Fed Up With Dying Rcs

So, after my soft reset, I have lost another shrimp to impartial molting anyway. I am ready to give up. Water is pristine. Yes I am cycled and know for a fact I have very clean water with virtually no nitrates. KH of 6, GH of 7. TDS is low at 116, so that may be a problem. Premium foods every other day. Heavily planted with tons of moss. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Scutellaria is on almost every shrimp, they keep having molting problems, and they aren't breeding. What am I supposed to do?

 

do you have any mineral stones. if not get some from amzazon, there is this one where the reveiws says all you get is powder and a few rocks, those rocks are exactly what you need and what the product says you will get

 

If I were you, I would just start over with ghost shrimp. Take care of them and get the hang of it. They are super cheap so money won't be a problem and are basically just a different color than cherries. Then once you get the hang of taking care of them and barely suffer any casualties, introduce the cherry shrimp. Not only will you be more experienced, but maybe even less stressed in the long run

 

And I agree with triston, ghost shrimp are an amzing starter shrimp and will be better off till you get the hang of it

 

If I were you, I would just start over with ghost shrimp. Take care of them and get the hang of it. They are super cheap so money won't be a problem and are basically just a different color than cherries. Then once you get the hang of taking care of them and barely suffer any casualties, introduce the cherry shrimp. Not only will you be more experienced, but maybe even less stressed in the long run

I already have ghosts and Amanos thriving in other tanks, so it isn't my first rodeo.

This tank has been established for months. I initially had the KH and GH way too high from the introduction of mineral stones and coral chips. I soft reset the tank and cut the KH from 8 to 6, and the GH from 11 to 7. This was nearly 2 weeks ago. Current parameters are my tap water parameters. I'd like the TDS to be at 150 but don't know how to raise it without affecting GH.

Forgot to mention pH is 7.5.

It **** me off that I'm having problems, and some members here just toss them in a 5 gallon and they breed like roaches.

 

TBH I'm stumped over that. if you keep amonos and ghost, then I see no reason why the cherry are dying. could it be a disease, planaria, molting issue (calcium), do you have any mineral stones

 

TBH I'm stumped over that. if you keep amonos and ghost, then I see no reason why the cherry are dying. could it be a disease, planaria, molting issue (calcium), do you have any mineral stones

Here's the issue:

The shrimp are only partially molting. Not that they are stuck in their molts and die from that, but they only shed part of it, then walk around in half a molt for several days before dying.

There is scutellaria in the tank but it's more or less just a nuisance rather than a shrimp-killer, and I have a means to treat it. I've just been too afraid to because of the weird molting issue I've been having. I was told, initially, my KH was too high and the excess calcium was causing molting problems. Reduced the KH and still have problems. I've lost half of my shrimp since I added them almost 3 months ago.

 

darn, treat the tank first then see if your problems continue

 

I already have ghosts and Amanos thriving in other tanks, so it isn't my first rodeo.

This tank has been established for months. I initially had the KH and GH way too high from the introduction of mineral stones and coral chips. I soft reset the tank and cut the KH from 8 to 6, and the GH from 11 to 7. This was nearly 2 weeks ago. Current parameters are my tap water parameters. I'd like the TDS to be at 150 but don't know how to raise it without affecting GH.

Forgot to mention pH is 7.5.

It **** me off that I'm having problems, and some members here just toss them in a 5 gallon and they breed like roaches.

Ahh, I see now. Sorry, didn't know you were experienced with shrimp. Hmm, this can be argued with but I do think you should lower your PH just a bit as cherry shrimp prefer slightly acidic water. Are they the only inhabitants in the tank? And nothing seems odd about the shape and/or color of the shrimp like anything susceptible to a disease or something. There is definitely something going on with the molting though.

 

With the more acidic water, I can see it working, since most freshwater diseases don't like acidic water it might work out in the long run

 

Try tossing them into the tank next time then. Maybe it'll work!

(Kidding )

 

Ahh, I see now. Sorry, didn't know you were experienced with shrimp. Hmm, this can be argued with but I do think you should lower your PH just a bit as cherry shrimp prefer slightly acidic water. Are they the only inhabitants in the tank? And nothing seems odd about the shape and/or color of the shrimp like anything susceptible to a disease or something. There is definitely something going on with the molting though.

