be made of it and this can lead to traces of copper in your aquarium.

 

[Helen Louise]

Hi

We have a combi boiler but I use cold water out of the tap into a large jug then add boiling water until right temp is reached then add the dechlorinator, i've lost one shrimp per day since adding them a week ago, I did a water change 2 days ago but still dying, I add the water slowly over a hour (2ltrs)

The three left are pretty active & aren't hiding away, nicely coloured up etc

 

[saltynay]

The copper traces would kill more and more rapidly. I would suspect parasites where did you buy these shrimp?

 

[Helen Louise]

A local aquatic shop near me (essex) been in their tanks for a few weeks & lots of babies in tank so I assume they were happy in there to be breeeding etc

So far today no deaths, last one was yesterday morning

 

[saltynay]

Hmmm bizarre I would add some active carbon just to be safe. Would the shop be in the area of Braintree by any chance as its possible you have some of my offspring, I setup a colony for one of the shop owners there. I use to live very close by and had tons of RCS I would of given them to you free if you picked up.

 

[Helen Louise]

Hi

No, its the aquatic shop on Canvey, I live in wickford,


I've got a feeling its going to be one of those things that I'm just not going to find out!

If nothing else dies between now & sunday I think I might take a trip out somewhere else & buy half a doz from another shop & see what happens!

I was thinking about getting a few neons to see how they faired in there but to be honest if they are fine its not going to tell me if shrimps are ok,

There was a shop we visited a few weeks back near braintree, they had just moved to a new shop where the shopping village is, fairly gobsmacked with their high prices,

Helen

 

[saltynay]

They would be near freeport, that lands premium rent. There was one in the industrial estate that I use to supply which had a massive selection for fair prices, one in White Notley also use to stock my stuff. The only other shop nearby that I remember was the gardening centre on the corner of the roundabout with Mc Donalds near to freeport. That had good prices on assassin snails and apple snails but an otherwise lack lustre selection of livestock, good equipment though + attached to a gardening centre I got loads of DIY tank stuff from there.

Well now that its stopped your not going to find out as you can't provide any more tests by changing variables in the environment to see whether it improves them or detrimental to them. Hopefully the next batch doesn't have the same problem.

 

[Helen Louise]

Just had a dig around the net to find out what is was called , its Fintasia or something like that, I know when we went there last autumn they had only just moved there & its right at the end of the freeport car park so yes I'd imagine its very expensive rent there hence the high prices,

Still no more deaths so I am keeping my fingers crossed, as I said above as long as no more deaths I'm going out on sunday to pick a few more up, trouble is that so far no one seems to have any cherry shrimps around here at the moment!

Found a shop with green/orange/blue ones & some red crystals so might have to go for some of those instead!

 

[saltynay]

I am surprised Fintasia moved close to Freeport they had a lot of tanks novelty and standard ones for good prices. I got my first kuhli loaches and endlers from them, that was about 4 years ago though.