I've had crystal red shrimp a couple of years (maybe a bit longer) now. Started in a 48L cube, then moved them into a 100L planted tank called the 'shrimporium'.
Started off with 13 and over the years I've had hundreds and hundreds of babies and a thriving colony! I generally sell/ rehome home them when the 100L tank reached about 200-500 and dropped the population down to 100 again. When I decided to get some zebra plecos my remaining high quality shrimp moved upstairs tot he office tank. 2ft 60/70L, x2 sponge filters. I kept most of the original substrate (black gravel), used cycled media, kept a lot of the plants, water is spot on. Soft, ph around 6.4, zero ammonia, nitrite and about 5 nitrates. Since the move upstairs though, they really haven't done well
Probably had a bout 60. Now I'm down to about 15 (not seen any berried for about 6 months, maybe more). Had a few die off initially for the first few weeks. Saw some babies once, but they all died off too. Now I'm left with the remaining ones, water is perfect, plants are doing well. I don't know why they're not doing well. At one point I put some 'culls' in the big community tank. It's technically too warm for them in their and lots of mouths to scoff them, but they've gone from around 10 to around 70 (visible at one time) and they're constantly berried and reproducing. I may need to rehome some of them soon!
I did try a new food (Dr Bassleer shrimp food) and now I've just ordered shrimp king complete. Can't really think what else could've changed??
Temp is 23C. Still have x2 sponge filters, plus and extra external filter.
I sometimes see their moults left in the tank uneaten. Not sure if this helps with any diagnosis?
Am I missing something obvious??
Shrimp have stopped doing well :( Any ideas?
- fr499y
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My first thought was calcium, but if they are having successful molts, then it’s not that.
- plankton
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What's the difference with the atmosphere upstairs to downstairs?
More/less windows open, deodorants used, candles, sprays, soaps, bleaches, water source, etc.....?
More/less windows open, deodorants used, candles, sprays, soaps, bleaches, water source, etc.....?
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Not a lot. No windows open, upstairs is the office, downstairs lounge, so no sprays or candles (less candles upstairs if anything) no real chance of contamination. Upstairs I do water changes from the bath tap, but no chance of any soaps getting into the water. Downstairs originally from the utility room sink.
Can't really think of anything else different.
- plankton
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I wonder....could there be more copper in the upstairs supply perhaps?
Have you tried using the same water as the others to see what happens?
Have you tried using the same water as the others to see what happens?
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Not got a test for either. I have some crushed coral in there to keep it stable and not had any crashing issues in other tanks since doing that.
Had a read up and I found to big water changes with soft water can cause water absorption and accelerated growth and the body grows before it can shed the shell and moult so can kill them. I've decided no more water changes, just topping up for now. Been ok since I stopped changing water. I barely feed/ add anything to the tank, so maybe stability was just the issue.