I originally had an active substrate, but it made the water quite acidic. I didn't think I'd have success with neos in water with a pH of around 6.4 so I added crushed coral. It stayed at 7.5, but after 2 months the substrate was exhausted and I got a sudden spike in my water hardness.

I've considered cutting my water with distilled water but then that would lower TDS even further...

The best way I can describe the problem is in this video, when the shrimp molts, imagine the part on the body comes off, but the tail portion of the molt remains on the shrimp:

 

I originally had an active substrate, but it made the water quite acidic. I didn't think I'd have success with neos in water with a pH of around 6.4 so I added crushed coral. It stayed at 7.5, but after 2 months the substrate was exhausted and I got a sudden spike in my water hardness.

I've considered cutting my water with distilled water but then that would lower TDS even further...

The best way I can describe the problem is in this video, when the shrimp molts, imagine the part on the body comes off, but the tail portion of the molt remains on the shrimp:

Typically, people don't really look into TDS. I see it as just another thing to be worried about and stressed about. If I were you I would either replace your water, or buy a 5 gallon tank or something and start up another cherry tank and see how that tank goes . I like the second option better but its up to you. As far as molting and all that I can't be sure as I am no shrimp expert.

 

Typically, people don't really look into TDS. I see it as just another thing to be worried about and stressed about. If I were you I would either replace your water, or buy a 5 gallon tank or something and start up another cherry tank and see how that tank goes . I like the second option better but its up to you. As far as molting and all that I can't be sure as I am no shrimp expert.

What would I replace my water with? I don't have an RO unit, and I've heard store-bought RO and distilled is sketchy.

The current tank is only 2.75, I really don't have room for a larger tank at the moment.

 

What is the tank temperature set at? I was having molting issues too and every darn thing I read about it said lack of or too much calcium or that they needed iodine. Some of my rcs were struggling to come out of their molts. I was doing pwc every week but cut that back to every 2-3 weeks. Deaths slowed but continued. My tank temp was set at 77 I removed the heater so the tank stays 70-75 degrees now. It has been over a month since any losses and babies are doing fine. Knock on wood but I assume the problem was simply molting too often. I don't know if any of this will help but I completely feel your frustration.

Ironically the rcs I put in the 10 gallon community back in October and left there are still alive possibly reproducing at this point too and I have never paid them any special attention.

 

What is the tank temperature set at? I was having molting issues too and every darn thing I read about it said lack of or too much calcium or that they needed iodine. Some of my rcs were struggling to come out of their molts. I was doing pwc every week but cut that back to every 2-3 weeks. Deaths slowed but continued. My tank temp was set at 77 I removed the heater so the tank stays 70-75 degrees now. It has been over a month since any losses and babies are doing fine. Knock on wood but I assume the problem was simply molting too often. I don't know if any of this will help but I completely feel your frustration.

Ironically the rcs I put in the 10 gallon community back in October and left there are still alive possibly reproducing at this point too and I have never paid them any special attention.

Tank has no heater so stays at ambient temp, between 70 and 75.

I can't get my shrimp to breed at all. I have had one berried female in 3 months and looks like she dropped her clutch.

 

I'm tempted to say try to treat the scutellaria (spelling?), read that it can interfere with breeding..? But I dunno I'm still very much a newbie with these guys, wish I had more to offer if you figure it out I'd very much like to know too.

 

What would I replace my water with? I don't have an RO unit, and I've heard store-bought RO and distilled is sketchy.

The current tank is only 2.75, I really don't have room for a larger tank at the moment.

Well, usually people just use tap water with dechlorinator and it does the trick. Not sure why you go the complicated way, IMO, any reason?

 

Your problem is one of diagnostics. You could continue to try to isolate and correct each individual potential issue one at a time, but that could take a long time to yield any result because you have a lot of variables (scut, substrate, pH, hardness). I’d start over, and stay as basic and simple as possible. Gravel substrate and tap water. Find the simplest setup that will sustain the shrimp, and rebuild from there.
That aside, I recently had failed molting in my 2 ghost shrimps after a larger than usual WC. I think ones gone and the other is not far behind it. But 7 Amanos in the same tank are fine. So I sort of hear your frustration.

