Jeff

Hi everyone, it's been a month or so and my 28 gal tank is now cycled. However, everytime I do a water change, my ghost shrimp die. It's not uncommon to see them walking around with limp limbs...my cherry shrimp are not like that, but they have been more inactive and hide under plants. Is it something in my water?

ammonia = 0
nitrite = 0
nitrate = 20
temperature= 78F
hardness=150
pH=6.8

For awhile, the plants AND the shrimp thrived, not only the fish seem to be doing OK... Thankis for any input!

Butterfly

Are you adding water approx the same temp as the tank?
Carol

Jeff

I try to gauge the temp of the incoming water with my finger, but I know for sure that the tank temp is stable overall once I complete the change. It's a 50% change though, so I'm not sure if the shock killed them :S

P.S. I've also had a cherry shrimp do laps around the tank too, while the others hid. The shrimp were doing so well until now...

lilsoccakid

i think the best solution would be doing twice as many water changes, but with only half as much water each time. im assuming that the shock is killing them.

susitna-flower

HI, WELCOME TO FISHLORE!

The first thing I noticed is that your nitrates are at 20....shrimp need cleaner water than this. To maintain the tank it should have lots of small changes, say 25% every day until it gets down to between 5 & 10....THEN when you do changes it won't be such a shock.

Remember you can't use many medications, and nothing containing copper with shrimp.... To be sure there are no problems with metals in your water you are filling the tank with, try using Prime as a conditioner. Good Luck

Jeff

Thanks everyone for your replies! I've joined other forums in the past and none have been so welcoming