I'm new to the whole shrimp-keeping thing, but bought a half dozen red cherries at my LFS about two weeks ago.
I haven't seen any exoskeletons yet from a molt, but I understand that they get eaten and aren't always seen. Tonight one of my red cherries appears to be dying or in trouble, it's lying on it's side on the bottom of the tank frantically wiggling it's legs. It's back looks kind of split, not sure if it always looked like that and I didn't notice or if it's in mid molt or something.
I know my water's PH is very high, and I add cuttlebone for calcium and have calcium carbonate substrate because I also keep apple snails. I also know our tapwater here is quite hard. Is there such a thing as "too much" when it comes to calcium/water hardness when it comes to red cherries? I'm just worried the other five are going to be in trouble soon if I don't change things.
Thanks,
Melissa
Water too hard?
Moderator: Mustafa
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GunmetalBlue
- Shrimpoholic
- Posts: 263
- Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:10 am
- Location: CA
Hi Melissa, did the shrimp in question successfully molt? Are the others still doing okay?
I'm not very good with understanding water parameter stuff, but I do know that like you, I have very high PH and very hard water. My PH is in the 7.8 - 8.0 level with hardness like concrete. From what I understand, Red Cherries can withstand a reasonable range, provided it happens gradually. One source's range states 6.3 - 8.2; another source states 6.5 - 7.5. The extremes are surely not optimal, but it does show a fairly large range. I've had my Cherries for about 6 weeks now and one of them just got eggs, which I hope will be carried and go on to hatch.
Knowing what I know about my water, I personally wouldn't feel the need to add cuttlebone or calcium carbonate, but then again, I don't keep apple snails and am unaware of their needs. Some form of calcium is in certain fish foods and molted exoskeletons, ingesting is what helps shrimps. Knowing you've had the Red Cherries for over two weeks now, they didn't suffer the kind of shock that would cause them to immediately die, but not really sure what the long-term effect would be, if any. There are also things like copper that they are very sensitive to.
-GB
I'm not very good with understanding water parameter stuff, but I do know that like you, I have very high PH and very hard water. My PH is in the 7.8 - 8.0 level with hardness like concrete. From what I understand, Red Cherries can withstand a reasonable range, provided it happens gradually. One source's range states 6.3 - 8.2; another source states 6.5 - 7.5. The extremes are surely not optimal, but it does show a fairly large range. I've had my Cherries for about 6 weeks now and one of them just got eggs, which I hope will be carried and go on to hatch.
Knowing what I know about my water, I personally wouldn't feel the need to add cuttlebone or calcium carbonate, but then again, I don't keep apple snails and am unaware of their needs. Some form of calcium is in certain fish foods and molted exoskeletons, ingesting is what helps shrimps. Knowing you've had the Red Cherries for over two weeks now, they didn't suffer the kind of shock that would cause them to immediately die, but not really sure what the long-term effect would be, if any. There are also things like copper that they are very sensitive to.
-GB
Thanks for the response. 
The shrimp in question died, as did one other a few days later. I'm down to four now. I did notice yesterday when I was doing a waterchange that there was an exoskeleton in the water I pulled out of the tank, so apparently at least one of them has successfully molted. Although, there was only half an exo, I presumed the other half was eaten already.
Shrimp are sensitive to many of the same things my snails are, so I'm neurotic about copper, etc. And if "too hard" water isn't an issue (mine is very much like yours), then my only other guess might be temperature, as the tank I have them in seems to be running quite warmly lately. I'm thinking about moving them to another tank, for some reason the minibow they are in stays quite warm, even without the light on.
Thanks,
Melissa
The shrimp in question died, as did one other a few days later. I'm down to four now. I did notice yesterday when I was doing a waterchange that there was an exoskeleton in the water I pulled out of the tank, so apparently at least one of them has successfully molted. Although, there was only half an exo, I presumed the other half was eaten already.
Shrimp are sensitive to many of the same things my snails are, so I'm neurotic about copper, etc. And if "too hard" water isn't an issue (mine is very much like yours), then my only other guess might be temperature, as the tank I have them in seems to be running quite warmly lately. I'm thinking about moving them to another tank, for some reason the minibow they are in stays quite warm, even without the light on.
Thanks,
Melissa
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GunmetalBlue
- Shrimpoholic
- Posts: 263
- Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:10 am
- Location: CA
Hi Melissa, sorry to hear of your two losses 
. Let's hope the other four make it. Like you, I started with very few - five. Two died within the first 2-3 days; a molted casing would mean a dead shrimp. I started dreading looking into the tank in the morning! But after the initial period, they settled in and thankfully am left with one male and two females. 
Are yours still quite young or can you tell their gender? You might still have a chance at future shrimplets.
Whenever it's hot and the aquarium temp creeps to 80 degrees, I open the lid. If it's warmer, I use a small plastic "desk fan" (it conveniently clips on to something) and run a breeze over the water, on and off as needed. Your minibow, depending on how small it is, might be difficult to control the temp without big fluctuations though. Wasn't sure how hot you were talking about. I haven't figured out why my aquariums are usually warmer than the air temp??? Even with the lights off... I mean I know there's a lag time, but they seem to be warmer than air most of the time. If I were to set the air conditioner to keep the aquarium temp comfortable, I'd end up freezing!
-GB
. Let's hope the other four make it. Like you, I started with very few - five. Two died within the first 2-3 days; a molted casing would mean a dead shrimp. I started dreading looking into the tank in the morning! But after the initial period, they settled in and thankfully am left with one male and two females. Are yours still quite young or can you tell their gender? You might still have a chance at future shrimplets.Whenever it's hot and the aquarium temp creeps to 80 degrees, I open the lid. If it's warmer, I use a small plastic "desk fan" (it conveniently clips on to something) and run a breeze over the water, on and off as needed. Your minibow, depending on how small it is, might be difficult to control the temp without big fluctuations though. Wasn't sure how hot you were talking about. I haven't figured out why my aquariums are usually warmer than the air temp??? Even with the lights off... I mean I know there's a lag time, but they seem to be warmer than air most of the time. If I were to set the air conditioner to keep the aquarium temp comfortable, I'd end up freezing!
-GB