2 dead amano shrimp and lowered ph

Tank
What is the water volume of the tank? Let's say 140 litres allowing for water displacement
How long has the tank been running? Since June 2021
Does it have a filter? Fluval 307 cannister
Does it have a heater? Yes
What is the water temperature? 24c
What is the entire stocking of this tank? 3 gold gourami. 6 albino bronze corydora. 1 male and 4 female swordtail, plus one "baby" about 1" in length. Possibly 2 oto, though haven't seen these for a couple of months (not unusual for these two this is the third time in the last 8 months or so that they have "gone to ground" in the plants at the back, but I cannot be certain they haven't passed). 2 nerite snails. Now 3 amano shrimp. At least2 still very small ramshorns and maybe some bladder snails (though haven't seen any of the latter for a couple of weeks)

Maintenance
How often do you change the water? Fortnightly
How much of the water do you change? Approx 50%
What do you use to treat your water? API Aqua Essentials and Fluval Cycle biological enhancer
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water? Just water

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish? Yes
What do you use to test the water? Liquid ammonia tester and 5 in 1 test straps for others
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 6.4

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish? Generally daily but sometimes miss out a day
How much do you feed your fish? Pinch of flakes is standard. Once a week an algae pellet. Defrosted bloodworm and courgette slice as a Sunday treat.
What brand of food do you feed your fish? Flakes are aquaria.
Do you feed frozen? Defrosted bloodworm
Do you feed freeze-dried foods? No

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish? Over a year
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms? One day ago
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms? 2 dead shrimp
Have you started any treatment for the illness? No
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase? No
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all? Dead

Explain your emergency situation in detail.

I found one dead shrimp last night and a second this morning. About a month ago I added mopani wood which I attached some anubias to. The wood wasn't pre soaked so has leached tannins. When doing a water change at the weekend I used the wrong dose of aqua essential, putting in the amount for reducing ammonia/nitrites rather than just to treat the tap water. Whenever I water change I add Fluval cycle as well, and tropica ferts for my plants. I checked the parameters after finding the shrimp this morning and noticed the pH down at about 6.4 when it is normally about 7.2. Kh 6, gh 7 which are standard. The shrimp appeared to be quite pink when I pulled them out though the pic looks more orange. Is the drop in pH the issue and if so was it caused by the extra aqua essentials? Or do I just not have enough biology for the amount of plants and that is affecting the pH? Do I need to get it back up, and if so how? If the pH drop isn't the issue, what is? I am assuming as 2 have died so close after no shrimp deaths in over a year it isn't just bad luck and the age of them.

 

Tank
What is the water volume of the tank? Let's say 140 litres allowing for water displacement
How long has the tank been running? Since June 2021
Does it have a filter? Fluval 307 cannister
Does it have a heater? Yes
What is the water temperature? 24c
What is the entire stocking of this tank? 3 gold gourami. 6 albino bronze corydora. 1 male and 4 female swordtail, plus one "baby" about 1" in length. Possibly 2 oto, though haven't seen these for a couple of months (not unusual for these two this is the third time in the last 8 months or so that they have "gone to ground" in the plants at the back, but I cannot be certain they haven't passed). 2 nerite snails. Now 3 amano shrimp. At least2 still very small ramshorns and maybe some bladder snails (though haven't seen any of the latter for a couple of weeks)

All seems go to me so far.

Maintenance
How often do you change the water? Fortnightly
How much of the water do you change? Approx 50%
What do you use to treat your water? API Aqua Essentials and Fluval Cycle biological enhancer

If your tank is cycled, why use the enhancer? I don't think you need to use this, but it shouldn't hurt.

Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water? Just water

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish? Yes
What do you use to test the water? Liquid ammonia tester and 5 in 1 test straps for others
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 6.4

Still nothing that concerns me.

