Shrimp Problem

**jerchuaaa** · 6th Feb 2019, 21:58

Hi all,

Was gifted a planted tank around 18th December. 3.1 gallon tank with filter and light. Cycled for about a month and bought some Otos to see if water was ready as I didn't have any test kits.
Fish survived so I went on to get some shrimps from a forum brother who bred cherry reds. They didn't survive past one night.

So I cycled my tank again and then proceeded to get 5 neon tetras, they have been feeding well for 2 weeks now. (Video of them below)
My friend who gave me the tank, passed me his test kits and the parameters are good. Water temp from 26-29 degrees maximum.

Did a water change yesterday, went to buy some cherry & yamato today (11AM from LFS) very good quality they were doing well in their tanks.
Also LFS didn't house them in chilled tanks so i felt they will be able to adapt to my tanks temp.
After visiting, came back to them all dead.
Did a water check again and parameters were good.

Help needed!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=19G...xdYZ_bJykhINAI

Thanks in advance.

**genki89** · 7th Feb 2019, 12:58

I assume u float the pack of shrimp just like how u did with ur fishes for an hr or 2 before u let them in to the tank.

I maybe wrong but from the way u described, it seems that way. Ur tank maybe cycled, but the shrimps water para would still be diff frm ur tank. (I.e Shrimp water tds 80 ph6.8, ur tank tds 200 ph6.2)

There are still many concerns like weak shrimp/improper handling during transportation from lfs to ur hse.

Shrimps were sensitive and therefore, it would be recommended to do drip acclimatisation to allow the shrimp to slowly get use to the new water parameter.

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**jerchuaaa** · 7th Feb 2019, 14:13

Hi Genki,

Thanks for getting back. Yes as u suspected i didn't drip acclimate my shrimps. And i believe that is definitely one of the reasons. The friend who gifted me the tank also did the same method but his shrimps are still alive.
Anyway yes will try drip acclimation next time.

One more question is, I'm using tap water and i treat the water with dechlorine solution. Will that affect the parameters for shrimps?

**genki89** · 7th Feb 2019, 14:24

Im using tapwater and treat it with seachem prime. Works fine for me.

However, there are many different kind of de-chlorinator. Some proclaim good while some are bad; personally, i prefer seachem as it works like magic. Its as good as instant and i do not need to wait for the result to take place.

Some will require to wait for the de-chlorinator to works. U have to read the instruction and follows.

One point, during water change, u have to drip/ensure the water topup is slow. This is to ensure the parameters of the water is changing slowly to ensure the shrimps get use to it. Imagine ur shrimp tank water temperature is 25 degree and ur tapwater is 30 degree. U do not want ur tank temperature to shoot up from 25 to 27 degree within seconds.

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**Tuner** · 10th Feb 2019, 15:36

you may want to check fertilizer you use for your planted tank or any chemicals that you mix into the water, I'm suspecting copper might be the issue here for a mass deaths like yours

**jerchuaaa** · 10th Feb 2019, 16:40

I might have overdoses on dechlorinator. For fertilizer I only use 2 times a week and each time 1 drop. Will check the contents of the fertilizer.

**jerchuaaa** · 27th Feb 2019, 20:22

Hey guys back with the same problem.

This time I measured my dechlorinator to exactly the amount of water I change.

Didn't dose since the previous attempt.

Bought 10 shrimps from LFS aquarium clementi.

Dripped acclimated for 1 hour 15 mins.

Ultimately they died slowly over 4 days.

Any help or comments?

**genki89** · 27th Feb 2019, 20:41

Drip acclimation is not saying u use 1hr 2hr or even 1day. It means u are slowly getting the water perimeter ur shrimp are currently in to match the water perimeter of ur tank. If the shrimp comes in tds 200, ph 6.8, u wan it to match the tank with tds 150, ph 6 (example) over a course of 1hr (if slow drip allows it to match), 2hr (if slow drip allows it) and so on and so forth.

Sensitive shrimps will require even longer period to acclimate as u wan to reduce the water perimeter changes even slower.

Firstly, ur drip method maybe wrong. U need to measure the shrimp perimeter overtime (1hr, 2hr, 3hr etc).

Secondly, we need to know ur tank water perimeter. Like gh, kh and tds. Personally, i measure only ph and tds.

Thirdly, what is inside ur tank? With no shelter, ur fish will nip on ur shrimps.

Fourth, wat shrimp are u buying/keeing?

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**jerchuaaa** · 27th Feb 2019, 21:09

Thanks genki for responding again

I have 5 neon tetras. For plants there's salvinia floaters, Christmas moss, Java fern, dwarf hair grass, crypt and sone stem plants. Drift wood, almond leave and Borneo wild mineral balls.

I use the test strips from API. And the readings are all in the range where neo cari can survive. I bought cherry shrimps.