Cherry Shrimp Eggs Sticking Out The Sides / Causes Of Premature Egg Dropping?

[MiniPop]

My shrimp has been berried for just under 2 weeks. Since the beginning, an egg stuck out her side. Today I saw another hanging out the other side of her. Is she just an inexperienced mother or is she thinking of dropping her eggs? Or is this normal?

My other female (first time mother) dropped her eggs at 17 days after an episode of swimming around frantically. I don't know the eggs hatched or not but I don't see babies yet. She proceeded to molt the next night. Could the need to molt cause her to drop eggs?

I'm wondering if my daily top-offs (distilled water) are causing them to molt more? My tank is a topless 10 gallon and about 1 cm evaporates daily.

 

[richiep]

HI minipop this shrimp dosnt look like a first time mum her colour tells me she's older than 4months as she been bred in your tank or any idea how old she is?
It is quite common to see eggs outside the pleopods if they have a high batch of eggs, her colour is do dense shes almost a fire red and the main batch of egg can only be seen in the right light, without all the information the water concerns me so let's try and clear a few things, you are topping off with distilled water daily, what about the main water change how much do you do? What water do you use? Is it reminerilise? Also need to know your gh/kh ph, how big is the tank? Lets get these out of the way and see what we're left with

 

[MiniPop]

HI richie.p! I don't know how old this shrimp is as it wasn't born in my tank. I bought this shrimp along with 6 others mid April 2019. The other 6 have died mostly from molting issues after water changes (with white band). I started off using only tap water. My tank is 10 gallons; TDS was 400s (GH was 24, KH 14), and over several weeks I brought it down to 250 by mixing tap with R/O or distilled at each water change. I also decreased water change volume from 50% to 10% weekly with fresh water dripped over about 8 hours. I stopped having deaths after this. I also lowered the amount of ferts (no copper) and my nitrate usually reads 0.

And also I forgot to mention, I do match TDS when doing water changes. And I use Prime to dechlorinate.

 

[richiep]

Well you've done nothing wrong there at all infact that's what I would have suggested, the only thing I would do is to off mid week once but this is something I wouldn't do now as that shrimp is not far off hatching because of this if you try to change anything now could be the wrong thing to do, any idea what your gh is at present

 

[MiniPop]

Well you've done nothing wrong there at all infact that's what I would have suggested, the only thing I would do is to off mid week once but this is something I wouldn't do now as that shrimp is not far off hatching because of this if you try to change anything now could be the wrong thing to do, any idea what your gh is at present

Good to know I was on the right track!
Okay, so don't top off till the shrimp are born?
Just checked. GH 11 and KH 6.

 

[richiep]

That's perfect I think you should carry on as you are just be careful, that one as survived till now keep doing what your doing getting those eggs to hatch is the main thing try and get the water to tank temp before top up or changing
I think it was the 50% wster changes that they couldn't cope with that shocked them

 

[MiniPop]

That's perfect I think you should carry on as you are just be careful, that one as survived till now keep doing what your doing getting those eggs to hatch is the main thing try and get the water to tank temp before top up or changing

Just to be sure I understand correctly--you mean I should keep topping up daily but try to match temp?

Omg! I just saw a baby shrimp! So the other female that dropped the eggs actually had them hatch!

 

[richiep]

Yes keep doing as you are they are used to it but match temp is important

 

[MiniPop]

Yes keep doing as you are they are used to it but match temp is important

Okay will do. Thank you so very much for your help!

 

[richiep]

You've probably got more young in there the eggs hatched before she moulted now take care cleaning and check your bucket, let us know how things go

 

[MiniPop]

You've probably got more young in there the eggs hatched before she moulted now take care cleaning and check your bucket, let us know how things go

Okay I will definitely be careful and post updates here!

Just one more question if you don't mind. Should I skip this week's water change? The tank was due to a water change today but I was reluctant since the other female just molted and this female's eggs haven't hatched yet. I'm worried about triggering molting.

 

[richiep]

They should be used to what you've been doing by now especially that one lot hatched. If you do keep it to 10% and do it by measuring tds so if your tank is 250 mix your water to 250ish get it to tank temp and add it slowly and you should not have a problem your just doing like for like, it's been the big water changes that's been the problem
Edit my 10 gal works out to change 6ltrs when you take out the bits in the tank so there's s guide if your worried just do 5ltrs

 

[MiniPop]

They should be used to what you've been doing by now especially that one lot hatched. If you do keep it to 10% and do it by measuring tds so if your tank is 250 mix your water to 250ish get it to tank temp and add it slowly and you should not have a problem your just doing like for like, it's been the big water changes that's been the problem
Edit my 10 gal works out to change 6ltrs when you take out the bits in the tank so there's s guide if your worried just do 5ltrs

Gotcha. I will do that. Thanks again!!

