Cherry Shrimp Dying - Need Help

[Zenko]

HI all,
Over the last week my small population of cherry red shimp has started to die one by one. They have been in a 20 litre tank set to 24degrees for about 6 weeks and until now produced shrimp babies and are successfully molting. When the first one died I did a water change and added apI ammo lock (ammonia was approx 0.25). The tank has ada amazonia substrate and growing java moss etc. Current water parameters are PH 6.4 Ammonia 0.25 (isnt dropping) Nitrate 0. GH appears to be 7 however KH test is turning yellow as soon as I add drops so I'm assuming its very low. My water is PH7.5 from the tap so I'm assuming is the substrate that is causing the PH drop. For now the baby shrimp seem to be ok. Running out of ideas on what to do next and any help would be much appreciated !

Cheers

Nick

 

[Crimson_687]

Is the tank new or old?

New tanks that were not properly cycled or were stocked before a bacteria colony became large enough will experience parameter spikes. You shouldn’t be seeing any ammonia in your tank at all.

You can use ammo lock or ammonia remover, but ammonia isn’t something that is just supposed to happen in your tank and gets fixed with some additives. Ammonia is the result of an underlying imbalance in your tank

 

[Zenko]

Is the tank new or old?

New tanks that were not properly cycled or were stocked before a bacteria colony became large enough will experience parameter spikes. You shouldn’t be seeing any ammonia in your tank at all.

You can use ammo lock or ammonia remover, but ammonia isn’t something that is just supposed to happen in your tank and gets fixed with some additives. Ammonia is the result of an underlying imbalance in your tank

Thanks! The tank is about 6 weeks old and been dosing regularly with API quickstart. Plants are growing well and the shrimp seemed very happy until a few days ago

 

[Crimson_687]

Thanks! The tank is about 6 weeks old and been dosing regularly with API quickstart. Plants are growing well and the shrimp seemed very happy until a few days ago

Is there any decaying matter in the tank?

 

[Zenko]

Is there any decaying matter in the tank?

Nothing dying. The plants are all looking pretty healthy. I'm wondering if its the substrate causing the problem

 

[Crimson_687]

Although not ideal, 0.25 ppm ammonia IS technically safe, just not good for longterm.

What worries me is the 0 ppm nitrate. A cycled, or at least mostly cycled, tank should have nitrate.

Do you know your nitrites? They may be the culprit

 

[Zenko]

Although not ideal, 0.25 ppm ammonia IS technically safe, just not good for longterm.

What worries me is the 0 ppm nitrate. A cycled, or at least mostly cycled, tank should have nitrate.

Do you know your nitrites? They may be the culprit

Just retested. Nitrite is 0, Nitrate close to 0 (maybe 1 ) and ammonia seems to have risen again its somewhere between 0.25 and 0.5.

I also added a packet of purigen into the filter when I first noticed 1 had died and the ammonia was elevated

 

[richiep]

Ada amazonia naturally releases ammonia into your tank when first put in so long term may well have an affect on your shrimp until the ammonia stops being released

 

[Zenko]

Ada amazonia naturally releases ammonia into your tank when first put in so long term may well have an affect on your shrimp until the ammonia stops being released

Any idea how long this is likely to last if its the cause?

 

[richiep]

Can be a 12month if it's the problem