FresH2O's Shrimp Tank

[Fresh2o]

The cuttlebone has been in the tank for almost a week. One of the shrimp definitely molted today and one might have a couple days ago (saw what looked like a partial exoskeleton). Both are alive and swimming around. That's encouraging news.

I never picked up the Calcium test kit; would have been nice to get a baseline before adding the cuttlebone. Going to keep an eye on them before I start thinking about adding more.

In other news, the fungus that initially grew on the manzanita DW made a reappearance. Plus the flame moss is getting out of hand. Would be to disruptive to remove the DW for trimming, so I will have to trim it in the tank and siphon out the cuttings. Might give it a crew cut: I miss not seeing the manzanita branches.

Here is a pic of the DW and both shrimp:

 

[Autumnsky]

You can also scrape the soft part of the cuttlebone with a knife, I used a serrated steak knife, and make some powder and add it to the tank. I take some tank water in a container like a shaker and mix it up before adding it. It blends into the water, mine was a tiny cloudy and cleared the quickly in the same day.

Probably used some the size of 1/4 tsp amount for my 6.6G Edge.

I used about three rounded tablespoons amount for my 72G. (that tank had a pH crash, is how I started using this powder method)

Did you see a pink or whitish body in the shrimp you found under the dw, in the tank, sometimes the molt looks like the whole shrimp is there still when it is very fresh. Usually it will be pink or a pink coral color like steamed/boiled shrimp.

 

[Sfgiants415]

I had a similar problem in my 10 gallon when I first started out. Random deaths all the time. I started purchasing food from a member on TPT who grinded his own food out of veggies. This, with the addition of Indian Almond leaves, alder cones and cholla wood, significantly helped my water quality and overall health of the shrimp. Since then, my RCS population has grown from 5 to 80+ in my 10 gallon and I've also been able to introduce CRS into the mix with no problems.

If you need a cheap sources of RCS, I'll message you when I have a sale. I just signed up for these forums today but I've had sales on TPT. I usually sell 20 RCS for $20 shipped priority if you might be interested.

Either way, good luck with your shrimp tank!

 

[Vacrawfish]

I am having a very similar prob with my RCS. Purchased 15 a week ago and have 4 left. My nitrates are a little high, but not too bad. Maybe it is a molting problem? Where can I get the cuttlefish bone? I'd like to try to save my remaining shrimp!

 

[Autumnsky]

You can buy it loose, from a bulk bin, individually, usually for pretty cheap, about $1.00or packaged for much more. I buy them in the 4 pack, from the big box pet store because it is closer to me and lfs doesn't have it. It is in the bird section. Just make sure it doesn't have any colors or flavors added.

There is a shell type part on one side and the other side is soft like crunchy, foamy chalk.

You can scrape it to add to the water, or chunk it up with a knife for them to graze on.

I use a big knife and cut it long way for some nice pieces to lay horizontally out of site in the back or the tank. or in half. It actually dissolves in the tank and leaves an interesting pattern. So it is cool to look at too. lol

 

[Vacrawfish]

Thanks, Autumnsky! I will check that out

 

[Fresh2o]

Autumnsky - Thanks for the tip on the cuttlebone. Hope this turns things around for me. The molts were clearish-white and empty; the shrimp corpse was pinkish, slightly puffy and there was a bit of separation between the body and tail.

Sfgiant - I never considered alder cone and indian almond leaves because I thought it would soften the water too much or simply something for the more harder to keep species. Who knew cholla was more than just for its looks. Yeah, let me know the next time you are shipping RCS.

Vacrawfish - I found the cuttlebone at Walmart for $1.12. Looks like a dried mango seed and smells fishy. Yes, I believe the problems were with molting...death would occur shortly afterward. Started with 9, currently have 2. And the two seem to be doing fine; molted and still swimming and feeding.

 

[Vacrawfish]

How do you get cuttlebone to sink? Mine keeps floating to the top. Thanks!

 

[Autumnsky]

How do you get cuttlebone to sink? Mine keeps floating to the top. Thanks!

It will sink with in a small amount of time, sometimes hours sometimes a few days, yeah, I forgot about that. After it sinks just put it where ever you want! lol!

 

[Fresh2o]

Just got back from vacation and I see what 8 days of having the lights on will do to my shrimp tank. The morning I left town I did a PWC and turned on the lights (flipped the toggle to manual...it normally runs on a timer) and apparently forgot to turn it back to the timer setting. Long tan string algae I assume and dark water from the tannins. I will have to swirl a tube cleaner brush to pull out the algae and do another WC.
I only have two RCS in there at the moment and they seem to be doing fine.

 

[Fresh2o]

Did some rescaping in the shrimp tank. Removed the hair algae and one piece of Malaysian DW w/ moss, took the flame moss off of the manzanita DW, removed the manzanita's slate base and let it lay naturally on the substrate (thanks cory_luv!), moved the crypt wendtii to the other side of the tank and planted some Bacopa caroliniana along the back.
Still have only two shrimp I need to add more...

 

[Fresh2o]

Went to the LFS to buy a pair of aquatic plant scissors and came back with that and 6 RCS. A bit expensive but considering the heat wave going on in the US mid-Atlantic states, I don't mind paying more if I can reduce the transport time to 15 minutes.

They are currently in a 6.6g tank awaiting transfer to the 20g. I did not have any airline tubing to rig up some drip acclimation so I took a clean plastic cup, poked a tiny hole in the bottom, set it over the 6.6g, filled it with shrimp tank water and it is dripping away. Going to let this go for about 1.5 hours. Takin' it slow this time.

Shrimp are pale at the moment but I don't expect them to color up until after they get into the main tank.

 

[Jev12]

Be sure to post plenty of pictures

 

[Fresh2o]

Here are some pics of the the new shrimp. I just cant seem to get really nice pics using my iPhone. Going to take some with my camera.

The seem to be doing fine.

 

[Fresh2o]

Shrimp are not as pale as when they were when the were first added, however, they have a way to go. Below is a pic of one of the new ones and two of the older ones in the background. All were purchased from the same LFS.

 

[Jev12]

They look pretty good

 

[Salukie]

I'm enjoying reading your thread, fresh2o. Good luck with your new batch of shrimp.

And thanks for the advice with mine. Lol.

 

[Fresh2o]

I'm enjoying reading your thread, fresh2o. Good luck with your new batch of shrimp.

And thanks for the advice with mine. Lol.

The new shrimp are starting to show more color. They are quite active; eating, exploring, and pooping. I am not finding leftovers from the half algae wafer I have been adding. Also eating Shrimp Cuisine granules.
We will see how things go. Waiting to see how they do after molting. In the prior batch I found that death occurred shortly after molting. Hoping the cuttlebone I added last month with help with this.

 

[Autumnsky]

Hoping!!! I would scrape a few scrapes into the water of the cuttlebone too.

 

[Fresh2o]

I added a few more chunks of cuttlebone.

Two days ago I saw 2 shrimp molts. Did a quick head count and counted 7 of 8. Figured the last one was hiding under the DW.

Got home from work and found 1 RCS corpse near the shrimp molts. Saw a few crawling around; later will lift up the DW and do a roll call.