Red cherry shrimp help

[Lauren Olivia]

Cherry shrimp dead- please help

100 L heavily scaped and planted tank, neon tetras and a small bristlenose pleco. Heated and filtered etc, water levels are ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate very low.
So about a week ago I bought some red cherry shrimp from a very local seller, he said they had been very hardy for him. I bought 6 and he gave me 2 small babies that got in the bag for free. Now I have never seen all 6 at once since I put them in as my tank has sooo many hiding places in it, between rocks and wood. So I have no idea how many are alive.


Today, I saw one sat on a piece of wood not moving, with a white ring round the middle. Did some research and it seems to be the “white ring of death” as it’s called. Seems accurate, as the shrimp died hours later.
What am I doing wrong? Does anyone have any tips? KH and GH test is in the post and I’ve tried to feed algae wafers but never seen them eat. Loads of general debris in my planted tank substrate though. If one is dead, is there a good chance the others are too? I know it’s an issue with shedding, what can I do in the meantime before I get my test for the water hardness?


Any kind of advice on shrimp would be appreciated, only kept amano shrimp before and never had issues. Always had bettas in the past so never risked it!

 

[aqua.land]

Hi.
It's a molting problem. Do you know your GH and KH?
Some people also say its related to water changes - you may be doing too many.
@PheonixKingZ knows more about cherry shrimp than I do so he might be able to help more.

 

[Lauren Olivia]

I have a KH and GH test kit arriving tomorrow so I’ll find out then. Yeah I found a lot of experienced people saying reduce your water changes and it will solve it but I hardly do water changes as it is. I think my last one was over 2 weeks ago now. I have so many plants that my nitrates are controlled pretty well. Thanks for your help!

 

[aqua.land]

I have a KH and GH test kit arriving tomorrow so I’ll find out then. Yeah I found a lot of experienced people saying reduce your water changes and it will solve it but I hardly do water changes as it is. I think my last one was over 2 weeks ago now. I have so many plants that my nitrates are controlled pretty well. Thanks for your help!

No problem, hopefully someone else will be able to help more.

 

[Salty&Onion]

What number is your nitrate. 'Very low' doesn't help and notrates should be kept below 20ppm as they still are toxic.
I agree, its a molting problem. My cherry shrimps do get the white rings but no problems. My water hardness is 253ppm (15 dGH) and calcium levels in my water are 81 so no problem for me.
You can find GH and KH on your local water providers page.

 

[seangee]

Water changes are no threat to cherry shrimps but they don't cope at all well with nitrates or poor water quality. My shrimp tank gets a 75% change every week.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Water changes are no threat to cherry shrimps but they don't cope at all well with nitrates or poor water quality. My shrimp tank gets a 75% change every week.

I agree 100%, my cherry shrimp are fine with 50-75% or more % water changes. It must water quality affecting them or molt problems. We need to know your GH and KH to say whether water quality or soft water and molt problems affecting your RCS.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Cherry shrimp dead- please help

100 L heavily scaped and planted tank, neon tetras and a small bristlenose pleco. Heated and filtered etc, water levels are ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate very low.
So about a week ago I bought some red cherry shrimp from a very local seller, he said they had been very hardy for him. I bought 6 and he gave me 2 small babies that got in the bag for free. Now I have never seen all 6 at once since I put them in as my tank has sooo many hiding places in it, between rocks and wood. So I have no idea how many are alive.


Today, I saw one sat on a piece of wood not moving, with a white ring round the middle. Did some research and it seems to be the “white ring of death” as it’s called. Seems accurate, as the shrimp died hours later.
What am I doing wrong? Does anyone have any tips? KH and GH test is in the post and I’ve tried to feed algae wafers but never seen them eat. Loads of general debris in my planted tank substrate though. If one is dead, is there a good chance the others are too? I know it’s an issue with shedding, what can I do in the meantime before I get my test for the water hardness?


Any kind of advice on shrimp would be appreciated, only kept amano shrimp before and never had issues. Always had bettas in the past so never risked it!

We need to know your GH and Kh readings. You can find this information on your local water providers website or by calling them. (We need actual numbers. dh or ppm)

 

[Salty&Onion]

We need to know your GH and Kh readings. You can find this information on your local water providers website or by calling them. (We need actual numbers. dh or ppm)

That's what I said and no credit

 

[PheonixKingZ]

That's what I said and no credit

I was just saying what needed to be said. No problem with saying the same thing.

Also, I was tagged.

@PheonixKingZ knows more about cherry shrimp than I do so he might be able to help more.

 

[Salty&Onion]

I see they tagged you

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Today, I saw one sat on a piece of wood not moving, with a white ring round the middle. Did some research and it seems to be the “white ring of death” as it’s called. Seems accurate, as the shrimp died hours later.

This is a thing. We had a member a while back that had this problem.

 

[Lauren Olivia]

What number is your nitrate. 'Very low' doesn't help and notrates should be kept below 20ppm as they still are toxic.
I agree, its a molting problem. My cherry shrimps do get the white rings but no problems. My water hardness is 253ppm (15 dGH) and calcium levels in my water are 81 so no problem for me.
You can find GH and KH on your local water providers page.

I will check my nitrates again now, usually they are between 5 and 10, sometimes they do get up to 20 just before a water change though. Thanks for the help, didn’t realise I could find the GH and KH without the test kit. I’ll get back to you on that

 

[Lauren Olivia]

I agree 100%, my cherry shrimp are fine with 50-75% or more % water changes. It must water quality affecting them or molt problems. We need to know your GH and KH to say whether water quality or soft water and molt problems affecting your RCS.

Ok, thank you. I’ll get back to you once I find out

 

[Lauren Olivia]

Ok so the water board information says my water is 115.4 ppm as calcium, and 288.5 as calcium carbonate. I’m not too sure what this means to be honest. Can anyone help with wether this is good or what it means?