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish? Generally daily but sometimes miss out a day
How much do you feed your fish? Pinch of flakes is standard. Once a week an algae pellet. Defrosted bloodworm and courgette slice as a Sunday treat.
What brand of food do you feed your fish? Flakes are aquaria.
Do you feed frozen? Defrosted bloodworm
Do you feed freeze-dried foods? No

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish? Over a year
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms? One day ago
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms? 2 dead shrimp
Have you started any treatment for the illness? No
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase? No
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all? Dead

Explain your emergency situation in detail.

I found one dead shrimp last night and a second this morning. About a month ago I added mopani wood which I attached some anubias to. The wood wasn't pre soaked so has leached tannins.

The wood isn't likely the problem. I've done this myself many times without harming my Amano shrimps.

When doing a water change at the weekend I used the wrong dose of aqua essential, putting in the amount for reducing ammonia/nitrites rather than just to treat the tap water.

While I haven't done this myself, I've read adding too much conditioner can harm livestock. Still, I think you'd have to add way too much. So, I think this could possibly be part of your issue, but not likely.

Whenever I water change I add Fluval cycle as well, and tropica ferts for my plants. I checked the parameters after finding the shrimp this morning and noticed the pH down at about 6.4 when it is normally about 7.2.

Amano shrimp should be fine at these pH readings. They probably prefer the water to be a bit above neutral, but I've kept them at pH 6.0 for years without problems.

Kh 6, gh 7 which are standard. The shrimp appeared to be quite pink when I pulled them out though the pic looks more orange.

It's normal for dead shrimp to change color like that.

Is the drop in pH the issue

Not directly, but whatever caused the pH drop may also have caused your issue.

and if so was it caused by the extra aqua essentials?

I don't know. That may merit some looking into though.

Or do I just not have enough biology for the amount of plants and that is affecting the pH?

Your plants look healthy, and you do regular water changes. I doubt this is your problem.

Do I need to get it back up, and if so how?

The pH shift itself should not be a problem for the Amano shrimp (it might bug your swordtails though). If your source water has enough KH and high enough pH, I'd recommend doing more water changes to bring it back up.

If the pH drop isn't the issue, what is? I am assuming as 2 have died so close after no shrimp deaths in over a year it isn't just bad luck and the age of them.

The only thing that even seems worth looking into from what you've shared is the overdose of your water conditioner. Perhaps your shrimp were already a bit old and that added just enough stress to push a couple of them over the edge.

 

Does this tank always have zero nitrates. That seems unlikely in a tank that is only lightly / moderately planted and you are fertilizing as well. You should have it confirmed by your LFS. I once had a tank test zero nitrates until I bought a new nitrate test. It then tested above 80ppm.

There is no need for the Fluval Cycle. Save your money.

 

It has been down around the zero mark for nitrates for a few months now, I ran out of test straps about a month ago, the old ones and new ones both giving the same readings so if both are wrong I an unlucky with that. When I do water changes I have to trim the limnophiliato about half the height and it grows back the 20cm or so over the next two week so I was just assuming they are feeding heavily off the nitrates. I trimmed them on Saturday and a few of them have grown back to the surface already

 

Doesnt make sense, natural KH 6 shouldn't have pH 6.4. Are you injecting CO2 or using any remineralization products?

 

Doesnt make sense, natural KH 6 shouldn't have pH 6.4. Are you injecting CO2 or using any remineralization products?

No, nothing like that, only what I have said in the emergency template

 

I HIGHLY suggest checking with different brands of strips, and ESPECIALLY a liquid test kit. In the U.S, the API Freshwater Master Test Kit is on sale for only $35 (compared to its normal price of $50.) It'll also save you LOADS of money. Strips are often inaccurate (I mean, all kits are inaccurate, but the strips are typically less so - if you want accuracy, contact your local water supply company,) and they cost a TON; typically at least $1.00 per strip with a total of 10-50 tests, compared to the API kit that costs a mere $0.04 per test with over 800.