My success story

[Flippers]

Amazing!! I'm cycling my tank now... It has a few nano marimo balls (not from this site) and Java Fern. Would you suggest removing it? If I remove it, should I just start over? I have a little bit of treated tap, too... Should I dump it and just do R/O?

I'd say remove the plants but keep the water and wait for it to cycle. No need for unnecessary work.

Plants are removed!! Thank you.

[kyle0901]

Hi, so happy for you, I wish my shrimps be like yours too. May I know what algae it is that you mentioned slowly covers the substrate? I am looking for something that grows like this for a long time, all I can find are algaes that live only in fresh water, thank you so much! If possible can you show us a few photos of your tank?

[Flippers]

Hi, so happy for you, I wish my shrimps be like yours too. May I know what algae it is that you mentioned slowly covers the substrate? I am looking for something that grows like this for a long time, all I can find are algaes that live only in fresh water, thank you so much! If possible can you show us a few photos of your tank?

I think that he uses Mustfasa's macroalga https://www.petshrimp.com/product/super ... acroalgae/, which is a special kind of chaetomorpha (maybe chaetomorpha linum)

[tooth]

I had a macro ball, but it slowly dwindled. I removed it. The algae now covering the substrate is just what has grown naturally. I did not plant it.
Last count of 13 berried females.

[tooth]

The first of the larvae showed up this morning. 4 little down-hanging heads.

[tooth]

A couple of months ago I mentioned a cloudiness in the tank, presumably from an algae/bacteria bloom. It has persisted until now, becoming somewhat less as time goes on.
A couple of days ago I noticed an interesting change. The top half of the tank is clear, the bottom half is cloudy. See pic. The shrimp are still not bothered by whatever it is. I have done nothing to determine what the cloudiness is, or to 'fix' it.
There are about 30 larvae with several still-berried females.
Happy 4th of July to all.
Brad
Edit: I don't know why the pics are upside down in the post, but open correctly--sorry about that.

[skylorvivo88]

Wow that’s interesting. Maybe it’s clearing bottom to top?

[Mustafa]

Thanks for the update Brad! It's fascinating to see how your tank still changes over time. I'm wondering what may have caused the bacterial bloom...you haven't added anything to the tank in years! Is it still there? In any case, the shrimp will eat the dead bacteria once they settle on the ground after the water clears up.

[tooth]

Yes, the bacterial bloom is still visible, but decreasing. Good to know the shrimp will consume the dead bacteria.
Reproduction has slowed. At the peak there were a dozen or so berried shrimp, but now only two or three. Almost all larvae are now free-swimming.
Hope everyone is having a great summer!
Brad

[tooth]

No berried shrimp in the tank, that I can see. Perhaps the breeding season is done for the year. I had a total of about 15 females bear this spring. All larvae are now swimming around.
The bacterial cloudiness is still visible, but continues to lessen.
I estimate there are between 400 and 500 shrimp at this time. The algae does not seem to be decreasing on the substrate. No algae currently on the tank sides. The shrimp seem happy and content, but don't accomplish much during their days.
Hope everyone has fun plans for Labor Day.
Brad

[Mustafa]

The shrimp seem happy and content, but don't accomplish much during their days.

What do you expect them to accomplish? Build a house? Start a business? Finish college?

Joking aside, I'm still amazed that after almost 5.5 years of no additional feeding you have algae growing on your substrate and the shrimp are reproducing like crazy. Give it some time, you may still have a few "late larvae" this year. Thanks for the update!

[tooth]

I'll keep watching for late arrivals. The algae does not diminish or wane--just keeps the substrate covered. For a while I thought I was seeing lots of shrimp poop sinking to the bottom, but on close examination discovered that some of the shrimp like to tear off a chunk of algae and carry it with them up the sides of the tank to eat it there. Some pieces fall out of their grip and sink back to the bottom.
Sorry for the lagging reply. I've been busy having a kidney stone the last month. (Finally got it out after 2 surgeries--misery.)

[Mustafa]

Oh wow....no problem at all! Hope you feel better soon!

[tooth]

OK Time for a quick update. I think I figured out the algae/bacterial bloom. And I believe it is algal. Several months ago I switched to LED lights in the tank hood. I put in all three rows of lights. I had the thought that maybe it is too much, so I put the old hood back on, with one HD fluorescent bulb in it.
The water seems to be going back to clear. I'll take out one LED strip and see what happens.
On another note, I have a berried female as of yesterday.
This is the first time I've had reproduction in the winter months.

[Zlatan2601]

They normally do not reproduce in winter? Because of temperature? What is your temperature now?