Why are my Amano shrimp not moving, despite perfect water parameters?

[monkeymagic]

I've set up a new 30l tank, with a Betta, and moved 3 over Amano shrimp from my 180l established community tank around a week ago.

For a couple of days they behaved normally, constantly moving around and grazing on the algae. No issues with attention from the Betta, and they show no fear.

For the last 3 days though, they've more or less stopped moving or eating, and are staying in the same corner of the tank. It's an open area so they're not hiding. They're alive, and moving their antennae around. Occasionally I'll find one of them has moved a few inches.

Two of them have moulted in the new tank.

It's a heavily newly planted tank, with a LOT of algae for them to eat.

The tank is around 3/4 weeks old, and it cycled perfectly, going from high ammonia for a few days to perfect current water parameters with zero ammonia, nitrates and nitrites. Half the filter media is from my old tank, so bacteria should be very established.

The temperate is about the same as the old tank at 78 degrees.

I added an airstone two days ago, and did a 50% water change yesterday, despite the testing being perfect.

The Ph/Kh/Gh all looks identical between the old and new tank as well - which makes sense as it's the same tap water they're used to.

Any ideas what could be going on? Are they just resting and getting used to the new tank (in which case I will just be patient), or should I be worried? Should I move them back to the old tank for their well-being? I'm really hoping they'll recover and get eating the algae though - there's a LOT of it!

 

[Colin_T]

check the temperature with another thermometer.
do a water change.

 

[monkeymagic]

I've used two thermometers, it's right. And I did a 50% water change yesterday.

 

[Essjay]

The tank is around 3/4 weeks old

Shrimps do better in a tank that's been running a few months. The newness of this tank may not be the cause, but it's worth considering.

 

[Alice B]

nitrite?

 

[monkeymagic]

nitrite?

I'll test again later as I can't recall the number but it was definitely on the far left of the colour chart, well into the "safe" zone.

 

[monkeymagic]

Shrimps do better in a tank that's been running a few months. The newness of this tank may not be the cause, but it's worth considering.

It must be the problem in some way - but with perfect water parameters, heavily planted, loads of algae, same temperature....I don't get what the difference is.

 

[Slaphppy7]

The only "safe" amount of nitrIte is 0.

What kind of test kit are you using? What kind of water conditioner?

 

[Essjay]

Newly cycled tanks are not 'mature'. There are a lot more micro-organisms in a mature tank than just ammonia and nitrite eaters; and there are lots more things in tank water than we can measure. There is a school of thought which says those micro-organisms present in a mature tank but not a newly cycled tank help to keep all those things we can't measure at stable levels, and that there are some creatures which need this mature tank to do well.


But it is also a well known fact that fish can do well in one tank but not in another in the same home with exactly the same tap water. The same will apply to shrimps.

 

[monkeymagic]

The only "safe" amount of nitrIte is 0.

What kind of test kit are you using? What kind of water conditioner?

Tetra 6 in 1 strips, and Prime.

Just retested both tanks - both test strips look almost exactly the same when laid next to each other.

New tank - Nitrites 20, Nitrates 1, Ammonia 0.
Old tank - Nitrites 30, Nitrates 1, Ammonia 0.

The old tank Amanos are happy and grazing away as usual.

 

[monkeymagic]

Newly cycled tanks are not 'mature'. There are a lot more micro-organisms in a mature tank than just ammonia and nitrite eaters; and there are lots more things in tank water than we can measure. There is a school of thought which says those micro-organisms present in a mature tank but not a newly cycled tank help to keep all those things we can't measure at stable levels, and that there are some creatures which need this mature tank to do well.


But it is also a well known fact that fish can do well in one tank but not in another in the same home with exactly the same tap water. The same will apply to shrimps.

Must be something along these lines. But it's very mysterious to me when literally half the filter media as well as half the plants are from the old tank - the only major difference really is new substrate.

 

[Slaphppy7]

NitrItes at that level are deadly to fish, and shrimp....are you certain you haven't confused 'trItes and 'trAtes?

ANY level of nitrItes in the water = uncycled tank

Get one of these ASAP, the strips can be inaccurate and unreliable, especially if aged: https://apifishcare.com/product/freshwater-master-test-kit

 

[monkeymagic]

Sorry got them the wrong way around (always the way) - NitrAtes = 20, NitrItes 1.

I know the colour chart isn't gospel, but they're both to the left of Tetra's "safe zone"

 

[monkeymagic]

"ANY level of nitrItes in the water = uncycled tank" - not to argue as you clearly know what you're talking about it, but this is confusing as my 180l has been running for years, is understocked with an overpowered filter and also shows up on the test with Nitrites at 1.

 

[monkeymagic]

Will take your advice re testing kit, thanks.

Anyway what do you think, should I move the shrimp back to the old tank for now? Or could I keep doing water changes and observe them to see if they improve over the next few days? I'm not sure how long they can be in this semi-dormant state.