cant keep shrimp alive?

[nicolej]

I had a few Ammano shrimp for years that lived happily no problems... I decided when I wanted to get a few tanks again that I'd put some neat shrimp in them but I can't for the life of me keep the shrimp alive! I have no idea what the problem is.. the fish are fine but I keep having random shrimp deaths. I have bought a number of Rili, Blueberry and cherry shrimp the past few months and they will often last a month or so but that seems to be the longest before I find a random dead shrimp every few days. Doesn't make sense to me? no nitrites, low nitrates, neutral pH, no ammonia, soft water. plenty to eat. What the heck is the problem? LOL

 

[jcolon]

I'm wondering if your water's too soft? Shrimp could use some hardness in the water, particularly calcium to aid with regenerating their shells after molting.

What food are you feeding your shrimp?

 

[nicolej]

that is definitely very possible.. they could be dying after their molts. there is some algae in the tank, plus mysis shrimp, Omega One flakes and seaweed grazing block made by instant ocean. What should I be putting in there for calcium?

 

[jcolon]

You'd have to test your kH / dH to test your water's hardess.
Some limestone or crushed corals in the filter to increase your kH, plus I feed Hikari crab cuisine which has some calcium.

 

[nicolej]

my hardness is very low, KH is under 40ppm, GH is around 75...but that would explain why I haven't been able to keep any shrimp alive at this place long term but I had no problems at my old place which had super hard water, definitely makes sense!

I have started supplementing the water for the plants with a product that has calcium chloride... would that help?

 

[jcolon]

my hardness is very low, KH is under 40ppm, GH is around 75...but that would explain why I haven't been able to keep any shrimp alive at this place long term but I had no problems at my old place which had super hard water, definitely makes sense!

I have started supplementing the water for the plants with a product that has calcium chloride... would that help?

Can't say if it would work, sounds like it should considering it has calcium, just not sure if the calcium stays locked with the chlorine and is consumed by the plants.

Keep at it, you have nothing to lose and also supplement limestone and or crushed corals into your filter. Any foods that have calcium as a supplement's also got to help ... why I got the crab cuisine.

 

[salzabar]

I have to agree with where this post is going. Start with water supplements for shrimp or just add the crushed coral like I do. Also, foods designed for shrimp is best as a staple diet with treats and greens added every 3rd day. Molting is when the shrimps are at their weakest so try not to stir up the tank too much during water changes if you see an abundance of molting going on. If you need to change water then skim off the top and add new water slowly. This might sound to be alot for some shrimp but they can be delicate in our tanks. Amano shrimp are known to be tuff and usually handle alot of extreams but others not so much.

 

[nicolej]

thanks a bunch, I will give the supplementing a try and see how it goes!

 

[aqua_chem]

If soft water is the problem, why did his amanos do fine for so long?

 

[jcolon]

If soft water is the problem, why did his amanos do fine for so long?

The OP's old place had hard water.... It's stated in post #5.

 

[aqua_chem]

Ah, I see that now.

 

[jcolon]

thanks a bunch, I will give the supplementing a try and see how it goes!

Good luck! Sounds like your old place either used well or groundwater ... Your new place from a reservoir? Either way, this sounds like your likely culprit. The one month timeline fits. They do fine for the first few weeks, but then when they need to molt ... .

 

[nicolej]

yes, my old places were on well water, new place is in the city. Fish are doing better with the city water, shrimp are not LOL.. can't seem to win!

 

[aqua_chem]

You don't have a water softener by change do you?

A RODI system would end all your woes, but it's expensive. That being said, most serious shrimpers use it, especially for the more sensitive species.

 

[nicolej]

nope, but I wouldn't consider myself a serious shrimper lol... I just like having them for variety and a "clean up crew" in my tank.... if I lose this last few I have left I won't be getting any more.. not fair to the little dudes to keep dying on me!

 

[tomasm87]

Guess all inverts need harder water. Ive been having the same problem. But now i know. Im kind of wary of tinkering with the hardness tho. how much coral would you use and what would happen if the water becomes to hard?