Shrimp Dying :(

[tunagirll]

10 cherry shrimp arrived yesterday looking in good health, today I lost one.
 
They arrived with a small ferny plant piece and water pH 6.4
Our rainwater is 7.4 so I drip acclimated them for a good 6 hours last night. The water I used was rainwater that had conditioner added and warmed to 26 degrees C. Once this was done they were in about a litre of water and I set the container into the warmed water bucket for the night. I gave them a nibble of shrimp food for a couple of hours before removing it. There was also a couple of shrimp fry cruising around in the water.
 
This morning I did a partial change with the conditioned and warmed water from the bucket. I had to do it over the sink so there was a bit of carrying/jostling. Since then I lost one shrimp along with the fry. I removed it and emptied the container into the water bucket so they are sitting in 5 litres instead of just 1. The water is pH 7.4 and no ammonia. Three of them are hanging near the top of the bucket. They have no filter in the bucket, so I'm wondering if I should put in an airstone?
 
Any advice would be welcome.

 

[tunagirll]

Just an update: a second test showed ammonia 0.25ppm so I did a second 50% water change at lunchtime and another one in the evening. They still looked depressed so I did some manual aeration and a little chemical aeration with hydrogen peroxide, which perked them up straight away. I'll check their ammonia tonight before I go to bed. One of the remaining shrimp has been on its side for the better part of the day and is back upright so hopefully we won't lose any more!

 

[Baccus]

Any time that shrimp are hanging near the surface of the water or worse trying to jump or climb out, alarm bells should ring.
With no filtration keep a very close eye on ammonia levels in the water (live plants can help with this provided their is light for the plant to [SIZE=medium]photosynthesis[/SIZE] ).
 
An airstone is also advisable, with warmer water the water actually carries less oxygen and with no filtration there will be no surface movement to help with air transfer at even the surface of the water.
 
As soon as possible I would get your shrimp into a heated and filtered tank, then pH adjustments can be more readily and easily made. Although cherry shrimp are quite forgiving on pH as long as they get accustomed to it.

 

[tunagirll]

I've pulled the filter out of the main tank and popped it into the bucket for the night, will go get a second filter at the shops tomorrow when they open.
 
Right now they are sitting in about 5 litres, pH 7.4, 26 degrees C, ammonia 0 and the filter working along with the heater. It's as much as I can do, hopefully enough!
They look pretty settled and are now sitting lower in the bucket/on the floor with the occasional wander.

 

[Baccus]

If the shrimp are starting to roam about the bucket and move away from the immediate surface then I would say the worst of what ever was ailing them is over, either the lack of oxygen or ammonia.
 
Best of luck with them, shrimp are great and addictive creatures to keep in aquariums.

 

[tunagirll]

Thanks, my partner is already amused by the amount of time I've spent fussing over them
 
This morning they are all on the bottom of the bucket, one has shed its pyjamas and the one that was off yesterday looks on his way out (but not quite yet). They've had their water change and the ammonia is 0, and they're eating this morning. Thanks for the help!

 

[tunagirll]

Well after a few hiccups I am down to 6 shrimp. What a learning curve! I got caught out with nitrites which I didn't even think about, because I was doing 80% water changes every couple of days. The bucket is trying to cycle! I had a nitrite reading of 0.5ppm on Saturday, did a 90% water change, and another 0.5ppm today and another 90% water change. Now showing 0 nitrite and less than 0.25 ammonia.
 
The main tank can't finish cycling fast enough.

 

[Ch4rlie]

The main tank can't finish cycling fast enough.

 
Think you will find everyone will agree with this! 

 

 

[tunagirll]

I know I sure do! Checking the water twice a day and daily water changes, the dance to mix cold water and hot out of the kettle with the thermometer to match the temperature in the bucket, remembering to add dechlor etc etc, crikey high maintenance! And I still lost nearly half of them despite it all.

 

[Ch4rlie]

I'm in process of cycling a second tank, a BioOrb Flow 15 litre, and thats going to be just for shrimps! 

 
Has been just under 2 weeks of cycling, nearly there though. I used mature bio media from my main tank, that speeds things up a lot but still not quick enough to my liking! 

 
So I know the feeling you have right now about that cycling process!
 
Am just too impatient methinks! lol 

 

[tunagirll]

I'm just on 12 days into my cycle, just waiting for the nitrite to go down now. I did put the temp up in the tank and made it very bacteria friendly So hopefully that is speeding things up, sadly no joy getting hold of some media for mine, so you will probably get into yours well before I do!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Thats the way it goes, when you have another tank (if you get MTS!), you could use the media from your current cycling tank when its cycled to put in a new tank and that will help speed things up a lot.

 
But lets hope your current situation settles down and lose no more shrimps.
Just gotta keep doing these water changes and keep an eye on your water parameters.
Good luck with that BTW.
 
Any chance you could put a photo up of your set up so far? 

Sounds good, the 'ferny' plant sounds interesting, I'd like to see that and your shrimps as well of course. 

 

[fm1978]

Cherry shrimp are VERY good in the sense that they will tolerate quite a high range of temps, pH and TDS. What they REALLY don't like is a non-cycled tank!
 
I think this may have been your mistake and ultimately the reason your shrimp couldn't adjust. They would have (presumably) come from a source where the tanks were already mature and being moved to a tank with ammonia and nitrites just didn't suit some of them.
 
If you keep cycling diligently then you might not suffer any more losses but I wouldn't advise adding anymore while the cycle is in process! When it's totally finished you can get loads of them 'cause they're brilliant wee creatures!

 

[frothhelmet]

Amazon frogbit with a little light will sort the Nitrogenous wastes pronto!

 

[tunagirll]

Thanks for the feedback Sadly lost another one overnight - I think fallout from the nitrite spike on the weekend. Currently ammonia 0.25 and nitrite 0.
They aren't in the proper tank, that's in the middle of a fishless cycle. They're in a temporary tank, well a bucket actually! They are in around 6 litres of water with a heater and filter going.Their tank has the same parameters as the one they will move to once the cycle is done, so the only adapting they will need to do hopefully will be to adjust to the plant ferts. Fingers crossed.