A horrible holiday disaster

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:14 pm

Life goes on. Today I found 3 berried females, all three the midnight blue ones. No more water change issues with recircing the water & conditioner for 10 minutes before use. My cherry shrimp are making a comeback too.

My green shrimp took it on the chin though, so I'll have to try again to get more.

Post by **Mustafa** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:29 pm

Good luck with everything. Setbacks like these can be demoralizing, but things will improve over time.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:37 pm

Thanks. I'm feeling pretty good now that the survivors are reproducing again. At least I don't need to start from scratch.

FISH WORLD ERIE · Post by **FISH WORLD ERIE** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:57 pm

Glad to hear you are back at it with no problems. Did you ever contact your water company to see what happened?

Jason

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:51 pm

That's some good news. Best wishes and please tell us when your tanks are full of babies again

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:18 am

FISH WORLD ERIE wrote:Glad to hear you are back at it with no problems. Did you ever contact your water company to see what happened?

Jason

I'm still playing phone tag and have yet to have a real conversation with them. They are using max choramine and maybe a bit higher than allowed. Previously they used chlorine. The breakdown of chloramine takes time, it isn't instant like the bottle says. If you add conditioner to your tank, then add tap water, you are at risk. I added to the bucket, then added to the tank and that wasn't good enough. I've given it a full ten minutes now and that seems to work.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:56 am

They are using max choramine and maybe a bit higher than allowed.

No wonder why they are hesitant to speak with you about the situation. At least they know there are people who are effected by and care about what is going on. Way to let them know

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:32 pm

Neonshrimp wrote:That's some good news. Best wishes and please tell us when your tanks are full of babies again

Not full of babies yet, but I just saw a few babies tonight, and 3 berried females. Looks like the worst is over for now until life throws me another curve!

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 10:56 am

My 1st set of offspring is now berried up. I can't believe they could be ready so fast. One of the females had babies on her belly when I moved here back in the big tank after Thanksgiving, but I had assumed they all died. These were the only babies that these could have grown from. That would put the reproductive age of these at just over 2 months. I can't believe that can be possible.

If that is the case, these can be at least as productive as Red Cherry Shrimp. What I need to do now is work on the survival rate of the juvies in the grow-out tanks. I'm adding more leaf litter and flower pot caves.

I'm still getting 20-30 babies a week out of the 40 gallon breeder, but less than half of those seem to make it to 1/2". Just an observation, but they seem to do best in an older tank, not just one that is properly cycled. That seems to be what ended up happening in my 10 gallon where they suddenly started breeding after 6 months. My 40 gallon has been running for over a year without being broken down.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:19 am

These were the only babies that these could have grown from. That would put the reproductive age of these at just over 2 months. I can't believe that can be possible.

That is surprising but good news

Do you think it is because feeding and water conditions are just right?

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:56 am

It sure seems like I hit the "sweet spot". The females berry up as soon as they drop the babies. They are production machines!

Vera · Post by **Vera** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:52 pm

badflash, I have also noticed that my crayfish do best in my oldest tanks. I have one that has been producing crayfish (not shufeldit) babies for more than 3 years now and it does better than any of my other tanks.

It is great to hear that your babies are reproducing so quickly too!

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:44 pm

Thanks Vera! I'm looking forward to some news from you too on your new additions.

TKD · Post by **TKD** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 5:36 pm

Must be nice...

I'm slowly losing mine. I'm down to three from 9 total.

TKD

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 6:06 pm

Sorry to hear of it TKD

.

I hope you can isolate the problem and save the others!