Shrimps Die Every Water Change

[curryfishhead]

Advice/Help Needed !

I just started (2 months ago) a new low tech Shrimp tank and below is the setup.

* Tank - 30cm (L) x 15 (D) x 20 (H)
* Gravel - GEX Soil (Red Colour - Shrimps and Plants)
* GEX Fan
* Light 7W - Aqua Zonic
* Filtration - Dymax PF301
* 1 piece of Mud Rock
* Multiple Pieces of Dragon Rock
* Thermometer - about 26C - 28C depending on the weather

The tank had been planted with plants (hair grass, and others which I cannot put a name to it) and they seem to be growing okay.

I also use Mosura BT-9 and Mosura Excel to feel the shrimps. So far, I had a mixtures of Cherry Red Shrimp, Sakura and Fire Red (about 10 now and about 10 shrimplets....)

However, so far, every time I do a water change about 10% - 20%, at least one or two shrimps will die. One just did today.....

Need to get the tank in shape before buying more shrimps.....

I had read many of your guys helping newbies likes us. Any help or advice will be much welcome? Don't think will want to spend more money buying test kits......

[anakkucing]

Advice/Help Needed !

I just started (2 months ago) a new low tech Shrimp tank and below is the setup.

* Tank - 30cm (L) x 15 (D) x 20 (H)
* Gravel - GEX Soil (Red Colour - Shrimps and Plants)
* GEX Fan
* Light 7W - Aqua Zonic
* Filtration - Dymax PF301
* 1 piece of Mud Rock
* Multiple Pieces of Dragon Rock
* Thermometer - about 26C - 28C depending on the weather

The tank had been planted with plants (hair grass, and others which I cannot put a name to it) and they seem to be growing okay.

I also use Mosura BT-9 and Mosura Excel to feel the shrimps. So far, I had a mixtures of Cherry Red Shrimp, Sakura and Fire Red (about 10 now and about 10 shrimplets....)

However, so far, every time I do a water change about 10% - 20%, at least one or two shrimps will die. One just did today.....

Need to get the tank in shape before buying more shrimps.....

I had read many of your guys helping newbies likes us. Any help or advice will be much welcome? Don't think will want to spend more money buying test kits......

Are you sure your shrimps only died after doing water change? It is hard to determine the problem without having test kits... Cherry shrimps and sakura are quite hardy and wont die just because of 10-20% water change unless there are big problem with your water source. Are you using water conditioner?

[curryfishhead]

I had put aside some tap water (with anti chlorine added) for two days before putting into the tank. The water change was done yesterday morning and I found one dead shrimp this morning....

The pattern seems to hold that one or two will die until the next water change....

[Crystal Red Shrimp]

how did you do your water change? drip method or you just pour water in?

[curryfishhead]

Just to add on, I am now using Nutrafin Water Conditioner.....

[curryfishhead]

I just scope out the tank water and replace them with the 2 day old tap water (with conditioner added when the water was put aside..)...

[hyun007]

Did you get pink/red dead shrimp or white shrimp?
If it is white in color, then it is the skin of the shrimp.
Shrimp molt their skin nearly every water change.

If it is red, can you gave us the details of how you changed your water?
A step by step details will be easier for the expert to spot out the caused of death.

[curryfishhead]

The shrimp is red when it died, so quite sure it is not molting.....

I use a small cup to scoop out the water (4-5 cups) and then put in 4-5 cups of water (conditioned water) back into the tank....

Things to add (not sure this affects).....

1. The tank size holds about 7 litres.....is it really too small?
2. Because of the fan, I used the same conditioned water and add about 1 - 1.5 cups every 2 days.... Does it unstablize the whole tank too frequently? But problem is that I cannot also don't add water...

[hyun007]

The shrimp is red when it died, so quite sure it is not molting.....

I use a small cup to scoop out the water (4-5 cups) and then put in 4-5 cups of water (conditioned water) back into the tank....

Things to add (not sure this affects).....

1. The tank size holds about 7 litres.....is it really too small?
2. Because of the fan, I used the same conditioned water and add about 1 - 1.5 cups every 2 days.... Does it unstablize the whole tank too frequently? But problem is that I cannot also don't add water...

1) How often do you change your water?
2) You are adding in 1-1.5 cups every 2 days even with water changed?

Another problem I see is that, do people in this forum vacuum their bottom of the tank for their tank?

My water change is basically vacuuming the poo poo out from tank and then replace back the water.

In my opinion, taking 4-5 cup of water out and then pour 4-5 cup will stir the water and might increase your ammonia level.

Another thing that you can look at is whether your shrimp diet contain of iodine.
Water change stimulate molting and shrimp need iodine and calcium to molt.
Iodine and calcium deficiency can cause death when the shrimp cannot molt properly.

[Crystal Red Shrimp]

i think you need to change to a bigger tank, top up water everyday 2 days is not good cause your tank quite small then the shrimps need to keep readapt to the new water parameters every 2 days.think they stress so die

[curryfishhead]

Thanks for all you guys many inputs and insights.....

For food wise, I use Mosuri Excel and it does contain both Calcium and iodine....

It is true that when I change the tank water, it scoop out the water from the top only because I did not want to disturb the bottom. Thus, I did not suck up all the poo poo from the shrimp... hey I thought that the filter contains ceramic rings and carbon and this will take care of all this? Is this really necessary?

Please see below for pics of my current setup... Many plants there and they seems to be growing okay.... also rocks and shrimplets are also there... is there a way to vacuum out the poo poo without disturbing the bottom or my shrimplets? How to stir the poo poo up and not cause the ammonia level to increase suddenly? I thought the shrimp will die easier if the ammonia level increase suddenly?

Any further help are welcome.....

Entire Tank

[IMG]file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Catherine/Desktop/Tank/IMG_0051.jpg[/IMG]IMG_0051.jpg


Left Side Setup

IMG_0055.jpg


Right side Setup

IMG_0057.jpg

[hyun007]

If that is the case, then I think it is the stress factor of topping up water every 2 days and changing water weekly pointed out by Crystal Red Shrimp.

Since your small tank already has a filter, I think the best solution is to only top up water when you think is necessary.
Water changed is not necessary since you plants are doing well and you have a filter.
There are a few people who only top up their tank with no water changed since it is already well planted and with a filter.

[anakkucing]

It is best if you buy nitrate test only if you want to safe money. In a cycled tank, ammonia will be converted to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate. So by testing nitrate, you can determine if ammonia build up is high or not. I have a 11 litres tank with plants and sakura with 24 hours fan. I top up my tank a little everyday and since i dose liquid fertilizer, i do water change 30% weekly to make my downoi happy So far the shrimps are doing alright. Personally, I don't think the top up or water change alone cause the shrimps death. But if you want to test whether the water change is causing the problem, you can try not doing water change for 2-3 weeks and see how it goes

[curryfishhead]

I will try out to see if I can just top up water only (becos of the fan) without water changes. If everything is okay after one week, maybe I should try to put more shrimps in and keep my fingers crossed......

Many thanks for all the advices given......

[curryfishhead]

A few more questions...hope to get some help here.

I had a matured fish tank with Guppies, Tetra and Hasbora... the tank is layered at the bottom with Gex Soil (Red-Plants and Shrimps) with a layer of gravel sand.....

1. Can I use the fish tank water to replenish my shrimp tank due to evaporation ? I was told that the gravel sand is no good for the shrimp and should not be used in the shrimp tank......

2. If question 1 above is okay, will it be better to do the fish tank water or water conditioned with chlorine remover that was put aside for two days or more?

3. I put active carbon in the filter....any adverse effects? Not sure anyone is doing that...

thanks in advance....