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Is it normal for new shrimp to die?


wtusa1783

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I just got my shrimp on Thursday in the mail and they have been doing good. They are eating and pretty active. Today I noticed a dead shrimp. Is it normal? Does it look like anything was wrong? I have hard water so they shouldn’t have any molting issues. 

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3 hours ago, wtusa1783 said:

Today I noticed a dead shrimp. Is it normal? Does it look like anything was wrong?

That's not normal. If proper acclimation process to introduce new shrimp to new water parameters are followed, you should have zero deaths.

Is the tank completely cycled? Or is this a new tank? (it looks very new. There is no gunk in the substrate).

Do a test for Ammonia.

 

3 hours ago, wtusa1783 said:

I have hard water so they shouldn’t have any molting issues. 

Unfortunately, that is the opposite environment for shrimps. They need soft to neutral water for proper moulting. Hard water will cause their carapace (shell) to grow hard. And that is more difficult to moult.

Edited by jayc
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6 hours ago, jayc said:

That's not normal. If proper acclimation process to introduce new shrimp to new water parameters are followed, you should have zero deaths.

Is the tank completely cycled? Or is this a new tank? (it looks very new. There is no gunk in the substrate).

Do a test for Ammonia.

 

Unfortunately, that is the opposite environment for shrimps. They need soft to neutral water for proper moulting. Hard water will cause their carapace (shell) to grow hard. And that is more difficult to moult.

The tank is cycled. It’s been set up for a month now and I’ve been dosing some bacter ae every day to create biofilm. I tested for ammonia and nitrites and they were 0 before adding the shrimp. Nitrates were 10. I only had snails in the tank before the shrimp so that’s why there isn’t a bunch of gunk. I thought Neocaridina shrimp needed harder water? I had 5 D.O.A. so maybe it still is having affects from that. 

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Have you tested the parameters of the water? There isn't much we can help with without those basic figures? Usually tap water works with neocaridina shrimp but your water may be too hard!

If there were DOA then the others may also be sick or weakened so some may die soon after they are put in to the tank.

When you get a shrimp deivery you should drip acclimate them over as many hours as possible. Were they delayed in transit do you think which caused the doa?

Simon

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