Done a Stupid Thing!!

[julibob]

Ok, Im going to own up to the stupid thing I have done because I need help.

Upgraded hex tank at weekend. Stupidly, stupidly thought that if I put all filter media in filter of new tank, all sand subtrate without rinsing, and all tank water (then to top up with treated fresh) that it would be ok. )

Ok, now tank has gone into mini cycle which I was expecting.

Ph 7.6
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite .25 ppm
Nitrate 5 ppm

Now the problem. All fish seem fine, but my Amano shrimps are not looking good. Their bodies have gone white inside and they are trying to swim, but keep being blown around in the current. I am pretty sure that are going to die.

I cannot change what I have done, but some help would be appreciated.

One Very Ashamed
Julia

 

[jollysue]

Can you put the shimp in the other tank with the betta? Got a friend? I actually know nothing about shrimp. Not much help here.

God bless all creatures great and small, including amano shrimp.

I see, the shrimp(s) are in with the betta already. I don't really suppose they can hang with the cichlids. Can you add some more bacteria from another source? Maybe your lfs. Really not much help. I'm so sorry.

Actually, I'm the ignorant one. I would have thought your tank would be fine. Maybe a little slower adding the new inhabitants.

 

[julibob]

I have lost one shrimp already . I have had them for 2 years. Maybe it was just too much for them! Other 2 shimps wont be too far behind. Have done a 25% water change and will just have to wait and see.

p.s. I honestly thought the change would be fine too. How wrong one can be!

 

[playfulalliecat]

Sure wish I knew how to help you. I guess I must have somehow missed some posts on your tank exchange. I am assuming you went to a larger tank? Did you greatly increase the number of fish you were keeping? The reason I am asking is that I have changed tanks many times using filter media and part of the tank water. Normally, I don't move the substrate unless I just want a change in the looks of the tank. I have never had any problems with a mini-cycle or anything like that. I am curious as to whether there is a greater fish load than the bacteria in the filter and gravel were able to handle.

 

[julibob]

Hi, I went from a 21 Ltr to a 40 Ltr tank. Moved over substrate, filter media and water then just topped up! The other fish seem fine, but I have now lost all shrimps

Julia

 

[rdd1952]

Sorry to hear about your loss. I really love my shrimp. Is the 40 ltr a new tank or used? If used, do you know what was in it before you got it? Some items can be absorbed by the silicone and stay in a tank forever. I think iodine will kill shrimp. I believe I read a thread a while back saying that if a tank had at any time had iodine in it that you wouldn't ever be able to put inverts in it.

 

[julibob]

It is a brand new tank and we thoroughly washed it out before starting! The reason I upgraded was to give my cories more room at the bottom of the tank. I'm beginning to wish I had left well alone now as they were all perfectly happy and my water peramaters were fine.

Julia

 

[rdd1952]

I don't know what may have caused it then. I haven't done the research to fine out but I would think 2 years is pretty old for shrimp.

 

[jollysue]

There is an invert forum which you probably know, but maybe you can get some answers there.

I'm so sorry no one could help you and you lost all three. There is such an ache when we feel the responsibility for the care of a pet or any other living thing and lose the battle. Life is always precious and a gift to care for.

Bless you!

 

[Ava_Banana]

Where did you put the inhabitants while you did the change..........could you have put them in some "untreated" water? (silly question I know, but worth asking).

Could there have been a problem with the temperature of the water during the "change".

Did you store the water anywhere during the change, or did you move it straight over.

Did you treat the extra 20 litres of water that you put in correctly?

Sorry to ask all these questions, and sorry for your loss.

 

[julibob]

Ok here goes!

Checked water parameters of old tank before changeover:
Ph 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 5
Temp 77 f

Emptied water into my water change buckets (they are only ever used for that) which were sluiced with boiling water beforehand. Put heater and thermometer in the bucket, and when safe then the fish. Emptied the rest of the water from tank into the remaining bucket with all the plants.

Put the sand into the new tank with the plants and the water. Added fresh conditioned water (Aquatan, ammovec, nitrivec) to the new tank. Put the heater and thermometer back in to check temp, and put the rest of the old tank water and the fishes / shrimps in.

Both tanks have similar in-hood filtration with bio balls, so I added my bio balls and sponge media from the old tank into the new filter. (I did not wash them first, just put them in so as not to kill any of the bacteria).

Cant think of anything else really. I have removed them all in this way before, when I changed the substrate from gravel to sand and they were all fine.

Julia

 

[Ava_Banana]

You seem to have thought of everything......so I can't really think of what it could have been.


.....Unless when you stirred up all the sand you released lots of chemical pockets which had formed. I know that I have patches that grow in the sand (dark patches) which I try to get rid of when I can. Could it be that you "unearthed" some poor water?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

all i know is that whenever i add feeder ghost shrimp to my tanks, the little ones almost always "make it" but any particularly large ones die almost immediately. perhaps an acclimation issue?