Can't Keep Shrimp...?

[insomniaclush]

I have a little ADA 30-c Iwagumi scape
and have tried a couple of times to keep shrimp.
All have died within a week and a half or two. I've tried a few things
like raising the lilly pipe to oxygenate the water at night and my
water parameters have been perfect. I've had Amano's, RCS, orange bee shrimp with
no success. What do you guys think?

Plants: HC
          Riccia
          Dwarf hair grass

[nacra99]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

What are your water parameters? pH? GH? Temp?

Ammonia? NitrItes? NitrAtes?

Is your tank cycled?

How were they acclimated?

What kind of filtration?

Areation?

CO2 Injection?

Are you dosing any copper based meds? Is there any copper in the water? Copper kills inverts deader than dead.

THese questions will help us diagnose the problem.

[insomniaclush]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

PH: 6.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
The tank is cycled and been up and running for 3 mo. now.
Acclimated by drip
filtration: Eheim Ecco 2232
CAL Glass Lily Pipes
Coralife Turbo-Twist 3X - 9 Watt U.V. Sterilizer
Lighting: Current USA Satellite Dual 2x18 Watt 12"Power Compact Strip Light
Areation: by raising the lily pipe above the water line at night.
CO2 Injection: 1 Bbs
Dosing reg: 1 pump per day ADA Brighty K
                                                Green Brighty step 2
                                                Green Brighty Special Lights

[Zulaab]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

I dont know if this is something you may look at.. but shrimp eats algae, and your UV sterilizer kills algae, ie no food for the little ones.   Maybe I am off the deep end with that but its the only thing I can think of.  Sorry for not being of better help.

[JStrider]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

shrimp are very sensitive to copper.  make sure the stuff you're dosing with doesn't have copper.

and even if it doesnt maybe try reducing the dosage.

as for the UV sterilizer  killing algae/foodsource, you can always toss a couple fish flakes in there or a sinking wafer/pellet to supplement.

[thomas]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

If you found the shrimps died the next morning, then they probably choked to death by excess CO2 in the tank at night. If you are using pressurized CO2 tank, why don't you try to set the solenoid on a timer to see how it goes?

[RussGB]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

I can't see anything wrong with the set up above except the CO2. I have shrimp in three tanks, two of which have UV steriliziers. They help keep algal blooms down, but I still get algae. Armies of shrimp and nerite snails keep the balance!

As for water parametewrs....well although two of my tanks are on a regular maintenance schedule I have a small lightly planted shrimp tank that gets 10% water changes every 3 months!!! My shrimp in that one breed like crazy!!! My personal belief is that shrimp are a lot hardier than people would have us believe!

Now as for copper...the tiniest amount is deadly. And as for CO2, well the amount of gas in water varies according to several factors, but the capacity to hold gas is finite. I.e. add more CO2 and you get less oxygen. One thing I read was that all decapods need well oxygenated water due to their simple gill structure...

I would guess CO2 is the issue, and if not that then copper poisoning....

[nacra99]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

Yeah... i'm guessing too it's either co2 or copper. Do you have copper pipes?
I would keep the CO2 off for now and see what happens.

It's highly unlikely that anyone would have 0 nitrates unless the tank is heavily planted.

[insomniaclush]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

I just don't know.
My other tank which is a 29 gal heavily planted, I have a few cherrys and
5 Amanos that have been doing great for months. In a way it's almost the same setup
(U.V., same ferts, loads of co2, etc..) just alot more dif plants. The cube is covered in HC and riccia which
pearls O2 like crazy.
How would I test for copper?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

If you drip acclimated them at 1bps I doubt it was the co2.

All of my tanks ran a minimum of 3bps 24/7 and I kept/bred quite a few sp. of shrimp, personally think it makes them color up better.

From the list of shrimp you have I would say that you got them from Fish Gallery.....from experience their stock is never really that stable and lots of people here can vouch on this one. Make sure your source is good and we'll go from there.

Oh and there are copper test out there but most will not register the minimal amount that will kill inverts.

[insomniaclush]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

Yes, Fish Gallery is the closest LFS by my neighborhood so I tend to go there.
What other LFS would you suggest?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

None of the others get them regularly so I could not suggest any but what you can do is order from pedro in dallas....goes by miliac on APC/PlantedTank. There are a lot of other guys that breed shrimp and when shipped it they usually do great.

[screename]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

try to buy them from someone here on the box.  The shrimp at FG are not kept at optimum conditions.  Even though they may appear healthy, they could be on a death timer.  The water parameters there (as well as most LFS) are not at proper levels many of the time.  Post a WTB thread in the for sale section or buy from reputable online sources.

[screename]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

oh, and pedro's handle is milalic.

[Spot86t]

Re: Can't Keep Shrimp...?

Keep in mind that copper leaches into gravel, silicone, driftwood, etc....

Over time, it will leach back out into the tank.  If the tank or anything in it was ever dosed with a copper med - either toss it or mark it for inhabitants that can tolerate copper.

I had a bag of gravel from my brother-in-law, who forgot he had used some copper based meds.  I lost 2 Cherax Crays before finding out - at which time I tossed the gravel.  No problems since.  

I've had my best luck with shrimp bought on Aquabid - red cherries from seller H2eau.  No doa's and great person to deal with.