Setting up CRS tank

RCSGuy · Post by **RCSGuy** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:53 pm

ToddnBecka wrote:
I saw a little piece of moldy food in there so I reached in and grabbed it.
I scraped some wet, moldy food off the lid of my 10 gallon tank and dropped it in for the shrimp. They loved it, seemed much more eager to eat it than the fresh flakes and/or pellets.

YUMMY!

Shrimp sure do like being nasty

argblarg · Post by **argblarg** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 7:40 am

If I leave part of an algae wafer in for a day, it gets really fuzzy, and they don't touch it. I have left it for a couple days and it never gets eaten. I only have 11 shrimp in there so its hard to judge feeding but I'm getting the hang of it!

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:41 am

I will not leave food in there for more than one day due to fouling of the water. But my shrimp eat most everything I feed them, I've just been fortunate in that way

I agree we do learn by watching our shrimp's behaviors

argblarg · Post by **argblarg** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 9:19 am

I only feed 1/4 of a small algae wafer every 3 days and sometimes they finish it, sometimes not. Since there are like 50 babies in there I don't want them to starve!

argblarg · Post by **argblarg** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:50 pm

So I know I had a bunch of CRS and RCS babies that lived at least 3-4 days but then they just pretty much disappeared. Two CRS are at least 2 weeks pregnant again.

Ho can I troubleshoot this?

My water params:
75F
pH 7.0
KH 2
GH 3
Ammonia/nitrite/nitrate: 0/0/<5
TDS 125

There are a couple oak leaves in there that I soaked for a week and rinsed, tons of moss and algae to dine on. I feed a tiny clump of algae wafer every other day (no copper) and sprinkle some of that rain_ shrimp biscuits every once in a while. They don't seem hungry enough to worry about food.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:11 pm

What filtration system do you use and how often do you do water changes? Babies need very clean water and are sensitive to fluctuating water parameters.

Keep an eye on the babies next time and note any drops in numbers, then test the water parameters/conditions to note changes.

argblarg · Post by **argblarg** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:43 pm

I have an Eheim 2213 running about half power since its a bit much for the tank. The prefilter is a Hydor III sponge, it looks too fine to let the babies through. I guess i could take the filter apart and see if I find any but they would probably be too small again.

They were all over the place then all the sudden were all gone within about 2 days. It was mid week so it wasn't triggered by a water change.

I change 20% per week, water is same temp, using Prime on the new water only while it sits for an hour.

aman74 · Post by **aman74** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 6:41 pm

That's rough since it sounds like you are doing everything right and would be a similar approach as I might use.

These little guys seem to be quite a mystery at times.

I hope you figure it out!

Post by **Mustafa** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:03 am

argblarg wrote:
I only feed 1/4 of a small algae wafer every 3 days and sometimes they finish it, sometimes not.

If I leave part of an algae wafer in for a day, it gets really fuzzy, and they don't touch it. I have left it for a couple days and it never gets eaten.

These are the things that you said so far argblarg. You *really* can't see a problem here? People already pointed out in this very thread that leaving food in there for a day or more (or even for several hours) is a big no no! That's especially true if your shrimp stop eating it and it just sits there and gets moldy. Big, big mistake. The shrimp should be as greedy when they take their last bite of food as they were when they took their first. If the shrimp stop eating, you are clearly overfeeding and your tank has, or will have, some big problems.

I have written about this ad nauseum in my articles, FAQ and in probably dozens and dozens of post in this forum. Have you read any of that? (It's the rules by the way). Or did you just ignore it, as I might just not know what I am talking about? Bad idea. Berried or not, your adults will most likely die in short order if you keep this up.

As for your water parameters...you won't see the effects of overfeeding in the water parameters people commonly test. So, everything will look "fine" although obviously nothing is. The thing with water parameter problems is that they *time delayed." They don't occur right after you make a mistake. It takes at least a few weeks, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on how big a faux pas you have committed. It's water after all...bad things build up *over time.*

So, here you go....there is your problem. And again...I urge you to read the articles and search the forum if you haven't done so. If you did, I urge you to do it again in case you missed some things. It's really for the better...for you and your shrimp.

argblarg · Post by **argblarg** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 5:16 pm

I guess I'll stop feeding then. I should have a new batch of babies any day and see how it works out.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 5:28 pm

I guess I'll stop feeding then.

You just have to decrease feeding to a balance. Just observe and adjust the feeding

argblarg · Post by **argblarg** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:21 pm

I am guessing they are getting all their food from the plants or algae. I will try and find some kind of balance but when they dont care whether the food is in there or not it just doesn't seem like I should feed at all.

TKD · Post by **TKD** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:44 pm

Man your sure over feeding your shrimp!

I have over 500 in my 15 Gal and I either give them 10 Wardly pellets or 3 Hakari disks and their is usually nothing left, once a day.

They are in a tank full if java moss and java fern as well.

For you I would just put in a SMALL piece of food every other day or none at all.

For my other cherry tank at my parents I tell my dad to put in food as soon as he can see that there is no longer an algea on the side of the glass, again full of java fern and java moss. That tank (18 Gal) has over 500 cherries as well.

TKD

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:47 pm

Hi TKD, your tank sounds like it would be nice to see. If you ever get the chance I would like to see a picture

argblarg · Post by **argblarg** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 9:10 am

OK one more question... is there any indication that they are hungry? Like all of them being out digging at the substrate or anything?

I don't want to starve them but I don't want to feed if I don't have to. If I drop some food in should they immediately swarm to it?