RCS Flipped Over??

[BettaGal]

What does it mean if one of my RCS flips onto his back? He keeps trying to flip back over but has yet to succeed. No idea how he flipped over. He's always been the lazy bum shrimp, but this is kinda scary looking. I thought he was dead when I first saw him on his back, but he moved. What is he doing? Should I be concerned at all?

 

[Coursair]

What does it mean if one of my RCS flips onto his back? He keeps trying to flip back over but has yet to succeed. No idea how he flipped over. He's always been the lazy bum shrimp, but this is kinda scary looking. I thought he was dead when I first saw him on his back, but he moved. What is he doing? Should I be concerned at all?

He may be Ill. Usually molting happens fast.
If its Illness, he may or may not survive. I'd do a PWC and test water.

 

[Craw Chief]

He could be trying to molt. I don't know if iodine matters to shrimp, but I know for crayfish that iodine deficiency can cause problems with crayfish molting.

 

[BettaGal]

Interesting. This is what happens with a shrimp newbie. Lol.

As of this morning, before I went to class, he was on his side and had turned pink. He didn't move when I was checking on all of them. I thought he was dead, but my friend said white or clearish is dead. Any ideas what's going on? I'm baffled.

 

[BettaGal]

If it helps, I had one molt last night that startled me. Thought someone was dead when I saw the shell, but Indiana Jones was sitting there next to it. The one in question, named Kraken, was doing crunches and scurrying his little legs trying to get up.

 

[BettaGal]

It appears that Kraken has died. The other three are acting normal. I tested my nitrates just to make sure they hadn't gone crazy on me. It read 10-20. Are RCS overly sensitive to nitrates, or was he just not a strong shrimp?

 

[jcolon]

It appears that Kraken has died. The other three are acting normal. I tested my nitrates just to make sure they hadn't gone crazy on me. It read 10-20. Are RCS overly sensitive to nitrates, or was he just not a strong shrimp?

In following this thread, it sounds like Kraken was the runt of the litter so to speak. It's inevitable that a shrimp or two in a group will be weak.

 

[BettaGal]

In following this thread, it sounds like Kraken was the runt of the litter so to speak. It's inevitable that a shrimp or two in a group will be weak.

Ok. At least I didn't mess everything up. I would feel bad.

Extremely stupid question. Do you guys have any good ways to vacuum the tank? There's no substrate and my gravel vac is far to big to use in that 3 gallon tank. My lovable DG broke my little one. I accidentally massively overfed them crushed up algae wafer, being a newbie noob, and it was everywhere. I got most of it with the turkey baster, but it's still a mess. Is there a more effective way to fix this mistake?

 

[jcolon]

When I do PWC on my RCS tank, I remove the gravel vac tube and just use the hose. My gravel vac uses the pump bulb to create the suction.

 

[BettaGal]

And you don't suck up any shrimp that way?

 

[jcolon]

And you don't suck up any shrimp that way?

Ha..ha

It's a 6.6gal Petco bookshelf tank so I only change about a gallon with of water at a time. It's pretty heavily planted for it's size, not much exposed substrate ... So when I want vac the exposed substrate I stir it up a bit and suck up the debris. I can't do a true gravel vac, it sucks the sand right up into the bucket.

What gets me is the RCD go nuts when I stir the substrate. Within minutes they're crawling all over the area munching away.

 

[Fresh2o]

Ha..ha

It's a 6.6gal Petco bookshelf tank so I only change about a gallon with of water at a time. It's pretty heavily planted for it's size, not much exposed substrate ... So when I want vac the exposed substrate I stir it up a bit and suck up the debris. I can't do a true gravel vac, it sucks the sand right up into the bucket.

What gets me is the RCD go nuts when I stir the substrate. Within minutes they're crawling all over the area munching away.

Sorry for the shrimp loss

To control the flow rate, I usually have an index finger over the end of the hose that feeds into the water changing bucket. Or you can try a smaller diameter hose. I keep an eye out on the end of the hose that is in the tank in case one of the fish gets too curious. Unplugging the filter (and heater!!!) and stirring up the debris prior to a water change sometimes helps.

Sorry to hijack...
@jocolon - are you using the stock light that came with the 6.6? I had to get rid of it because it smelled like body odor! I switched to a generic 20-22" T 8 light. Not running it at the moment but I may turn it into a shrimp/plant tank.

 

[jcolon]

Sorry for the shrimp loss

To control the flow rate, I usually have an index finger over the end of the hose that feeds into the water changing bucket. Or you can try a smaller diameter hose. I keep an eye out on the end of the hose that is in the tank in case one of the fish gets too curious. Unplugging the filter (and heater!!!) and stirring up the debris prior to a water change sometimes helps.

Sorry to hijack...
@jocolon - are you using the stock light that came with the 6.6? I had to get rid of it because it smelled like body odor! I switched to a generic 20-22" T 8 light. Not running it at the moment but I may turn it into a shrimp/plant tank.

Ha..ha ... Yep it did have an odor at first ... I thought maybe dust or other particulates caught in the fixture?

I am contemplating getting a ML double bright LED for it. It really makes a great shrimp tank for a tank kit.. Gives them a decent footprint to move about. I think there's a pic of mine in my profile.

 

[BettaGal]

Sounds like campus this year. Lol.