Need help. Cherry shrimps dying but dont know why.

[Romez]

Hi all

I need help urgently. I have bought a healthy batch of shrimp a week ago and placed them in my cycled tank. I initially had 8 but three of them died within the week. Two of them being crystal bees. I don't know why they are dying as my ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are zero and my oxygen level is 5 mg. The pH of my tank is 6.4 which is supposed to be okay for shrimp. As I live in Birmingham, UK, the tap water is soft. I am also using API stress coat (+ aloe vera) to dechlorinate and detoxify heavy metals. I have a fluval chi filter and the tank is set at 22 degrees celcius/ 71 degrees farenheit. I occasionally feed my shrimp Hikari shrimp cuisine. Before they arrived I did a 10% water change a couple of times to remove a bit of algae, however I haven't changed the water for 5 days.

I don't know if they are dying from a failed molt but they tend to stay still for a long period of time before lying on their side and dying.

I have also spotted 1cm white round worms wriggling on my sand but I doubt they are any problem.

 

Can someone inform me on why a shrimp may die under these conditions? I don't think its due to age as the juveniles died first and the adults are still alive.

Thank you.

[Zoidburg]

Crystal bees are not the same species as cherry shrimp....

 

You're problem could be due to soft water. If juveniles are dying first, this could be a stronger lead to your water being an issue.

 

Do you know what the GH and KH of the water is?

[jayc]

Try to find out the TDS as well.

The problem seems to be failed moulting issues. That's the most common issue.

[Romez]

I think it is due to failing molts and maybe low oxygen. I increased the oxygen in my tank now and the cherries are more active. If my GH is low, should I add more calcium ? And isn't soft water supposed to be good for the shrimp?

Thanks for the reply

Ive ran out of tests to check GH and KH. But my Pond water, which has the same water as my tank, has a GH of 20 and KH of 0.

[Zoidburg]

Yes, soft water is good for certain shrimp. Some shrimp require harder water.

 

GH of 20 is very high though.

https://www.discobee.com/blogs/news/17030569-dwarf-shrimp-water-parameters

[Kaylenna]

5 hours ago, Romez said:

If my GH is low, should I add more calcium ?

I wouldn't recommend adding JUST calcium - you might end up raising your pH and then having a very hard time bringing it back down because it'll act as a buffer. 

I think you're supposed to use a remineralizer like Salty Shrimp - Bee Shrimp Mineral (but I'm relatively new to shrimp, so get a second opinion!).  But you'd need to know the TDS before trying such things.

[bluestarfish]

The water parameters forum has some threads with information for dealing with the various mineral parameters. Like adding calcium and magnesium and I think calculating how much you need of each? (as well as finding out much is already in the water)

Though several of those threads have some weird formatting problems. (I guess there was a forum change/upgrade between when they were written and now).

[jayc]

13 hours ago, Romez said:

Ive ran out of tests to check GH and KH. But my Pond water, which has the same water as my tank, has a GH of 20

GH of 20 would be your problem of moulting failure.

The shrimp prefer something like 5-6 GH.

Why is your GH so high? That is not soft water, that's harddd water. Is this your tap water? Please try testing your tap water parameters again, and let us know what it is from the source.

Do not add any more calcium, magnesium or fertilisers, until you have dealt with that GH.

 

[zn30]

Totally agree with @jayc that's very hard water bordering on almost liquid rock. Note that the water treatments available for de chlorinating water can and does harden water due to the magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) in the treatment to keep it from spoiling. 

[zn30]

On 29 September 2016 at 2:23 AM, Romez said:

Hi all

I need help urgently. I have bought a healthy batch of shrimp a week ago and placed them in my cycled tank. I initially had 8 but three of them died within the week. Two of them being crystal bees. I don't know why they are dying as my ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are zero and my oxygen level is 5 mg. The pH of my tank is 6.4 which is supposed to be okay for shrimp. As I live in Birmingham, UK, the tap water is soft. I am also using API stress coat (+ aloe vera) to dechlorinate and detoxify heavy metals. I have a fluval chi filter and the tank is set at 22 degrees celcius/ 71 degrees farenheit. I occasionally feed my shrimp Hikari shrimp cuisine. Before they arrived I did a 10% water change a couple of times to remove a bit of algae, however I haven't changed the water for 5 days.

I don't know if they are dying from a failed molt but they tend to stay still for a long period of time before lying on their side and dying.

I have also spotted 1cm white round worms wriggling on my sand but I doubt they are any problem.

Can someone inform me on why a shrimp may die under these conditions? I don't think its due to age as the juveniles died first and the adults are still alive.

Thank you.

@Romez just a shot in the dark check what you are feeding your shrimp, recently I lost 30-50 CRS babies around 6 weeks old and as you I was baffled as my parameters are constantly maintained and are correct. Today I decided to recheck everything still no change then I read the ingredients in the foods again no problem with the food from @newbreed however I have also been supplementing food from my fish "tropical brand" a great brand for all my fish however there is E4 Copper in this food even the shrimp sticks have this flake, sinking pellets everything has this copper E4 in it so finally I'm thinking finally I have found the cause of these deaths as they were still small there bodies would have been eaten before morning. 

@newbreed please take note I've been asking for this food from you if you could get it, I think I may steer clear of this for my shrimp even the shrimp sticks have E4 copper in them, thanks.

Reminder to all, it's been said by others previously on this forum, READ everything before using it for your shrimp, again I have learnt the hard way.

Edited October 2, 2016 by zn30

[bluestarfish]

I had to go and look this up, for those where labeling may differ E4 copper is chelated copper.

 

Do you know what copper compounds are and are not safe for shrimp? Invertebrates and some other animals have copper based "blood" and do need a teeny tiny extremely small amount to be healthy (they are also more susceptible to copper because they are designed to absorb it). I would imagine not all copper compounds are deadly in excess but I don't know the chemistry involved either way.

[zn30]

On 3 October 2016 at 2:14 AM, bluestarfish said:

I had to go and look this up, for those where labeling may differ E4 copper is chelated copper.

Do you know what copper compounds are and are not safe for shrimp? Invertebrates and some other animals have copper based "blood" and do need a teeny tiny extremely small amount to be healthy (they are also more susceptible to copper because they are designed to absorb it). I would imagine not all copper compounds are deadly in excess but I don't know the chemistry involved either way.

Not sure what copper compounds as the labels don't break it down more than stating E4 which is safe level for consumption, as they state. Spinach, kale etc have copper, natural copper some may say, I use these for my shrimp as its not processed so one would think better for the shrimp. Sorry can't shed more light on the copper risk however the forum has a write up I'll look for it and direct you to it when found, if found.

Merged

Go to the search cell at the top where you find the folders for the forum and type in Copper it will show every topic containing Copper, there are a lot to trawl through as you will see there is some concerns and some that support the use of copper.

Edited October 10, 2016 by zn30