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If we go by this article, "designed" in Taiwan. http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/the-latest-buzz-freshwater-bee-shrimp-full-article.htm

ok, thanks for Your good advice.

I agree. For me it was like: 'this must be it!' but we can't be sure at all unless determent with a microscope. So when I have more information and elaborated my observations, I want to check with other people. Like when someone got the same trouble, then go to them with my microscope en observe some sick shrimp. Only when I find more people with this parasite, then it could be a clue. I agree there are a thousand more disease that have the same symptoms like this. If you have a microscope yourself, this is how I do it: I catch a slow shrimp and put in on the glass plate. I make sure there is very little water on the plate, just enough to make sure the antennas are not dry. I don't use a cover plate. Too much water makes the shrimp able to move. Then I observe the antenna's from top till the base of the head. Most of the time, closer to the head you will see more parasites. I observe no more then a few minutes and then release the shrimp back into the tank. Thank you all for your input, it got me thinking. Indeed I'm treating them with external approach. Since I hoped that this also came into the shrimp body. But it's much smarter to find something that they will eat and is absorbed into the shrimp body. Something that will harm the parasites and not the shrimp. I will start to focus on this.

Unless we have a microscope, we will never know. As it's not visible to the naked eye.

I found a youtube of the tank and filter. I see what you mean now. Why don't you do the same as the guy in this vid. He got some coarse, med and fine foam cut to shape to fit the first chamber. Pack lots of ceramic noodles into the 2nd chamber. The more the better. If you want to spend some money here, look into the Cermedia Marine Pure range - which has a much higher surface area for biological filtration than most other media types.

Hey Triggs, good write up. However, I'd like to add a few things to the list based on my experience with cycling tanks. I will assume people are observing the Fishless/Shrimpless cycle procedure since this is less stressful to livestock. Firstly, when trying to establish a beneficial bacteria colony either by adding mature filter material from an established tank or from scratch by introducing an ammonia source (eg raw prawn) .... HEAT plays a big role in the speed the bacteria will multiply and propagate on the surfaces of substrate and filter media. Again, assuming you are following a fishless cycle procedure ... turn up the heat to 28 deg C. However, if you have fish or shrimp in the tank, turn the heat up as high as the tank inhabitants are capable of handling. Second, ALWAYS monitor the parameters of the tank. As mentioned already, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate monitoring is important. However, you also need to monitor pH levels in a cycling tank. The ideal pH is above 7.0 for a cycling tank. However, the conversion of Ammonia into nitrites and nitrates causes the pH to drop naturally, if your tank water isn't buffered. So try to keep the pH near 7.0. The nitrifying bacteria (Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter) might go dormant (slow down in multiplying and converting ammonia) at a pH lower than 6, and might die if the pH continues to drop much lower than 5.0pH. During the cycling process, your pH will fluctuate wildly, but this should stabilise once your tank has completed it's cycle. If the pH drops too much (< 6.0) you could adjust it with baking soda and/or Potassium sulfate. Add it slowly to bring the pH back up to around 7. Again, you shouldn't need to worry about livestock since you followed the fishless cycle process. Potassium sulfate (Potash) raises pH and KH, which buffers the water preventing the pH from dropping. A little K2SO4 here can increase pH be a lot, so add it a little at a time depending on the size of your aquarium. Note: if pH rises above 7, don't worry, you don't need to take any action, it won't harm the nitrifying bacteria. Thirdly, do not assume your tap water is free from ammonia. Recently with the heavy rains and floods in certain parts of Australia, the councils have been dosing our tap water with additional Chloramines. Chloramine breaks down into ammonia. I have tested my tap water in Sydney (June 2013) and it has shown between 0.25 - 0.50 readings of ammonia. This is great when you are starting a tank cycle. All you need to do is change a small percentage of water to add a source of ammonia. However, be careful to treat it with a good quality water conditioner first. Water changes in a mature tank needs to be done cautiously as well knowing that there is ammonia in tap water. A large water change could introduce too much ammonia into a tank and cause livestock to perish. Test your tap water for ammonia first, treat it with a water conditioner (double dose if needed), leave it for at least 1 hour (or better overnight), before adding to your tank. Fourth, if it wasn't clear, if you had followed a fishless cycle process, you DO NOT need to change the water during the cycling period. Not unless, your pH drops below 5.5 or if you need to add additional ammonia from tapwater (as mentioned above Sydney water has ammonia in it). Even if Ammonia readings go off the charts to 8.0, water changes aren't strictly necessary during the cycling period. If you are cycling with fish, then do what you need to to with water changes to ensure the fish don't suffer. Lastly, once your tank is completely cycled, do a 50% water change before adding any new livestock. This dilutes any baking soda or Potassium sulfate you added during the cycling process, as well as Nitrates. Continue to monitor pH, and Ammonia after these water changes, especially if you use Sydney tap water (which has a bit of ammonia in it). Ammonia readings should go back to 0 after 24 hours. A better method is to remove 100% of the water and refill it with RO water and remineralise the water to your desired parameters for the livestock you are planning on adding. cheers jayc