Lots of questions

[shrimpnoobie]

Hi everyone (:

I’m gonna ask my questions first and then tell my super long story after.

How do I tell my shrimp and snails are getting enough food? They are always very active, looking all around my tank.

OK on to the story.
So to summarize, I posted in a different thread that I attempted to feed my snails and they just kinda let most of it sit there. It seemed I fed way too much. I got paranoid and did like a 3/4 water change, which brought down my salinity and cleaned my tank. My snails flew around like they were in a tornado, but they all look good now. At any given time I count 8, so I assume all 10 of them are OK and just hiding occasionally.

So yesterday I got my ammonia tester and tested to be absolutely sure since my tank still isn’t making algea, and the ammonia level was at 0. Great! Today I introduced my shrimp! It was a bit of a mission but they’re all in there safe and sound (4 shrimp total). I also put all of the ecosphere water in there as well so hopefully that good flora will move them along. They truly are such cool little creatures. They’re always swimming around. Transferring these shrimp has been a mini dream come true. Thank you all.

In this long paragraph, I’m gonna talk about how I got my shrimp out and into my tank, for anyone in a similar predicament that finds this thread in a google search (like me!). Although Ive heard of people smashing their eco spheres, and transferring the shrimp I did not want to do that as I wanted to transfer the water as well. On the bottom of the ecosphere, in the center there is a protruding piece of glass that is glued on. Take a thin knife and chip chip chip away from it until the center piece pops off. Rinse the orb with distilled water, and dip it into the tank so the shrimp may swim out freely. It took awhile and some orb jiggling, but all of mine went (-: Message me back any time any day any year from this post and I will reply with advice for how you can help your shrimp. They truly do not deserve to be in the ecosphere.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone again. This forum is such a wealth of info, and you guys are all such active users. I probably could not have done this without your feedback(s)! I will do my best to contribute to this thread as the years go on. Thank you again.

[Varanus]

How do I tell my shrimp and snails are getting enough food? They are always very active, looking all around my tank.

The thing about these shrimp (and the snails too) is that their minimum food requirements are very little, and they mostly subsist on microscopic bacteria and algae that cover most surfaces in all but the most newly set up of aquariums. Overfeeding is a much bigger threat than them not getting enough food, so you have to resist the urge to feed more than a small amount every few weeks.

But if you want proof they are eating, then if you observe the shrimp long enough chances are you'll see them poop tiny pellets on occasion.

[shrimpnoobie]

How do I tell my shrimp and snails are getting enough food? They are always very active, looking all around my tank.

The thing about these shrimp (and the snails too) is that their minimum food requirements are very little, and they mostly subsist on microscopic bacteria and algae that cover most surfaces in all but the most newly set up of aquariums. Overfeeding is a much bigger threat than them not getting enough food, so you have to resist the urge to feed more than a small amount every few weeks.

But if you want proof they are eating, then if you observe the shrimp long enough chances are you'll see them poop tiny pellets on occasion.

Yeaaahhh I understand. I will try to keep this thought in mind and make sure no overfeeding happens. I noticed a moly today so I guess that’s a good sign (: I never saw them molt in the sphere. I attached some pics of the molt and my tank. Everyone is very active in there!

[Flippers]

Hi everyone!!

SO, I introduced Mustafa's snails on Thursday and everything seems to be going fine. I can usually see like 3 snails at a time hanging out, they burrow and stick to my walls. ALSO, there is a snail that is inside Mustafa's macroalgea. Like, the little guy has been there for some days. Should I be worried or is he just getting fat in there?

OK, so as you guys saw in my pictures my tank has no algea at all other than the Mustafa macroalgea I added. Not even a biofilm. However, it has been cycling for 5 weeks this week so I'd like to introduce shrimp as they are in an ecosphere and I'd like to get them out as soon as possible! I guess I can supplement with some feedings every once in awhile? How often for my tank that has no algea? Or should I let them consume Mustafa's algea completely before adding food? Are my snails getting enough food? WIll they eat the same little fish food flakes that the shrimp will eat? Should I feed them?!?

Thanks, I'm hoping to add my shrimp children on Thursday.

Just to be clear the snails and shrimp don't actually eat the macroalgae directly the way they do microalgae (i.e. the stuff that grows on surfaces). They graze biofilm off it and eat any of the macroalgae that decays.