 

Your problem is one of diagnostics. You could continue to try to isolate and correct each individual potential issue one at a time, but that could take a long time to yield any result because you have a lot of variables (scut, substrate, pH, hardness). I’d start over, and stay as basic and simple as possible. Gravel substrate and tap water. Find the simplest setup that will sustain the shrimp, and rebuild from there.
That aside, I recently had failed molting in my 2 ghost shrimps after a larger than usual WC. I think ones gone and the other is not far behind it. But 7 Amanos in the same tank are fine. So I sort of hear your frustration.

I feel like transferring them over to a completely new setup, with new substrate etc. would only be detrimental. The substrate in this tank is mature, has tons of microorganisms in it, and is also reeeally good for my plants. And, based on cross analysis with different shrimp breeders, my parameters are within the ideal ranges for cherries.

Amanos are notoriously hardy lol...

 

I feel like transferring them over to a completely new setup, with new substrate etc. would only be detrimental. The substrate in this tank is mature, has tons of microorganisms in it, and is also reeeally good for my plants. And, based on cross analysis with different shrimp breeders, my parameters are within the ideal ranges for cherries.

Amanos are notoriously hardy lol...

I hear you on all that, but something’s clearly not right in the tank. Doing nothing is an option, but chances are maintaining the status quo will... maintain the status quo. Ie problems will likely persist.
How many shrimps are we talking about here? And what sort of investment has gone into them (thinking more of your time and effort that $)?

 

I hear you on all that, but something’s clearly not right in the tank. Doing nothing is an option, but chances are maintaining the status quo will... maintain the status quo. Ie problems will likely persist.
How many shrimps are we talking about here? And what sort of investment has gone into them (thinking more of your time and effort that $)?

Used to be around 30 shrimp, probably 20 or less now. I don't even know how much money has gone into this little tank, easily $300...

 

Sorry you're having problems, your parameters seem okay, and the only thing I could think of is maybe the kh? Only because cherries prefer it slightly lower, although they should be fine surviving in it. However, it seems your kh and gh ratio is a little off so maybe you don't have enough magnesium.
GH - Ca:MG Ratio
This has a bit of math (ew math) for figuring out the ratio. Honestly, your parameters should be fine for cherries, but this is the only thing I can think of.... maybe you have special sensitive cherries lol. But I hope you can find out what's not working and it goes well for you.

 

Sorry you're having problems, your parameters seem okay, and the only thing I could think of is maybe the kh? Only because cherries prefer it slightly lower, although they should be fine surviving in it. However, it seems your kh and gh ratio is a little off so maybe you don't have enough magnesium.
GH - Ca:MG Ratio
This has a bit of math (ew math) for figuring out the ratio. Honestly, your parameters should be fine for cherries, but this is the only thing I can think of.... maybe you have special sensitive cherries lol. But I hope you can find out what's not working and it goes well for you.

The survivors of the initial batch of babies that hatched in the tank have all been fine, it's only adult shrimp that I purchased from another source. Seriously considering just ordering some Salty Shrimp GH/KH+ and using remineralized distilled water instead of my tap if it means having optimal conditions. I was hoping to get a crystal red/black tank started up soon but with all the problems I've been getting from cherries I don't know.

 

Have you been getting them from the same source? It may just be a bad batch of shrimp or the parameters might just be really different. If the babies are surviving, it's just really weird the adults are dying. I hope it ends up going well for yuy

 

Have you been getting them from the same source? It may just be a bad batch of shrimp or the parameters might just be really different. If the babies are surviving, it's just really weird the adults are dying. I hope it ends up going well for yuy

One batch was high quality cherries from Aquatic Arts. The other batch was a handful of low quality cherries from a wholesaler like SunPet or Segrest Farms, which I believe is where mI got scutellaria from in the first place.

Today I am seeing whole molts in the tank and no dead shrimp so something must be going right.

Also thinking of rescaping and running CO2 but that may not be a good idea.

 

I don't think c02 will be the best idea. if it goes wrong all your fish will end up dying, well most.

 

CO2 probably isn't needed, I have a fair bit of plants with no CO2 and I've heard horror stories of people accidentally gassing hundreds of shrimp, mostly with diy though.

 

I never liked it, I only used it when there was no fish or creatures in the tank

 

Oh yay that is good news. Maybe it only required a little time for the changes to take affect. I kind of wonder how old the shrimp were when you got them, if they were already adults when you received them, could they have been old at TOD?

Anyways, I hope you will have some berried females pretty soon.