My sexy shrimp is looking green

[mattscheck4]

This will be a 10g dwarf seahorse species tank. My tank is currently cycling. I've had about 12 pounds of LR in there about a week now, adding a piece of raw shrimp every 2-3 days for ammonia. Yesterday I added 3 astrea snails and 3 sexy shrimp and 2 types of macro algae to the setup. The snails and algaes and 2 shrimp are doing great, but one shrimp looks kind of green. My current parameters are:
pH 8.2, ammonia 5.0, nitrite 0.25, nitrate 1.0 (this is from memory, so I may have mixed up the nitrate and nitrite level numbers), SG 1.022, temp 78. I'm thinking that he maybe ate some of the macro algae and is turning green from that? Let me know what you think--should I worry, or is this normal? Thanks!

 

[austinsdad]

I'd bet it was the veggies too.

 

[melosu58]

Let me know what you think--should I worry, or is this normal? Thanks!

If you are cycling then why did you add the snails and shrimp. Nothing gets added to the tank till the cycle is over and a good size PWC is done.

 

[austinsdad]

Ammonia 5.0!!!!!! Wow. Didn't notice that. Nice catch Mike.

No way you should have those critters in the tank yet. Green may indeed be a prelude to dying. Heck with the algae!!!

 

[HN1]

Dead shrimp walking...

 

[mattscheck4]

Stinkin LFS... She told me it would help with the cycling. Sheesh! I'll put them in another tank until this one's all cycled. -My face is red for listening to her!-

 

[melosu58]

That would be a good idea. We`ve all been burned by the LFS at least one time. Dont worry about it. Live and learn.

 

[HN1]

Definitely. Not your fault and like Mike said, we've all been there.

 

[mattscheck4]

Got home from work to find all 3 snails and that one green shrimp dead. The other 2 shrimp are still looking good, though. I put them in my qt tank and did a pwc on the dt. I hope it bounces back! I'm sure there's plenty of ammonia in there now between the snails, the sexy shrimp, plus the raw shrimp I'd been adding. Like you guys said, though, live and learn, I guess. I talked to the LFS, though, and because it was their advice that caused the deaths, they're going to give me store credit (they first offered to replace them immediately, which I was definitely not going for) so I can get them once the tank is fully cycled. Thanks for your help, everyone!

 

[austinsdad]

Keep watching the ammonia and nitrite to know when the cycle is complete.

 

[cmor1701d]

Stop adding shrimp to the tank and remove what's left so the tank can complete cycling.

That is about the worst advice I've ever heard given by an lfs. Please check here to review anything they tell you in the future <g>.

 

[mattscheck4]

Yeah, my info was WAY off. The levels were: pH 8.2, ammonia 1.0, nitrite 0.25, nitrate 10.

 

[cmor1701d]

Ammonia and Nitrites should be at ZERO before you add anything live to the tank. Nitrates should be under 30 for fish and under 5 (0 would be better) for any kind of coral.
Looks like the cycle is moving forward. Keep testing and look for the ammonia to drop to zero while the nitrites rise...