Observation & perhaps CRS breeding tips?

[brightsp@rky]

Hi all,

Thought to share these interesting observations.

Observation 1
Each time I top up substantial water to the tanks, I observed that a day later, some of the shrimps would moult, and then there will be male frenzy. And this led to many of the shrimps being berried. Now I have four pregnant mamas.







P.S. For my WC pattern, I haven't done water change for a long while, so each time I top up a lot of water, it is something like a WC. So, I supposed the tip is:

Tip 1
Encourage less regular WC to spur moulting and copulation.
(My thinking is that too many weekly WC, the shrimp sort of get used to the changes. So, when there is a "sudden" water change, this encourages moulting.)
I believe shrimps gurus already have their tried and tested best way for WC. Just providing an alternative view point.

Observation 2
I used to have shrimps swimming to the top after water top up. So, shrimps are stressed with the new water parameters.

Tip 2
Have ketapang leaves ready in tank to soothe the shrimps from stress.


Observation 3
My water pH is 7.6, miraculously my CRS are OK, and shrimps do breed. But be warned, the shrimplets output is usually low. E.g. last month, only about 4 shrimplets spotted at birth.

So this time round, I hope to lower the pH and have a better shrimplets yield. I have added some ADA soil from my 2nd tank, and put in more ketapang leaves.

Will adding the ADA soil help? Anyone can advise?

[exotic_idiot]

Depends on how low you want to achieve? If just around 6.7-6.8 ADA amazonia (black)... And lower ph 4.5-5 go for ADA africana (red)

[brightsp@rky]

I have limited ADA soil, will just adding one single layer of the soil on top of the existing gravel help?

[kensk]

Be careful not to add too much ADA soil. It may spark an ammonia spike.

[exotic_idiot]

I have limited ADA soil, will just adding one single layer of the soil on top of the existing gravel help?

I'm not so sure... But there's a lot of different soil other than ADA.. Like Gex? I'm not keeping CRS so really can't help much...
Nice CRS you have...

[michaelmah]

The previous ph at 7.2, after I added 4 spoon only ADA "Malaya" aquasoil to bowl tank a day after the ph go to 6.2. Fixed at 6.2.

[chromes03]

Hi BrightSparky,

Im new to keeping CRS and I went through the same problem. I started w/ 30 CRS S+/SS and lower grades in my 30 gal tank..Ph about 7.2 temp 72-76F...after about a month I started to see many pregnant females. Then finally another month passed and I spotted 9 CRS babies. Everyday I counted there would be less and less. I didn't waste no time...

I started cycling another tank 10g w/ ADA 1 and it took 5 weeks to cycle. I split the ADA Soil into two tanks, half going to my 50g and the other stay in the original 10g tank. I transferred my one of my berried SS CRS and 2 other males into the 10gal. The ph at the time was maybe 6.6 and temp constant 72F w/ just spongs filter. After about a week the shrimps were released...at first I didn't see many but a few here and there but after 2 weeks...I counted 15 babies and until today I still see 15 babies and they are growing maybe 1/8" now....the tanks also housed 30 super tigers that i just recently purchased and I could only put them into the same tank bc of the water parameter...

So I would say that ADA Soil 1 made a difference regarding the babies survival rate etc. CRS can be kept and breed in higher ph water but the survival rate for the babies very low. I also think that higher ph will stress them and they won't live as long maybe 1 year. The female that had babies in the 10g tank was a first time mother and she passed when I transferred her to the 50g tank. Stress from the intial tank of 7.2 to the new tank of 6.6...in a weeks span was maybe to sudden for her...but her babies are healthy.....well i hope this helps

Hope you cycled the soil first because it will cause ammonia spike...

Henry

[brightsp@rky]

chromes03, thanks for the sharing. In fact, yesterday I transferred all of them to my other tank which had 6-6.4 pH using ADA soil. Now just a little worried that the pregnant mamas are a little stressed due to my chasing and netting them.

Well, hopefully, I have a better yield in this tank.

[chromes03]

Hey I hope you gave them a good acclimation...I did mine for 5-6 hours 1drop/sec in a small 2 quart container put inside of a 5 gallon bucket....they adjusted nicely..but some of the weakers ones will be stress and die...its normal though...if you have good gene they you'll be fine....

What size tank are you keeping them in? Do you keep other shrimps as well?

[brightsp@rky]

I transferred to a 1 feet cube tank. I didn't use the drip method, transferred everything from the right tank to the left tank.

See link for pics of my tank.

For those who were reading...you were probably know by now that adding a layer of the ADA soil may not be enough.

[chromes03]

Very nice...do you use almond leaves for the shrimps?

[brightsp@rky]

Yes. I do have the ketapang leaves. I think it helps to soothe the CRS after they moult.

[wsw]

hi brightsp@rky,

will the ketapang leaves coloured your water to brown......

thanks
wsw

[brightsp@rky]

Actually, ketapang leaves will tint the water, but because it is only a couple of leaves, plus the volume of water, it doesn't show up. Water clarity is still good.

[michaelmah]

Ya,the ketapang leaves coloured your water to brown in normal sand, but for ADA aquasoil this may unlikely happen. DO you all notice this?

Local LFS told me.....the chirtmas moss significantly helping baby crs to survive and grow further and health. that is why, most of their LFS tank have a chirtmas moss there. the have about 200 -300 crs per tank for sale. Price is expensive.

Also Added also some snail (apple snail...very nice) help in reducing algae instead of using Otto(may attact shimplet when they grow bigger)

[chromes03]

Man I wish someone in the states have cheap katapang leaves...its so hard to find them here and even if you did they want to charge too much..for leaves? 20 for $30usd..that's crazy....christmas moss too?....perhaps I can purchase from someone here on AQ?

[Fuzzy]

There is a malaysian dealer that ships to USA. Frequently on Aquabid and eBay.

Search for aquarium supplies and you'll see them.

[michaelmah]

I though ketapang leave s should very easy got on the road. there is some forum do mention which road at Sg , which you can pick up your own.

chirtmas moss pg at RM25 small packet only.

[Fuzzy]

I though ketapang leave s should very easy got on the road. there is some forum do mention which road at Sg , which you can pick up your own.

chirtmas moss pg at RM25 small packet only.

You can also get Christmas Moss from them for way less than RM$25.

[Quixotic]

Folks, please kindly not to stray too far from topic. This thread isn't about the cost of Christmas moss or ketapang leaves etc.

Many thanks for the co-operation.