Cherry Shrimp Problem

[yeaulman]

Had my water tested for copper.... none. Thought my water lines were leeching copper into the water, and nope, all good.

[Neonshrimp]

Do you know if they were molted shells? Just wanted to see if you were able to solve that before we moved on to any other possibilities. Have there been any other molts or deaths since the first?

[yeaulman]

I really do believe that they are just molts. I guess I was getting a little freaked out but I still have the same amount of shrimp as I did before, I just couldnt count them all.

Thanks

[Neonshrimp]

Good to hear I would rather this e the case than you having a lot of dead shrimp for one of your first experiences. You can read about the other "bad experience" stories if you want to learn about what to watch out for and safety/avoidance techniques. The key word(s) I would use is "dead/death"

[Rainbowfish]

Seachem Excel - supposedly a substitute for CO2. You know I swear I remember someone in my club telling me that this stuff was messing up some scaleless fish of theirs. Thought it sounded strange at the time but figured if I was going to go heavy on plants I would do it the old fashioned way - PC's and a canister of CO2 Since shrimp seem to be 4-5x times more sensitive to just about everything I think I would keep that one out of my shrimp tanks altogether. Also how many people are successful with running fast growing plants and high lite tanks with their shrimp? It seems like the suggestions are to use lowtech, lowlight plants like javamosses, and java ferns and especially not plants that grow quickly and suck out the nutrients out of the water column. I would think then certainly not Elodea.

[marusempai]

Excel is potent stuff, I would not trust it in an invert tank, although I use it in my planted community tank to great success -- it is the best algaecide I've ever used, and the plants grow like crazy! You'll note, it is the only member of the Flourish family of plant food with a child proof cap... like I said, potent stuff.

[badflash]

If you like shrimp, lose the ferts or lose the shrimp. There are lots of plants that do fine without ferts, co2 or anything. I've got more plants than I know what to do with and I never use any sort of fert. When I did long ago, the shrimp died.

[Mustafa]

Also how many people are successful with running fast growing plants and high lite tanks with their shrimp? It seems like the suggestions are to use lowtech, lowlight plants like javamosses, and java ferns and especially not plants that grow quickly and suck out the nutrients out of the water column. I would think then certainly not Elodea.

The problem with fast growing plants in high light environments is that they eat up the ammonia before the bacteria get to. So, over time, the nitrifying bacteria die off for the most part. As long as the fast growing plants are actually growing, you won't have much of a problem it seems (although the plants do compete with algae and biofilm in general for light and nutrients...shrimp eat algae and biofilm). However, most fast growing plants under high light absolutely need fertilization to grow. If they don't grow, they won't take up ammonia and supposedly even release some of the nutrients they store. Your shrimp will, of course, die if that happens...one by one. But, if you do decide to fertilize it's easy to mess up the dosages and overfertilize, which will also kill your shrimp. So...such tanks tend to be very unstable for shrimp in general.

[Neonshrimp]

But, if you do decide to fertilize it's easy to mess up the dosasges and overfertilize, which will also kill your shrimp.

I prefer not to use fertilizers for this very reason. I don't want to risk the lives of my shrimp.