 

[MiniPop]

I think I have a problem.
Well good news first. Yesterday the shrimp was no longer berried and I think the babies did hatch! Hard to find them in my tank but I did see one.
Bad news is, the day before that, I noticed a white band on her neck. I'm thinking molting issue. Today the band is wider. Usually when this happens my shrimp dies. But I don't know what could have caused it this time. A different shrimp (born in my tank) molted yesterday without problems. I did do a water change several days ago with matched TDS and slowly dripped over a whole day. Is my water still too hard?

Here's a pic.

Better pic:

 

[richiep]

You sure this one as had the babies,? How long as she been in the tank

 

[MiniPop]

You sure this one as had the babies,? How long as she been in the tank

Yes I'm sure as she is the only solid red one in my tank. She's one of the original 7 that I bought in April 2019 and the last survivor.

 

[richiep]

Ok minipop I've just bee back through the thread to refresh and it looks like the shrimp from the first pic I know we talked about reducing water to 10%and the 50% changes could have been your problem, when was the last time you done a big water change?

 

[MiniPop]

Ok minipop I've just bee back through the thread to refresh and it looks like the shrimp from the first pic I know we talked about reducing water to 10%and the 50% changes could have been your problem, when was the last time you done a big water change?

Based on my records, Mar 26 was the last time I did 50%. After that I switched to 10 to 15%. But I continued to have deaths so I started dripping in the fresh water. I think I changed water with pure RO for a few weeks to bring down the TDS to 250 from 400s.

Oh wait a sec that doesn't make sense. I got the shrimps after March. lol

Ok I'm sure I got the RCS on April 15 2019. I think by May I switched to 10-15% water change.

 

[richiep]

Ok we know your deaths were due to big water changes which you've now got under control, the fact you have young have automaticily acclimatised them to your water, so all your related shrimp have died except this one, now it can go two ways with this shrimp, if you read back we held off a little due the her almost have g young and this was the priority even if she dies cos what we wanted was her young, now shes had them she may moult within the next 24hrs which is normal and shell breed straight away,if the shell is soft enough she will moult if shes still having issues she may die, never the less it's the young you wanted and I cross my fingers they will br ok now that you have your water where you want it and have a routine, it'll be useful to do a gh/kh ph test if you can. None of the young from the other litters have died have they

 

[MiniPop]

Okay. I really didn't want to lose her so I hope she'll surprise us and molt fine. She's still being active so I am hopeful.
Okay I'll do another test for those params.
I have had deaths from my first litter. One of the 7 originals was berried when I bought her. 2 of the shrimplets died. The 2 surviving ones bred and shrimplets hatched a few days ago.

 

[richiep]

Ok if I'm thinking right the two that died were in the area when you were doing water changes

 

[MiniPop]

Just did the tests. KH 7, GH 12, pH 8. The pH is lower than usual. Usually it's 8.3 to 8.4. Not sure when it dropped.

Ok if I'm thinking right the two that died were in the area when you were doing water changes

Darn. I didn't' know it was possible to kill a shrimp that way. Would improving the water circulation help? I only have 1 sponge filter.

I just realized those shrimps probably died before I got the TDS meter and was still in the process of lowering the TDS with pure RO water.

 

[richiep]

I just realized those shrimps probably died before I got the TDS meter and was still in the process of lowering the TDS with pure RO water.

That's what I mean not directly in the path of the water lol
The other thing that ph 8 or above is not good it needs to come down to 7.7 to 7.8 but at this time don't mess they should be ok but its something to work on a little tater month or so,

Your ph as been dropping wit the introduction of distilled water

 

[MiniPop]

That's what I mean not directly in the path of the water lol
The other thing that ph 8 or above is not good it needs to come down to 7.7 to 7.8 but at this time don't mess they should be ok but its something to work on a little tater month or so,

Your ph as been dropping wit the introduction of distilled water

Oh lol!

Oh okay. How would I lower pH?

 

[richiep]

You've already started by adding spring water this is why you didn't understand how it was low and over the next month if may drop a bit more also lowering kh so something to look at when things stabilise let's see what happens with grandma shrimp over the next 24hr I hope she moults

 

[richiep]

I've just had s message about back to back post using edit button which I haven't a clue about don't even know what it means

 

[MiniPop]

Okay gotcha. Thanks so much again! I'll let you know how grandma does. Fingers crossed.

 

[MiniPop]

I've just had s message about back to back post using edit button which I haven't a clue about don't even know what it means

A message from a moderator? My guess is we're supposed to make as few posts as possible so they want you to use the edit button to combine posts.

 

[MiniPop]

She made it!! She must have molted as white line is gone and she's alive and well.

 

[richiep]

Brilliant that shows all the work you've done is paying off

 

[MiniPop]

Brilliant that shows all the work you've done is paying off

Thank you so much you've been awesome!

 

[MiniPop]

Hi, I just wanted to write an update.
My shrimp are doing great and they've been busy making babies! I have about 30 to 50 babies now. All of them came from the 3 adult shrimp I had left.

The TDS continue to lower itself over time. 225 ppm at the moment. I'm guessing it's due to the plants using up minerals. pH went back up to 8.4 though. I don't know how, I haven't added anything.

 

[richiep]

That's really is nice to see MiniPop just carry on what your doing things have started to work good luck