anyone done cycle tank with shrimps?

[IfoundNemo]

My 75gal tank has been cycling for 2 weeks with just BS/LS and rocks. The amonia test was a bit high, so i changed 20gal water on the advice of LFS. I added 3 cocktail shrimps. The shrimps had been in the tank for 3 days, and their colors are turning from fresh normal grey to orange red now. The water turns from clear to cloudy(bacteria bloom) perhaps?. So, should i remove the shrimps? TIA

 

[IfoundNemo]

Re: anyone done cycling your tank with shrimps yet?

???

 

[scuba_steve]

i wouldnt of added 3 shrimp ! i only do one at a time myself

 

[jaiden]

Leave it in. You're going to have to wait 4 weeks or so. 3 shrimp may be a bit much if they're big. maybe take 1 out.

Get your QT set up, and toss a filter sponge in the main tank to seed it in 2 weeks or so. in another week throw the sponge in the qt and buy your first fish while the main tank completes its cycle

since you'll be QTing for 2 weeks, the main tank should be ready when the fish is.

 

[tmcpeek]

My225 did the same thing when I added 3 shrimp. It took a couple of days to clear. Yours may take longer since it is a 75 gallon. I never did get the smell that many people have talked about but I did see an ammonia and nitrite spike.

 

[IfoundNemo]

Jaiden:
How big should my QT be? I have a rubbermaid about 15 gal. Will this work?

tmcpeek:
Mine doesn't smell either, i'm just suprise by the amonia spike cause i have no fish.

 

[jaiden]

as big as possible! 15g is fine for one or two fish.

read up on how to QT. ie, don't transfer the water the fish came with into the qt, don't feed much, don't use a substrate, do use pvc elbows for the fish to hide in, etc.

 

[tmcpeek]

I was surprised too of the ammonia spike. I set up my QT with Damsels (before I found this site) and it took way longer to see a spike than with the shrimp. Fortunately all 4 of my damsels survived the sewer factory and are doing well. I will be bringing them back to the LFS when I go get my next fish for QT. I keep damsels in my QT so I do not have to break it down each time. And as an added bonus my 2 year old son loves to help so he feeds the fish in the QT and I take care of my 225 display. I have a 35 gallon Qt and wish I went bigger for my size of tank.