New to keeping shrimp need a little help/advice

[Hammy]

I have a little aquarium 15 to 20ltrs I’m using rain water and have added what I thought was needed the shrimp seem okay but the more information I get the more I’m worrying myself I have some items coming today and I’m wanting to know if I should keep doing what I had or change things. What I used to set up was rainwater and Fluval Stratum Mineral Rich along with Tetra Aqua Safe to neutralise harmful substances. I also have dwarf grass, Java moss,1 moss ball and a lotus I had that set up for about 2week then got my blue dream shrimp. My ph is fine but the TDS is 121 so I’ve ordered some gh/kh+ minerals to address this I’ve also ordered some Seachem Prime conditioner. Am I okay to have all these in the water obviously making sure the ph and TDS are at optimal level. If anyone needs any other information in order to help please ask me thank you for any help 

[sdlTBfanUK]

The water should be similar to RO if it is pure rainwater and I would just use the gh/kh+ to get to the required TDS and the other parameters should then also be in line as ths is a shrimp specific product! I wouldn't use either of the other products you have or the prime you have on order. You may need Aquasafe etc if you use tapwater but Rainwater should be almost RO water and won't have any chlorine etc.

When doing maintenance or water change add the new water gradually (drip method is best) so the shrimp can get used to the slow change, if there is any. A 10-20% water change per week or 2 should be sufficient on a shrimp only tank.

You have very soft/clean water in scotland so you may be able to use tap water, dechlorinated (tetra aquasafe), with gh/kh+ to get to required parameters. If this sounds easier and preferable try mixing 2L tapwater, dechlorinate, then add gh/kh+ to get to tds of about 220. Then do a full set of tests, ph/kh/gh/tds/ammonia/ntrate/nitrite and see if they are all in line with required parameters. If all is ok just use that going forward.

Cherry shrimp are quite easy to keep and rhobust. The important thing is not to do any large or sudden changes to anything, especially if the shrimp are doing ok!

Simon

[Hammy]

I’ve had them for a week now and they seem fine I lost one the following day to getting them but I had put that down to stress cause of delivery. I have noticed on one or two some really really small white like hairs on the nose area so I had contacted the person I purchased them from and he said it could possibly be a fungus (verti something) and said to give them a bath with some aquarium salt mixed with the aquarium water for one minute and then place them back into the aquarium then he sent me an email with tips on the water and had sent an attachment with the prime conditioner ect telling me that’s what he uses. It’s taking me forever to get a reply from him and when I do the information is spotty at best 

[Hammy]

I did also have some rams horn snails in the aquarium but have taken them out just in case they have some shell problems since then they seem happier and I don’t see it getting any worse I’ll attach a picture this was taken 3 days ago and since then has almost gone but I’ve done nothing except remove the snails 

[jayc]

Simon's reply is correct. Rainwater is like RO water and has close to no minerals. You need to add those minerals back into the rainwater for living creatures like shrimp or fish. Getting the GH/KH+ remineraliser is the right move. 

And I would also back up that advice to not add additional Tetra Aqua Safe or Prime unless you are using tapwater, or need to remove ammonia. You just don't need to use these chemicals for rainwater. And the less chemicals in the tank, the better for the beneficial bacteria and shrimp.

 

7 hours ago, Hammy said:

I have noticed on one or two some really really small white like hairs on the nose area

Vorticella. And the picture you provided confirms it. Have a read of our Diseases and Diagnostics thread on this forum.

Remove the shrimp and place it in a salt bath as per the instructions in that post.

 

 

[sdlTBfanUK]

Here is the link JayC mentioned and Vorticello is at the start.

I hope the salt baths work for you. Did you get the shrimp off ebay or from a business, and how many did you buy? I would have expected 1 or 2 to maybe die in delivery so you did ok just losing one.

Simon

[Hammy]

I got them on eBay I purchased 10 and the guy sent 12 he was extremely sorry when I mentioned the vorticello and said he didn’t know how that could have happened and that he’s going to be checking his tanks straight away. 

Edited August 18, 2021 by Hammy

[sdlTBfanUK]

All my early shrimp were from ebay people, it is quite good in this country as we are fairly small country so post is fairly good! Obviously though you don't really know the person you are getting them from so there is an increased risk over getting them from a specialist etc? They usually do add one or two to allow for deaths in transit!

Is this a newly set up tank or was it used for something else before? If it is new then it is more likely te shrimps already came with the vorticello, but hopefully you can get on top of it fairly easily and speedily!

Simon

[Hammy]

It’s new set up I had the tank for a while and set it up with rain water dwarf grass Java moss and a moss ball and a lotus and a couple of rams horn snails witch I’ve removed in case they had something wrong with them. All set up for about a week and a half and then got the shrimp I’m going to change out the water today and add the minerals try and make things happier for them