Hi guys, in need of some advice.
I have a 40L heavily planted tank, with ADF's, cherry shrimps, and Amano shrimps. Recently, 17th November I found a small cherry shrimp had died and today 28th November another cherry shrimp has died. I'm not a shrimp expert but I got these guys in mid-October and they've been doing fine. I feed them crushed Novo Prawn food I got off amazon and other food they get from the frog's leftovers (Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, larvae, and pellets).
Prior to a couple of weeks ago I was doing 10-15 % small water changes twice a week to stop any ammonia spikes from the frog's food. I have been busy with work lately and have only done one or two 25% water changes a week or less (I read somewhere 50% changes can harm shrimps). My sponge media was falling apart so I had to replace that on the 24th of November I rinsed the new one in old tank water before placing it in and I didn't change the carbon filter.
Anyway, everything was fine till recently two shrimp have died. I always test my water and I've never had ammonia 0ppm or nitrates above say 0-5ppm. I have tested today as follows:
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0.25-0.50ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm
Temp: frequently kept at 26-28 degrees celcius
I use Prime with every water change 15 drops and don't use fertilizer.
I would also like to add I purchased some Limnophila Sessiliflora on the 7th November from a buyer I've purchased from before, I rinsed these under the tap and inspected them thoroughly (honestly I've never trusted myself to try the diluted bleach bath things). The shrimp seemed to love them and I'm unsure they are the cause of the shrimp deaths unless they were fertilized with anything containing copper but surely they would have died pretty fast upon planting them.
At first, I wondered if my frogs got hungry and ate the cherry shrimp but frogs will leave shrimp half-eaten or swallow them whole, I have pretty lazy frogs who are well fed and who have only bothered one of my black cherry shrimp once and haven't touched them since. The shrimp's bodies are intact and just upside down when I find them. I'm at a loss I'm not a shrimp expert and I just feel terrible if I've been doing anything wrong for these little guys. The Amano shrimp are doing fine and it seems to me I'm only losing red cherry shrimp not the black ones. I also try to not spray anything in my room in general as I know shrimp are fragile, candles I stopped lighting without doors open as I learnt they're bad for shrimps too.
I have ordered the API gh/kh test kit on fastest delivery but that doesn't get here till Wednesday.
I have some indian almonds leaves should I do a water change and pop some in?
Is it possible this is an issue regarding ammonia and nitrate levels which I need to do more frequent water changes after a big feed of frozen food?
I was thinking of doing a 25% water change and testing the water after.
All of your help is appreciated and go easy on me please I'm new to shrimps ahah
I have a 40L heavily planted tank, with ADF's, cherry shrimps, and Amano shrimps. Recently, 17th November I found a small cherry shrimp had died and today 28th November another cherry shrimp has died. I'm not a shrimp expert but I got these guys in mid-October and they've been doing fine. I feed them crushed Novo Prawn food I got off amazon and other food they get from the frog's leftovers (Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, larvae, and pellets).
Prior to a couple of weeks ago I was doing 10-15 % small water changes twice a week to stop any ammonia spikes from the frog's food. I have been busy with work lately and have only done one or two 25% water changes a week or less (I read somewhere 50% changes can harm shrimps). My sponge media was falling apart so I had to replace that on the 24th of November I rinsed the new one in old tank water before placing it in and I didn't change the carbon filter.
Anyway, everything was fine till recently two shrimp have died. I always test my water and I've never had ammonia 0ppm or nitrates above say 0-5ppm. I have tested today as follows:
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0.25-0.50ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm
Temp: frequently kept at 26-28 degrees celcius
I use Prime with every water change 15 drops and don't use fertilizer.
I would also like to add I purchased some Limnophila Sessiliflora on the 7th November from a buyer I've purchased from before, I rinsed these under the tap and inspected them thoroughly (honestly I've never trusted myself to try the diluted bleach bath things). The shrimp seemed to love them and I'm unsure they are the cause of the shrimp deaths unless they were fertilized with anything containing copper but surely they would have died pretty fast upon planting them.
At first, I wondered if my frogs got hungry and ate the cherry shrimp but frogs will leave shrimp half-eaten or swallow them whole, I have pretty lazy frogs who are well fed and who have only bothered one of my black cherry shrimp once and haven't touched them since. The shrimp's bodies are intact and just upside down when I find them. I'm at a loss I'm not a shrimp expert and I just feel terrible if I've been doing anything wrong for these little guys. The Amano shrimp are doing fine and it seems to me I'm only losing red cherry shrimp not the black ones. I also try to not spray anything in my room in general as I know shrimp are fragile, candles I stopped lighting without doors open as I learnt they're bad for shrimps too.
I have ordered the API gh/kh test kit on fastest delivery but that doesn't get here till Wednesday.
I have some indian almonds leaves should I do a water change and pop some in?
Is it possible this is an issue regarding ammonia and nitrate levels which I need to do more frequent water changes after a big feed of frozen food?
I was thinking of doing a 25% water change and testing the water after.
All of your help is appreciated and go easy on me please I'm new to shrimps ahah