As for whether the tank is cycled or not, since you haven't seen any algae growing on surfaces I'd test the water for ammonia to be safe, but after five weeks the shrimp will probably be okay regardless. Just be prepared to do a water change if problems develop.

And yes, the snails eat pretty much anything the shrimp will eat.

As for feeding them, you may want to feed a very small bit every two or three weeks at least at first. As I understand it Tooth doesn't need to feed their tank because there is enough algae in it, whereas yours is not like that.

I never knew this!! Fascinating.

So, should I be feeding mine a little bit? There's macroalgae and some natural algae.

[Varanus]

If you have visible algae (that isn't taking over the tank) then you may not "need" to feed at all, but provided the shrimp eat it all up within a few hours it can still be beneficial to feed a small amount every month or so.

[i<3Opae]

I know all too well that innate urge to feed these guys, I think it’s only natural. You just gotta trust your better sense and when in doubt do not feed, lol.

[shrimpnoobie]

Hi everyone. Thank you for your replies on feeding. I have had a few good days here with my tank, and there has been no more feeding! (-:

However, a couple days ago I noticed my snails sitting at the water line but did not think much of it. Then one of my snails got even weirder and was like floating hanging by its mouth in the middle of the tank? I thought maybe he was snacking on some bio film (although I still do not really have biofilm in my tank)
All my shrimps look happy though, and I even think one of my snails had one baby (just one, I have not seen any others but I think only one is strange). I see lots of poop on my floor so I know my shrimps are eating away.
Regardless, I did an ammonia test and the water looks kinda greenish which indicates a tiny bit off ammonia (0.25). What should I do? Will my tank resolve this on its own? I barely understand how ammonia works, I know dead things release it and I know we cycle to get rid of ammonia but I do not know why I would have a spike randomly when nothing in my tank could be causing it.
I'm gonna attach some pictures of the green water and my baby snail.

Thanks guys.

[shrimpnoobie]

Attached: baby snail in sand, baby snail suction cupped to wall, and two ammonia tests.

[Varanus]

Then one of my snails got even weirder and was like floating hanging by its mouth in the middle of the tank? I thought maybe he was snacking on some bio film (although I still do not really have biofilm in my tank)

Chances are you do, you just can't see it. My snails and shrimp in my original tank continued to feed on the surface film long after anything visible on it was gone.

Regardless, I did an ammonia test and the water looks kinda greenish which indicates a tiny bit off ammonia (0.25). What should I do? Will my tank resolve this on its own? I barely understand how ammonia works, I know dead things release it and I know we cycle to get rid of ammonia but I do not know why I would have a spike randomly when nothing in my tank could be causing it.

Not just dead things, pretty much any decaying biological matter releases ammonia, including shrimp and snail poop. In other words you never really "get rid" of ammonia, as the tank's inhabitants are constantly producing it. Rather, ideally you'd have enough good bacteria that it gets converted into less toxic stuff so fast that the ammonia never builds up enough to be detected by those tests, but it takes time for that bacteria to build up its population.

As for what to do, if everyone is acting normally then a water change probably isn't necessary. I would add a bit of water purifier like Prime, then wait a week or two and test the water again to see if the results change at all.

[shrimpnoobie]

Then one of my snails got even weirder and was like floating hanging by its mouth in the middle of the tank? I thought maybe he was snacking on some bio film (although I still do not really have biofilm in my tank)

Chances are you do, you just can't see it. My snails and shrimp in my original tank continued to feed on the surface film long after anything visible on it was gone.

Regardless, I did an ammonia test and the water looks kinda greenish which indicates a tiny bit off ammonia (0.25). What should I do? Will my tank resolve this on its own? I barely understand how ammonia works, I know dead things release it and I know we cycle to get rid of ammonia but I do not know why I would have a spike randomly when nothing in my tank could be causing it.

Not just dead things, pretty much any decaying biological matter releases ammonia, including shrimp and snail poop. In other words you never really "get rid" of ammonia, as the tank's inhabitants are constantly producing it. Rather, ideally you'd have enough good bacteria that it gets converted into less toxic stuff so fast that the ammonia never builds up enough to be detected by those tests, but it takes time for that bacteria to build up its population.

