Dead Red Cherry Shrimp Babies

[PJGoblin]

Hi all.

I have a small quarantine tank (3.5 gall) that I have used to transfer my Red Cherry Shrimp from my main tank to grow them on a bit.
I have had good success with 4-5 females with eggs that I have placed in the tank, looked after and released their babies.(put female straight back into main tank)
Had about 30-40 young shrimp at different ages and sizes all doing well feeding and growing.
All of a sudden they have all started to die cant understand it, the shrimp are dying at different stages of life some small some older bigger shrimp.

Nothing has changed apart from putting a new tube heater (glass thermostatic 50w).
Have 1 female I have just put in and about 1/3 left...!

All water levels are normal and filter working fine not clogged or to clean tank fully cycled, water changes are done as normal.

ANY IDEAS--- COS I AM TOTALLY AT A LOSS.

PLEASE HELP

Regards

PJGoblin

 

[mattlee]

is the tank mature as shrimp tend to do better in an established tank

 

[lizandel]

Maybe there is just too many of them in a tank that size. Also how often do you change the water. Shrimp do not like water changes too often and as mattlee said they need a mature tank. I am having similar problems in a 7 gallon tank. Every time I do a water change I lose shrimp. I just don't think the tank is mature enough so I am going to wait a bit longer before I introduce any more shrimp into it.

Are they moulting prior to dying? Apparently when they become stressed it can put them into an early moult and then they have trouble moulting and die. This seems to be happening with the ones I have put in my little tank.

 

[mattlee]

Maybe there is just too many of them in a tank that size. Also how often do you change the water. Shrimp do not like water changes too often and as mattlee said they need a mature tank. I am having similar problems in a 7 gallon tank. Every time I do a water change I lose shrimp. I just don't think the tank is mature enough so I am going to wait a bit longer before I introduce any more shrimp into it.

Are they moulting prior to dying? Apparently when they become stressed it can put them into an early moult and then they have trouble moulting and die. This seems to be happening with the ones I have put in my little tank.

shrimps can be very sensitive to any change in water parameters so when doing water changes make sure that its the same temp etc otherwise it will shock them.
when shrimp are young the first few moults can kill them. you can get a calcium suppliment thats added to the water to try and help with this problem. ive never used it so cant comment on its qualities.
i also think shrimp do not breed unless there is room for more.... (not 100% on this)