Fishmosy's zebra shrimp biotope tank

[fishmosy]

So its about time I update this. Unfortunately not everything had been perfect in paradise. Work has gotten pretty hectic over the last couple of months and my aquariums have been paying for it. Unfortunately I wasn't watching water parameters in this tank and no water change for three weeks meant TDS was 245 when I got around to the tank again.

Naturally the shrimp were looking a little worse for wear.

Notice the dark patches in between the black bands and how the shrimp are hiding away.

This one was close to death.

The juveniles still looked good.

So I commenced 50% water changes weekly using RO and stopped feeding except for leaves. This dropped the TDS from 245 to 150 to 106 to 77 to 58 over the last few weeks. Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough. I lost a few adults each week until at last water change I couldn't find an adult anywhere. However its not all bad as I still have approx. 30 juveniles ranging from 5-12mm. Hopefully this generation will continue to be robust.

[Baccus]

Sorry to hear about the losses in the adult department, but as you said hopefully the offspring that have survived the parameter upheaval will be of made sterner stuff and be more tolerant to any future disturbances. These ones should make the perfect breeding stock for further generations, since they have shown their tolerance levels, and that should be genetically linked to be passed on.

[fishmosy]

Yeah thats what I'm thinking. Big lesson for me to use the bloody TDS probe though.

[fishmosy]

Just to tidy up this thread:

The remaining juveniles died over following weeks and the tank was shut down. Maintaining low TDS seems to be absolutely crucial for the long term maintenance of zebs.

[Grubs]

I has me inspired and I set up some drip through rainwater tanks when I read this thread a while ago... now I really need Bob to scare me up some zebras. ;)      I'd love to know what it is about the higher TDS water that is so detrimental.

[Disciple]

That is some bad news.

 

I hope you can have another go down the track.

[fishmosy]

Yeah I have plans in the works for 'Fishmosy's zebra biotope tank Mark II'.

[Foxpuppet]

Yeah I have plans in the works for 'Fishmosy's zebra biotope tank Mark II'.

Any further plans fishmosy?

[fishmosy]

7 hours ago, Foxpuppet said:

Any further plans fishmosy?

Yep here is my current set-up

http://shrimpkeepersforum.com/forum/topic/9257-fishmosys-zebra-shrimp-biotope-tank-mark-ii/

which achieved a top ten finish in the AGA biotope category for 2015.

The tank is still running now.