Amano shrimp and snails died

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Aidentank

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Messages
29
Location
Mayo
I got 2 amano shrimp today and 15 Trumpet snails of some kind after 2 1/2 hours of acimatising them I put them in the tank snails seemed to die strate away and 3 hours later 1 amano died I can't see the other one the tank is a 55 gal planted with guppy cardinal tetra and Cory there is some pond snails in it the tank is running about 5 months any help would be grate thanks in advance
Ph 7.2
Kh 2
Gh 4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5-10 ppm
 
Just a thought but I was told acclimation should take no longer than an hour to complete. So from my knowledge, 2 1/2 hours might be a bit long. But that is what I have read. Also did you acclimate with your lights on? Shrimp do better I have noticed when being introduced with all lights off and minimal room lights on.
 
The acclimation time shouldn't have killed them. I have found that often live plants are "treated" for snails with copper; my thought is that maybe this was the case with some of your plants and the diluted copper was survivable for the indestructible pond snails but not for the new additions? Although if you have had them 5 months it seems like water changes would have gotten rid of most of it. It's also possible for tap water to have copper especially if the building is older or if it's well water.
You can get a copper test kit but I believe that copper can be dangerous to inverts even when it is in lower concentrations than the test can show.
 
Thanks i have just ordered a api copper test kit and a tds meter I need to figure out wats going on I want to keep shrimp
 
I hope not!


Okay, enough suspense. I believe we are referring to the inherent petroleum oil present in blasting sand. The amount can vary (none to noticeable). Some bags show no signs of it. Sometimes very thorough rinsing will remove it. Multiple water changes (once it is in the tank) can remove it. I've even heard of the addition of a small amount of Dawn detergent during the initial rinsing will resolve this.
I used it once. Saw the oil slick. Several water changes later the oil slick was still there. Decided to swap it out with big box store aquarium fine black sand. Maybe I was overreacting but this was a rescape of my RCS tank and I did not want to take any chances.
 
The sand is for aquariums I can't remember what type of sand but I think it's silica sand
 
I posted a while back looking for a water testing service. That would be so helpful for times like these. So many possible toxins can make their way into a tank. I have a similar situation in a tank right now where the shrimp die after a few days. I have been removing decor items a few at a time and doing massive water changes. Waiting a month and then trying again.
 
Ok I just tested for copper and it's the problem the tank is 0.25 and my tape water is 4.0+ I done a water change before I put the shrimp and snails in the tds is 67 ppm would a charcoal filter work to take out the copper before it gose in the tank
 
I have used cuprisorb with success but it was with only trace amounts of copper. To my knowledge activated carbon alone won't remove copper. You'd have to run a filter with cuprisorb in a bucket with your tap water before each water change, I'm not sure how long it would take to remove it all.
 
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