Shrimp keep dieing help

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Pezzep

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
May 20, 2013
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334
Location
Canada, Ontario
I bought 15 red cherry shrimp for my 7.9g tank and so far about 6 or more died my ammonia is 0 my nitrites are 0 didn't check nitrates today, but the first day I seen dead shrimp I started doing 20% water changes almost every other day...I don't get why my shrimp are dieing. I feed every other day I put 2 flakes in, a 1/4 of an algea wafer, or some shrimp pellets. I do have somewhat hard water, a PH of about 8-8.5. And for the kh and gh test kit it took like 16-17 drops to change the colour.
 
I've been there (still there). Started with 3; then added 6; 7 died (this was over a 3-4 week period); left with 2; added 6 more about 3 weeks ago and 3 had passed since then; currently have 5.
Params are fine and GH/KH a little less than yours (9/5). Temp is about 78. Added cuttlebone to boost the calcium (but not the pH).
 
My temp is at 26 celcius maybe I should add something to boost my calcium too...I dunno hopefully it was just stress and they stop dieing off and breed once they are more comfortable. I heard they like more acidic water so maybe my hard water is stressing them out
 
Well it's been about a week now and I'm not doing small daily changes anymore under the assumption that it is the metals in my hard water killing the shrimp, I'm starting to believe that this is true seeing how my very last water change was a big one and a shrimp was stressed and died pretty well right after it. Since then none have died I have four left and am hoping that there is males and females so they will reproduce. I'm going to do 25% water changes every two weeks and see if they can withstand that amount of change in the water and the hard water... If they can't I might start using culligan water for my shrimp tank seeing how it is so small and 25% each two weeks won't be that much water from my jugs...wish me luck!
 
Cherry shrimp can tolerate hard water. They have a real problem with copper, like all inverts, so if you think there is copper in the water get a copper test and find out. Copper water pipes are not a problem, not is copper in food unless it is very high. Dissolved copper compounds are what causes issues.

Daily water changes are not needed and may make it worse. Usually they only need topping up and very few water changes, unless they have fish with them. They have very little bioload.

If you don't have a sponge filter, consider getting one. Once the filter is mature, they love to pick and feed from sponge, and it will do all that is needed for filtration.

Were they adult shrimp that you got ? Adult shrimp don't adapt very well. But it is best to drip acclimate all new shrimp, as it helps avoid the shock of changed water. You can find out about that online, there are a couple of ways to do it, by scooping out water or adding it via an airline set up as a siphon, dripping very slowly.

What is often a problem is a difference in TDS, total dissolved solids, between their old water and the new. A TDS meter will measure this, they are used by marine keepers and many shrimp keepers. As I said, adults do not always adapt so well, and sometimes the next moult is too hard on them and they don't live through it. Berried females often lose their eggs, but can breed again if they live. Btw, if you see a moulted shell, leave it in there. They eat them to recycle the calcium. They also eat each other, if one dies, and if you think it died of illness, don't allow the others to eat dead ones. If not sick, it's not harmful for them to eat dead tankmates, though it might be a bit gross.

With water this hard you don't need any calcium supplements, in fact, the one issue with very hard water is that it can make moulting too difficult. The shells are too hard and the poor shrimp get stuck inside, as they can't split them to get out. But I keep Neos in water with very similar readings to yours without any issues, so I doubt that's it.

Does the pH remain that high once in the tank ? Usually it drops a bit within a day or so, does yours ? Have you left some in a bucket for 24 hours and tested to see if it is lower than when it comes out of the tap ? Your temp is just fine, they like it cooler, not warm. They don't like acidic water, that is for Crystal shrimp, not cherries.

If at all possible, buy juvie shrimp, not adults. They ship better, acclimate more easily and are overall more tolerant.

Feed very, very little, two or three times a week. A whole algae tab should be broken into many very small pieces, give one at a time. A dish for food helps you see if it all gets eaten, also keeps it in one place. A new clay pot saucer or glass or ceramic are great for this. They eat a lot of biofilm, so feeding is not necessary too often.

Shrimp like plenty of plants and hiding places. Should have rocks, wood or many plants to hide in and pick from. The safer they feel, the better they do. Moss is a fave, they like to pick at it.
 
The shrimp were not adults when I bought them, though I did not acclimate them that well so this was most likely the cause for the first couple deaths then I figured it was water so doing so many changes all the time probably cause the rest...

I was at the beginning using seachem flourish excel, does this affect shrimp in any way? I read some places that it does so I stopped using it in that tank. As for copper I have no idea if there would be copper in the tank or would have been at the time.

The filter I have is the fluval nano that came with the tank, is supposed to be shrimp friendly but doesn't have any exposed sponge for them to feed on. I have a nice piece of drift wood in there that has splits and cracks in it for dark caves and I found moss at my cottage that has been growing like crazy it's growing straight up like grass real tall and the shrimp that are left love to sit low in it and pick away.

When feeding wafers do i break it up then add just a few small pieces or break it up and add it all? The eating dead shrimp makes sense now seeing how I would only find a couple dead and wondered where the rest went.

Thanks for taking the time to share all the info with me as well. Much appreciated :) ill remember to check my ph again since I think the last time I checked was right from the tap without waiting 24 hours.
 
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