Shrimp Tank Help/advice

[fivestarsellers1]

Hey everyone,

I am an avid tropical fish breeder, been in the hobby for about 2 years.

I have recently started up a shrimp tank,

10 gallon planted tank
substrate is aqua-soil
Amazon sword, java moss, flame moss, pelia, and other plant I do not know the name too, then some grass like plants that shoot green roots out and grow leaves like crazy

I have a double headed sponge filter running, along with a HOB filter with a prefilter covering the intake (behind amazon sword plant)

I keep the temp between 73-76 Degrees (50w heater)

I have a DIY CO2 system for the plants

I currently house Cherry Shrimp in this tank

I have two clay pots with java moss on top tied down with fishing line, to allow for hiding places

I also have a breeding cave/shelter with flame moss growing on top of it

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My problem is the shrimp keep dying, usually 2-5 days after I introduce them to the tank.

I acclimate them to the tank by adding a cup of tank water every 15 minutes, while the bag is floating in the water.

I do have well water, which is hooked up to a softener, never had a problem with any other shrimp in my other tanks.

Maybe i rushed to put them in?

The plant and tank sat for 2 weeks before I added any shrimp.

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Does anyone know why the keep dying?

Please help!

 

[fluttermoth]

Did you cycle the tank in any way before adding the shrimps? They are very sensitive to raised ammonia and/or nitrite, so checking those would be my first suggestion.

 

[fivestarsellers1]

Well I had the sponge filter running in my established show tank for about two months before moving it over to this tank,

I Just check the ammonia, I do not have nitrate test kit

Ammonia: 0
PH: 7.8
Water Temp: 76 F

 

[Bugdozer]

Did you cycle the tank in any way before adding the shrimps? They are very sensitive to raised ammonia and/or nitrite, so checking those would be my first suggestion.

Since the OP has not only been keeping but breeding tropical fish successfully for a couple of years I think non-cycled tank is unlikely to be the cause. Especially as the bioload of little shrimps is so small that it would take a very long time for them to build up enough ammonia or nitrite to kill themselves, if there are no fish in the tank. I think it's far more likely there's a contaminant in the tank, such as copper or a pesticide on plants. Has any medication been used in the tank in the past? Or in the other tank the filter was in?

 

[fivestarsellers1]

Did you cycle the tank in any way before adding the shrimps? They are very sensitive to raised ammonia and/or nitrite, so checking those would be my first suggestion.

Since the OP has not only been keeping but breeding tropical fish successfully for a couple of years I think non-cycled tank is unlikely to be the cause. Especially as the bioload of little shrimps is so small that it would take a very long time for them to build up enough ammonia or nitrite to kill themselves, if there are no fish in the tank. I think it's far more likely there's a contaminant in the tank, such as copper or a pesticide on plants. Has any medication been used in the tank in the past? Or in the other tank the filter was in?

There are no other fish of any sort in the tank with the shrimp.

No there has never been any treatment on this tank before (10 gallon shrimp tank)

The sponge filter which was in my show tank, has also never been exposed to anything other than a stress coat and prime

Now that u mention copper. I believe for a while i was using the hot water to fill up my gallon jugs which I use to put into my tanks, I stopped doing that, but there may be some jugs that still have that "hot water" in them.

I have heard that, trace amounts of copper could come with using hot water to refill your tanks.

any thoughts on this?

 

[fluttermoth]

Did you cycle the tank in any way before adding the shrimps? They are very sensitive to raised ammonia and/or nitrite, so checking those would be my first suggestion.

Since the OP has not only been keeping but breeding tropical fish successfully for a couple of years I think non-cycled tank is unlikely to be the cause. Especially as the bioload of little shrimps is so small that it would take a very long time for them to build up enough ammonia or nitrite to kill themselves, if there are no fish in the tank.

You're right, of course, I just thought it was the obvious place to start!

I think it's far more likely there's a contaminant in the tank, such as copper or a pesticide on plants. Has any medication been used in the tank in the past? Or in the other tank the filter was in?

This was going to be my second guess

OP; lots of plants are treated with a pesticide before they come into the country, so if you bought new plants for this tank it could very well be the reason for your losses; lots of people have lost shrimps this way.

Shrimps aren't that sensitive to copper, there would be very, very little in your hot water, although it could well, as Bogdozer says, come from medications.

 

[fivestarsellers1]

Well I work at the local fish shop one day a week, where I bought these plants. They had been there for about 2 to 3 weeks before I bought them, what is the bets way to get rid of a metal or commandment from my tank?