As for what to do, if everyone is acting normally then a water change probably isn't necessary. I would add a bit of water purifier like Prime, then wait a week or two and test the water again to see if the results change at all.

Thank you, that is good to hear. As far the purifier, I looked it up but I can only find like a metal bucket contraption that you would use to purify your water when camping and such. I have seen like ammonia drops that eliminate ammonia in fish tanks at my pet store. Would that be ok for the shrimp?

[Varanus]

Thank you, that is good to hear. As far the purifier, I looked it up but I can only find like a metal bucket contraption that you would use to purify your water when camping and such. I have seen like ammonia drops that eliminate ammonia in fish tanks at my pet store. Would that be ok for the shrimp?

I should have said water conditioner, stuff like the following: https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-11604330 ... oner&psc=1

I've always used Prime, but any conditioner for aquariums that detoxifies/removes ammonia is probably fine.

[shrimpnoobie]

Not just dead things, pretty much any decaying biological matter releases ammonia, including shrimp and snail poop. In other words you never really "get rid" of ammonia, as the tank's inhabitants are constantly producing it. Rather, ideally you'd have enough good bacteria that it gets converted into less toxic stuff so fast that the ammonia never builds up enough to be detected by those tests, but it takes time for that bacteria to build up its population.

As for what to do, if everyone is acting normally then a water change probably isn't necessary. I would add a bit of water purifier like Prime, then wait a week or two and test the water again to see if the results change at all.

So! This morning my shrimp were all hiding behind my lava rock and they were all extremely pale. I bought some Prime at the pet store and put the recommended number of drops in. I went to work for about 8 hours and now I’m back and they look a bit pinker and and they’re more active (hanging out in Club Eggshell and whatnot). I learned that Prime cannot be tested with a regular ammonia tester that I have, so I just have to trust. I’m going to re dose in 48 hours as it recommends and I’ll keep that up for maybe a week and just go on their behavior.

[shrimpnoobie]

OK so actually I did a bit more reading and it turns out you can do an ammonia about 48 hours after prime and it will come out accurate. You just cannot do it right away. OK. So this is a quick stress post: just checked on my tank again. Shrimp still pink, sitting around. Eating stuff. But I have four snails at the water line )-: This is incredible stressful. Do not know how you experienced keepers do it. What are some signs of shrimp stress that mean I should do a water change right away?

[Varanus]

Even when my snails were thriving (most seems to have just died in my new tank while the shrimp are fine) there were always a good number at the water line, probably for easy access to surface biofilm. I'm a bit mystified about what really constitutes upset behavior from them, though some have reported that if they try to leave the tank en mass its a bad sign.

As for signs of stress in the shrimp, from what I've heard they include prolonged frantic swimming, unusual/struggled swimming, pale color from normally darkly colored individuals, etc. But note these things can all happen for some time for non-dangerous reasons (yesterday I removed some debris from the tank and the shrimp went crazy swimming around for an hour or so), so its more about having the shrimp long enough to know what is actual odd behavior and what is just something they do sometimes (a receptive female in the tank can also cause frantic swimming). It sounds like yours may have been briefly stressed but are fine now.

[shrimpnoobie]

Even when my snails were thriving (most seems to have just died in my new tank while the shrimp are fine) there were always a good number at the water line, probably for easy access to surface biofilm. I'm a bit mystified about what really constitutes upset behavior from them, though some have reported that if they try to leave the tank en mass its a bad sign.

As for signs of stress in the shrimp, from what I've heard they include prolonged frantic swimming, unusual/struggled swimming, pale color from normally darkly colored individuals, etc. But note these things can all happen for some time for non-dangerous reasons (yesterday I removed some debris from the tank and the shrimp went crazy swimming around for an hour or so), so its more about having the shrimp long enough to know what is actual odd behavior and what is just something they do sometimes (a receptive female in the tank can also cause frantic swimming). It sounds like yours may have been briefly stressed but are fine now.

Thank you! Yeah everything seems alright. I’m noting some better color and yeah I read a lot of individuals that had their shrimps die experienced those symptoms. I’ll just keep dosing appropriately and hope my tank makes some good bacteria soon. I’ve been playing with the idea of adding some bacteria like Nite Out or Tetra Safe Start. But for now, I will follow the best advice: do nothing. Thanks Varanus. A lot of help in these troubled times for me!