Help with Red Cherry Shrimp deaths...

[jbhealthcare]

Hi everyone, I am a noob with shrimp keeping, but wanted to see if you guys can help me solve of figure out problem of dying red cherries

I have a mature ten gallon heavily planted tank. I had 17 RCS (now down to 8 unfortunately), two ottos, two singapore flower shrimps, and 5 bee shrimp.

I got my shrimps a month ago, and in last two weeks, my cherries seem to be dying one a day, and I can't figure out why. All other inhabitants seem to be doing well.

PH 7.4
0 Ammonia
20 ppm nitrates
0 nitrites
Temp 78F
Water changes of 10-20%/week, with new water being heated to 76F before I put it in the tank. I use Prime to treat tap watter before hand, and let water sit in a clean bucket for 2-3 days before I put in the tank.

I am pumping in CO2, and drop checker is almost always showing green, except for one day last week where it went up to yellow for less than a day.

I am dosing all Seachem liquid ferts, premixed so that I have Comprehensive, Pottasium, Phosphorous, Nitrogen, and Iron at their recommended beginner dosage levels 2x a week. No Flourish Excell. I used to just take the premixed solution and squirt slowly into my filter, but since that tested to be pretty acidic, I've just recently been mixing it with 2 cups of aquarium water before putting into aquarium.

Feeding sparingly once every 2-3 days (3-4 hikari crab meal pellets) to supplement the algaea that is int he tank.

I just can't figure out why it's just my cherries that are impacted by whatever it is that is causing the deaths and my bee shrimp (which I thought were more sensitive) are okay. Of my cherries, I had two very small babies that seem to be ok, its the adults that have died so far.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[powerbook]

I don't think the problem is your tank.
It is most likely not very healthy from the beginning... Did you buy them from store or other enthusiast ? I like one from enthusiast (Craigslist...etc).
I recommend that you get younger juvenile cherry shrimps. I know most people prefer vibrant color of adult cherry but trust me. Young one adapts much better than old one in new environment.
Also try to locate healthy shrimps to start with.
Good luck.

[jbhealthcare]

I saw one actually die this morning. It was very weird. It tried swimming, but it basically spun around vertically a few times with its head up and tail pointed down. Then it fell to the bottom of the tank on its side and died....

Anyone see that before?

Could it be that nitrates at 20ppm are too high for cherries? Seems like the bee shrimps would also be dying, but they are active and seem to be doing well. Confused.

[jbhealthcare]

I got my shrimp from a dealer in Amazon. InvertObesession. Would it be possible for "bad" shrimps to start dying off a whole month after they are introduced?

[powerbook]

It's possible that they are having problem with molting... But you said other shrimps (Bee shrimp) are doing fine...
It's highly unlikely but check out your calcium level...
20ppm of Nitrate is totally fine.

[jbhealthcare]

Ok, another one bit the dust...

I put in a new moss ball that I created with java moss and nylon string that I purchased from a hobby store to anchor it to a rock. Have you guys heard of nylon string leaching stuff that could be poisonous to shrimp? Could that be the culprit?

Or maybe I should be feeding them more?

[Stalker]

If other shrimps are fine I think your RC have "bad" genes maybe. I would let them die, then add new shrimps from another person to the surviving group.