Ro Water Change For Amanos

Water super hard, awaiting kh and gh test kit. (See my thread about help Amano shrimp, copper water pipes) they hid on HOB two days, acted normal 1 day, and ate, now back on HOB for past two days. I'm thinking of using RO water to do 10% water change in 30 gal tank. Will this help or hurt them?

 

How do you know your water is super hard without testing? Please put portion of pertinent information why in this thread.

 

My strips say it is, but I'm waiting on the specific gh and kh test, water is 8.0-8.2 and near hardest setting on strips. I have API master test, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrates, and slightest trace of nitrates if any. We also live in a known to be hard hard water area. Everyone has water softeners, though our well is not as hard as where we used to live and we do not have a softener. I was going to put RO water that we buy to drink in at 2 gallons with 1 gallon of tap. That will be 10% water change. Tank is fully planted, plants are fine but I have nothing difficult to grow. I have 8 Pristella Tetras, could they be messing with them at night? Ive not seen them show interest except when amanos were eating some brine shrimp. But they didnt pick at them, just got very close...

 

10% change with only RO will reduce that gh if it's at the top of the scale likely is good to do. It would decrease GH by that same factor (10%).

 

Hi!
Thanks for your message, I'm sorry that your Amanos have gone back to their huddling again. It does seem as if something isn't quite right for them and I've been thinking of possible causes.

Firstly, as you've said, your water is pretty hard. I live in London and knew we had hard water long before I kept shrimps and ever saw a test kit so fully understand what you mean by knowing that!
I think that diluting it with RO water, just by small amounts as you said, will be a good idea (and you know now not to do anything suddenly with shrimps!) Add the new water slowly to the tank and perhaps repeat after a couple of days to dilute it further. I actually use supermarket bottled water mixed with tap for my shrimps (although I'm actually setting up my new RO unit today) so to me mixing tap/'drinking' water is normal-just go slowly and I think it really could help.

The next thing that occurred to me, looking back at your previous post, is that your temperature could be a little bit high for them-when my heater went crazy a while back and heated the water to over 80 before I noticed, mine were crowded in one corner of the tank, the furthest away from the heater! Maybe that spot by the HOB is the coolest in the tank. Would you be able to turn it down a degree or so?

Re your thoughts on the fish, I'm really sorry but don't know if they would be troubling them, I'm sure there'll be someone else that will know if they're compatible so I'll stay away from that!

And finally, I saw in your first post that you use a couple of fertiliser products, I wonder if these might be upsetting them. Again though, I can't pretend to know about this but I'm sure someone will be able to tell you if they're fine with shrimps or not.

Actually, one final thing, could you post a pic of your tank, just in case anything else occurs to me on seeing it.

But for now, I hope that my thoughts on the water and temp will be useful, they're both based on my personal experience and could help in your case too. Like I said though, go slowly with the changes and please feel free to ask anything else as it occurs to you, I'll try to help as much as I can.
Emma

 

 

Thanks much for helpful suggestions, I don't have heater turned on enough to heat water. Its very hot here in August, my a/c is on 78, so with lights I guess it hovers around 79 degrees most time, until weather cools off, I would prefer it at 77, and it will get there soon. I only use ferts sparingly and they are shrimp approved. The Seachem Flourish and Root Tabs same brand are all I use. The RO water addition seemed to perk them up quite a lot. I found that they were coming down and eating, and would then return to HOB. It was their safe haven so to speak. This morning one of my Anubias I had stuffed in the barrel decor, had floated up to HoB in night, I guess it scared them. I couldnt find them anywhere, and my husband had just vacuumed carpet. So I searched inside HOB and everywhere, but then when I picked up barrels they've found a new hideout! I think they may have been eating biofilm on HOB as well. So hopefully all is well. Thanks again Emma! Elizabeth

 

HI Elizabeth, I'm so glad that they're (finally!) settling in.
It really just seems to be a combination of things making them a bit out of sorts. I'd definitely say that the temp is a bit on the high side, but, just like our recent heatwave here, there's nothing that you can do but wait til it gets a bit cooler, they'll definitely be more active then.
Your tank is really nice, much bigger than mine, but I'd suggest, if you can, to get a couple more 'bushy' type plants like a cryptocoryne for example, they probably feel quite vulnerable, which will most definitely lead to them hiding away, as you've discovered, (although it's nice to hear that they're starting to get bolder!)
I've taken a quick pic of my tank, sorry it's a complete mess atm, but just to show you an idea for a bit more cover, maybe you could create a little 'overgrown' corner while still leaving the majority of the tank open for the fish?
You can see one of my berried females at the front of the tank having a roam around, although, as you probably know, the eggs won't develop, when one of your girls gets pregnant, you'll know that you've got everything right for them!
Good luck and have fun with them, once they start to show their true characters, they really are lovely shrimp!
Emma

 

Thanks Emma! I love your tank, and I did wonder about that what with all my plants being "stemmy". I found plants at the river near my home, wonder if you can identify? Look like aqua plants ive seen, maybe one is anarcharis? I'm going to post thread in aqya plants but will shoot pics here too. Thanks again!

 

HI again Elizabeth,
I definitely recognise that plant but am not going to pretend to be able to identify it, so many people here are such experts on plants though, that they'll have it identified in seconds!
Did you see that there's a specific Plant ID bit? It's a general 'what is this/is this a...?' v helpful place to go!

I think that you'll definitely notice more natural behaviour if the shrimp have, almost like, their own little corner of the tank to rummage about in.

I've been cleaning out my tanks today and am posting a picture of it all looking fresh and new now!

Anyhow, good luck with the plant ID and please let me know if there's anything else that I may be able to help with.
Emma

 

Are those Marimo moss balls? Thanks, it looks great!

 

Are those Marimo moss balls? Thanks, it looks great!

Hi!
Yes, they are indeed marimo moss balls. I've had them quite a while and they've grown a fair bit bigger since I got them. Shrimp really love them, so it might be worth getting a couple for your 'Shrimp Corner'.
The other thing that they really like are Indian Almond leaves. They (v slowly) break down in the tank and the shrimp munch on them all day long. You can see a couple by the Cholla wood in my tank. Cholla wood! That's something that they love too, they're always on it-and the smaller ones can get in it (the females try to, but they're too big!)

All these bits are pretty cheap to buy online and, I think would make nice additions to your tank without costing a fortune!

How are they getting on by the way?

 

The smallest one never comes out in daytime, was back on HOB yesterday afternoon and evening, but gone his morning. I assume all 3 gorged last night on some sera o nip tab that dropped to bottom after fish pigged out, as the larger two were munching on it right after it was put in tank..and dropped to bottom. These nips stick to side of tank glass and slowly dissove letting quality food trickle out while fish stay in a wad close by waiting. A few brave tetras would pick at it occasionally though. The shrimp loved it too. I posted all water parameters in a new post, "amano shrimp water hardness", I think my water is a big culprit to them. But I will keep adding RO water to gradually get it in line. I will definitely buy Marimo moss balls and cholla wood, have been eyeing them for a bit anyway. And will check into almond leaves, I had read some in forum about them but didnt understand they eat them. Thanks for that info. Nobody has answered my latest thread, I'm pretty sure based on my research, the water parameters I list there are way out of line for their needs. Thanks again and good day to you!