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pleopods and swimmerets are the same thing. The small things they have under the tail that are fanning. They have 10-20 sets (depending on species) under the tail that are used to help the shrimp swim, and for females to carry eggs on.

In addition to the pleopods, shrimp and crabs have 5 prs of legs. The first pr (closest to the front of the shrimp) are normally modified into claws/ pincers, and the other 4 sets are used to walk around on.

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When you say the shop gave you a bag of dirty water, was it just water out of the tank or was it stuff they sucked out of the gravel? Because you don't want crap out of the gravel. Gravel from an established aquarium has good and bad bacteria on it. The bad bacteria comes from the gunk/ sediment in the gravel and that is primarily fish poop.

The best way to transfer filter bacteria from an established tank is either filter materials like sponges, or gravel that has had the gunk sucked out. Then the sponge or gravel (from the established tank) is put in contact with gravel or sponges in the new tank, and the bacteria can quickly spread across the new filter media.

If you have an undergravel filter, then put the bag of gravel from the shop, on the gravel in your tank. Then the bacteria on the shop's gravel can spread onto your gravel. You don't have to spread the shop gravel over yours. Just leave the shop gravel in its bag and rest that bag on your substrate.

If you had a power filter, then you put the bag of shop gravel in the power filter on a sponge so the bacteria can spread to the sponge.

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For optimum survival of any shrimp larvae, you want to reduce predators in the environment (no fish or other species of shrimp in the tank), and lots of food for the adults, and lots of plants for the young to hide in. However, this defeats the purpose of a community aquarium. Your best bet in a community tank is to have lots of plants for the adults and young to hide among. And feed the fish well. Having said that, you need to keep the feeding down until the tank is established. Until then you will have to let nature take its course and if anything survives, that is great, but you might not get anything.

The shrimp eggs hatch during the day or night but the larvae are not released until after dark. This allows the larvae a chance to swim off into the wild blue yonder and there is less chance of predators (mainly fish) eating them.

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Is the yellow shrimp the same species as the red one?
Has the red one been with any others of her kind during the last month (when she moulted)?

Basically shrimp breed immediately after they moult (shed their old skin). This is the only time the males can impregnate the females, while the females shell is soft. If you have only had the one red shrimp for a month or so then it might not have eggs and is simply cleaning herself. However you mentioned she moulted about 3.5 - 4 weeks ago so if there was a male with her at the time, then she probably bred with him.

In most species, male shrimp are normally smaller than females, and females have longer pleopods and the sides of their tail usually come down further to help cover up and protect any eggs they are carrying. Altho these differences are pretty small and hard to see. Other species of shrimp are hermaphrodites and act as receptive females when they moult, and act as males when others moult.
 
The shrimp eggs hatch during the day or night but the larvae are not released until after dark. This allows the larvae a chance to swim off into the wild blue yonder and there is less chance of predators (mainly fish) eating them.

Red Cherry Shrimp have no larval stage. They hatch fully formed.
 
I'm not sure if she still has eggs or not? I don't see any at all, but her demeanor has changed somewhat. Earlier today, she was walking around a bit, and fanning furiously with her Swimmerets, but since this evening, she went and hid under a moss ball, isn't moving from that spot, and is very slowly fanning her Swimmerets.

I know my levels are ok, or at least that's what the API test kit says. Actually, I'm confused, because I never ever saw nitrite or nitrate. Not once. Always had a little ammonia show up by day 2 or 3. Now I've gone 4 days, 0 across the board, no ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate. And now, the tank seems to be developing Brown algae.

From what I've read, Brown algae is lack of oxygen, excess nitrate, or inadequate light? I am positive I have adequate light, as the fluorescent is on 12-16 hours per day. I am pretty sure if I had an EXCESS of nitrate, it would show up in a test right? And lack of oxygen, not sure how that would be possible? I have the powerhead, which circulates pretty hard, although I did point it straight up, for fear the fish may injure themselves. As well as having two bubblers, one is a small stone, and one is a bit bigger, with LED lights, positioned inside the Spongebobs pineapple. But I did also turn off the lights, and bubbles, in Spongebobs house, cuz it seemed like when I did turn the lights on, the shrimp RUSHES out of it, so I figured they liked it for a hiding place.

I need to get a driftwood, as my ph is always 8.0-8.4, but finances are lacking for a couple more days. Maybe if I put in a driftwood, they will have more hiding spots, and I can turn bubbles and led back on for Spongebob pineapple? Anyone have suggestions, or thoughts? Thanks in advance.
 
