Are my shrimp dying, molting or birthing???

[LauraHirsh]

Hello all! Please help. I am new to inverts. I have had my tank for about 6 weeks. I used already conditioned bio balls to help get my tank cycled. My husband had built and maintained aquariums professionally for over 15 years. However, he is not at all familiar with my little shrimps. This started yesterday....I was watching a shrimp walk around. Then she laid on her side. She was flicking her tail and kicking her legs. I took my net and flipped her up gently. She swam away and proceeded to do the same thing. I watched her for about 45 mins thinking she was birthing perhaps. Then she just stopped. I thought, did she just die???? I got my net at scooped her up. I left her netted but in the aquarium. She twitched her tail a few more times then didn't move again. Several hours later I removed her from the tank. Today, another shrimp is starting to lay on her side. SAME THING AS YESTERDAY? Am I witnessing my slaughter here? This only seems to be happening to my pregnant females. All other shrimp are swimming and eating and being adorable. WTH is going on? Please help!!!! Just and FYI, I have 5 tiny feather rainbows in with my shrimp and 3 real plants. Please let me know what levels my water should be at just so I can double check!
thanks again for your quick help!!!

[AndyH]

I'm not sure if it matters or not, but what kind of shrimp do you have?
And I'm not qualified to answer your question (I have no idea), but normally the first thing people ask when they respond to these types of posts is what your current water parameters are. Like Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, etc. And anything else about the water, like did you start with tap water, R/O, distilled, etc.
Good luck!

[LauraHirsh]

Hi. I have some red cherry shrimp, blueberry, some orange ones and a few clear/reddish orange ones. My water has been tested and the ph is good and ammonia is almost non existent. Water temp is 76 degrees. I used a combo of RO water and very clean tap. I cycled the tank 5 weeks before adding shrimp. I would think if the water conditions were bad, my fish would die and all the shrimp, not just the prego females. BTW, the shrimp mentioned above is no longer with us. RIP little shrimp. So my question is now, what but why????? Anyone??

[Mustafa]

ammonia is almost non existent. Water temp is 76 degrees.

--Here is your major problem. "Almost non-existent" does not cut it. There can't be any ammonia readings at all. Your tank is obviously not cycled.

I used a combo of RO water and very clean tap. I cycled the tank 5 weeks before adding shrimp. I would think if the water conditions were bad, my fish would die and all the shrimp, not just the prego females. BTW, the shrimp mentioned above is no longer with us. RIP little shrimp. So my question is now, what but why????? Anyone??

Your shrimp will die one by one eventually. It's just the the ovigerous females are more sensitive and go first. Fish swimming around does not mean anything. Their ammonia tolerance is much higher. I would do some *very extensive* research here on this website so you don't make these mistakes again. A tank has to be *fully* cycled before you put any shrimp in it...no ammonia at all.

Shrimp don't "birth" or are "prego/pregnant", by the way, since they are egg-laying animals. Just like chickens don't give birth or are pregnant.