My Rcs Keep Dying After Pwc

I had 6 red cherry shrimp two weeks ago.
Week 1: after PWC 4 died
Week 2: after PWC 2 died

I try to make sure the temp of the PWC is close to the tank temp... but maybe not trying hard enough? Are they ultra sensitive to changes in water temp?

Also, I'm using Aqueon Water Condition, rather than Prime, this is tank. Is that not advisable?

 

Temp swings are hard on RCS, but 2-3 degrees is fine if they're not stressed out.
How were they acting?
What is your water source?

 

How are you checking water temp? By feel won't work. Use a thermometer.

 

you most likely are changing too much water with each change causing your parameters like pH etc to be off from what your tank was at before.

 

I only change 15-25 percent of water in my Rcs tank a week.

Unless acclimated to more I don’t think I’d push that.

Also I would age your water for at least a day if it’s tap to let the ph gas off to hit that consistent number your shrimp need.

 

Can you post the parameters for your tank and your source water? Mine are actually very uncaring about a few degrees in temp difference when I do water changes.

 

Temp swings are hard on RCS, but 2-3 degrees is fine if they're not stressed out.
How were they acting?
What is your water source?

They were acting... well... fine, until they turned white and dead.
My water source is my city's tap water, which I tested and it's fine.

 

How are you checking water temp? By feel won't work. Use a thermometer.

Yeah, been testing by feel. I will use a thermometer now.

 

you most likely are changing too much water with each change causing your parameters like pH etc to be off from what your tank was at before.

I've been doing 50%... would you recommend 25%?

 

How quickly did you add your new water back to your tank? When I do a water change, I drip the water back in as if I was acclimating the shrimp.

 

Can you post the parameters for your tank and your source water? Mine are actually very uncaring about a few degrees in temp difference when I do water changes.

I haven't tested in a few weeks. At that time they were good (Ammonia zero, Nitrite zero, Nitrate 20).
I'll test again soon.
My source water is city tap water and is good (I tested it recently)

 

How quickly did you add your new water back to your tank? When I do a water change, I drip the water back in as if I was acclimating the shrimp.

This is very revealing info! I do it all in one fell swoop: take 50% out and immediately put 50% in as fast as I can (but only due to time restraints). Maybe RCS aren't for me. I currently don't have the time to do the type of PWC you're describing. I could possibly fill a 5 gallon bucket and treat is with conditioner and let it sit for a day... I might try that.

 

My shrimp tank requires over 50% RO water to bring the copper levels down to manageable, I have copper pipes and I'm on a well so strait Tap water will kill my shrimp rather quickly.

 

I've been doing 50%... would you recommend 25%?

yes 50% is too much and that is definitely stressing out and killing your shrimp. there are some really informative vids on YouTube discussing that very issue. 20% would be better in my opinion.

 

I haven't tested in a few weeks. At that time they were good (Ammonia zero, Nitrite zero, Nitrate 20).
I'll test again soon.
My source water is city tap water and is good (I tested it recently)

Could you check the pH between the tap and the tank as well? If there's a drastic difference, that could be the culprit. Also, agreed, there really shouldn't be a need for a 50% water change. If something is different between the tap and the tank, with that big of a water change, that could be the issue. I have personally never done a drip to readd the tank water for my shrimp, and have 3 thriving colonies of neos in different tanks, so you shouldn't need to do it that way.

 

This is very revealing info! I do it all in one fell swoop: take 50% out and immediately put 50% in as fast as I can (but only due to time restraints). Maybe RCS aren't for me. I currently don't have the time to do the type of PWC you're describing. I could possibly fill a 5 gallon bucket and treat is with conditioner and let it sit for a day... I might try that.

I'll tell you how I change my water. I put my new water in an empty 1 gallon water jug. I put the jug somewhere near the aquarium and above the aquarium. Then I put air line tubing in the jug, tie a loose knot in the other end of the tubing, start a siphon, and put the knotted end in the aquarium. I let it drip about 2-3 drips per second and walk away and let it do its thing.

Not only does the temperature stay on an even keel, but any small fluctuations in parameters will even out as well.

 

Dripping to do a water change sure sounds like a safe thing to do, however, I don’t know if it’s really needed IMO.
I do 25% changes every couple weeks and just refill my tank with treated water. That’s it. I am a firm believer in keep it simple.

 

Thankfully 2 shrimp suddenly appeared yesterday. Today there were 4. Hoping after following the advice you guys gave I'll be able to pull this off

 

Ahh the hidden shrimp. They do like to do that, when I had less then 10 I would try and play count the shrimp game. More then 10 forget it could never do it.

Good luck, go slow and easy. you know as a thought unless your Nitrate are high > 40 maybe cut your water change back to 10-15% for awhile. There is no rule that says ya got to do 25%.
I have gone 3 or 4 weeks with out a change as long as my parameters stay good, it’s not a great idea to go that long but a lot depends on your tank.

Just a thought. Good luck to you.

 

When I first got my Amano's there were pretty small.. next cleaning, I found a live one down in my canister filter. Poor fellow must have been traumatized.

 

When I first got my Amano's there were pretty small.. next cleaning, I found a live one down in my canister filter. Poor fellow must have been traumatized.

I swear, Amanos are the cockroaches of the shrimp world. When I got some Amanos last time, one had jumped out of the acclimation container and was dried up beside the aquarium. I thought I'd take a chance and drop it in the aquarium. That rascal lived and is still alive in there.

 

Ahh the hidden shrimp. They do like to do that, when I had less then 10 I would try and play count the shrimp game. More then 10 forget it could never do it.

Good luck, go slow and easy. you know as a thought unless your Nitrate are high > 40 maybe cut your water change back to 10-15% for awhile. There is no rule that says ya got to do 25%.
I have gone 3 or 4 weeks with out a change as long as my parameters stay good, it’s not a great idea to go that long but a lot depends on your tank.

Just a thought. Good luck to you.

I'm going to chime in a bit here, I watch lup deisle on you tube, he is a shrimp guy. he suggests if perameters are on point that water changes shoud only be done every 2 weeks or so. and also only between 15-25 % max each time. unless there is a humongous colony, the shrimp bio-load is miniscule. I keep rcs and only change water when nitRate goes above 40. I have a planted tank so I really only have to change the water once a month, but what works for 1 may not work for the other...

 

Like somebody also mentioned, you might have a copper problem. If you use warm water out of the tap, there might be copper in it if you have copper pipes.I speak from experience since I killed copper sensitive fish by mistake.
I would fill a 5 gal bucket and let it sit and outgas for a day. If you need warmer water,you could heat cold water in a water kettle but don't let it boil. Boild water will change KH.

 

Like somebody also mentioned, you might have a copper problem. If you use warm water out of the tap, there might be copper in it if you have copper pipes.I speak from experience since I killed copper sensitive fish by mistake.
I would fill a 5 gal bucket and let it sit and outgas for a day. If you need warmer water,you could heat cold water in a water kettle but don't let it boil. Boild water will change KH.

this is good information! I was unaware boiled water makes a differane. very interesting