Unexplained Deaths

[Charis]

I have started having an increased number of shrimp deaths in my Orange Rili tank.  These shrimp were purchased and imported at the start of December.  The first death was the day before Christmas.  It's possible two more died and were eaten while I was away of the holidays and since being back there was one death yesterday and another that is 95% dead right now.

There are no noticeable physically changes in the shrimp's appearance.  They are still perfectly colored and no missing parts!  They seem to get more lethargic, sitting in the open and then more clumsy, almost like they are dragging their front legs a bit.  Slowly they die and end up on their backs and sides.  It really worries me because 5 have died and one of the large females is now starting to look slow and clumsy.  Ugh.  Two batches of shrimplets hatched over the holiday and there are a ton of them in the tank.  As far as I can tell, I don't see any dead shrimplets on the floor.  I would have thought they would be the most susceptible to anything.  I'm feeding NLS Grow.  I have tried spinach leaves, algae tabs and a veggie food, but the shrimp only seem to actually want to eat the Grow.  There isn't any copper in the ingredients, but maybe there is something else bad I should be looking for?

Water parameters are fine, I think.  Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, TDS 222, pH 7.9, KH 7, GH 9.  I'm using a RO, tap water mix and the tap water is treated with Prime.  My only unknown is Nitrate.... so that could be off.   Temp is 74-75F.  It's a planted tank with quite a few plants and lots of java moss.  It's filtered by a sponge filter and I have been adding what has evaporated each week via drip method.

Any ideas what in the world is going on?!  I'm very tempted to do a huge water change to get whatever it is out of the tank!  But, I know shrimp don't really like water changes!  Should I pull the shrimp and put them in a different tank?!  Would that be helpful?  It would be possible with the adult, but the shrimplets would have to be left.

As of this morning, I also have one dead in my Blue Dream tank with several others looking lethargic.  This makes me feel that it is likely an illness that I have inadvertently transferred, or a reaction to the food.  Any ideas?  I'm really hoping to save these guys.  It makes me feel sick!

[jayc]

  Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, TDS 222, pH 7.9, KH 7, GH 9.  I'm using a RO, tap water mix and the tap water is treated with Prime.  My only unknown is Nitrate.... so that could be off.   Temp is 74-75F. 

This could be your problem.

KH and GH is high. Try reducing it with just RO water, not mixed with tap water.

[Charis]

Yes, they are high.   If the GH and KH were too high for the shrimp, would they have started dieing shortly after I got them?  Or sometimes do they take a while to get worn down the poor parameters?  The parameters have been quite consistent since I got them.  I'm totally new to shrimp, so if you think this is the problem, I'm glad to have your input.  

 

When diluting it down with the pure RO, how much of a water change should I do?  Can I do quite a major one if it's changed via drip over many hours?  

 

It doesn't sounds like an illness to you?  

 

Thanks for your help!

[2OFUS]

I'd say it's your GH and kh

I recently just got some nice cherrys and had Afew deaths due to my water being totally different to the sellers

How long did u take to acclimatise them

[Squiggle]

I'm thinking it's GH/KH as well, TDS is a little high too but bringing the GH/KH down with RO water will bring the TDS down too. You might want to look at getting some SaltyShrimp GH/KH+ minerals & using 100% RO remineralized with GH/KH+.

[jayc]

I'm thinking it's GH/KH as well, TDS is a little high too but bringing the GH/KH down with RO water will bring the TDS down too.

 

Yeah and when KH comes down, so will pH.