I need to get a driftwood, as my ph is always 8.0-8.4,
Driftwood wont help much, The only safe way to do it is to use RO water and remineralize it or mix it with your tap water.
Water with that PH is usually very hard this in turn hardens the shrimps shell and makes it very hard for them to molt.
 
My shrimp have all molted multiple times. In fact, one just molted this afternoon. One of the ghosts molted again, second time in a few weeks. My concern is more for the algae, and what could cause it? I know my areas water is extremely hard, and I may have to go purchase osmosis water, if I can find it. I dunno what effect distilled has or if it's ok? We did spring water a few times, but started to get spendy. I'll see if I can attach a pic I just took about a half hour ago, of the shrimp molt.
 
20180320_212537.jpg
 
Brown algae will often grow when an aquarium is newly set up, and it normally sets up shop before green algae. Adding some more live plants, in particular floating plants like Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thallictroides), will reduce the light and algae.

Make sure you buy true aquatic plants and not marsh plants. True aquatic plants are unable to stand up when removed from water. Whereas marsh plants have tougher stems and continue to stand upright when removed from the water. The only exception to this is swordplants and crypts. They are marsh plants that do well when submerged. Swordplants being much better than crypts, which tend to struggle in a lot of tanks.

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Shrimp are nocturnal and do not like light. If your shrimp is living in the spongebob pineapple and you turn the light on and have bubbles in the pineapple, the shrimp will move out because it is no longer dark and has bubbles everywhere.

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If you had nitrates it will show up on the test kit.

If you have an airstone bubbling away and there is no scum/ dirty dusty film on the water surface, there will be plenty of oxygen in the water.

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Reverse Osmosis (r/o) water is similar to distilled water. R/O is water that is forced through membranes to remove minerals and other fine particles in the water. It is then pushed through carbon to remove chemicals. It is meant to be mineral and chemical free after the process.

Distilled water is water that has evaporated from a water body and is allowed to condense and collect in a clean container. Distilled water is pure water and should have no minerals or chemicals in it. Distilled water should have a pH of 7.0

Pure clean rainwater is the same as distilled water.

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Hard water is fine for shrimp. They use the calcium to strengthen their shells. Just before they moult they draw the calcium out of their shell so the shell is soft and then they flex and split the shell before crawling out of fit. Then they drink a heap of water and fill the new shell with the water to make it expand as much as possible. Once it has expanded they pump the calcium back into the new shell and let it harden.

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Driftwood might lower the pH a bit but it's unlikely to make much difference. As suggested by Nick, mix half R/O or half distilled water with your normal water and it will reduce the hardness & pH a bit. If you decide to do this you will have to do it each time you do a water change. Basically get a plastic bucket, half fill it with normal water, add dechlorinator and aerate well. After a couple of minutes add the R/O or distilled water and allow to aerate for 30-60minutes. Then use that water to do the water change.

You don't have to use 1/2 and 1/2. You can use 1/4, 1/3/, 1/2, 3/4 R/O and the rest mains water. Find out what the general and carbonate hardness is in the mains water, and use a percentage of R/O or distilled to reduce it a bit if you need to.

Alternatively just use what you have and don't bother adjusting it. If your fish/ shrimp were bred in local water they will be fine with it.

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If you only have 1 cherry shrimp in the tank and she has been alone for more than a month, she probably won't be carrying eggs now. However, she might be wanting to breed and releasing pheromones to attract a mate. If the has cycled perhaps add a male cherry shrimp and see how they go. If you get a male form a shop, make sure you quarantine it for a couple of weeks before adding to the tank.
 
From what I've read, Brown algae is lack of oxygen, excess nitrate, or inadequate light? I am positive I have adequate light, as the fluorescent is on 12-16 hours per day.
My starting point would be to keep the light on for a shorter period. As a reference I have just turned my lights up to 9 hours a day (was 7) because I felt I wasn't getting enough algae. When you do your water changes wipe the inside of the glass with a sponge, even if there is no visible algae. This sponge should be only for your tank and make sure it doesn't have any chemicals in it. Similarly wipe down the ornaments and tank hardare occasionaly.
 
Thank you guys both for your help, @Colin_T and @seangee I do appreciate it, and I will adjust my aquarium habits to add in these new suggestions.

I watched very closely as my son fed the fish this morning, and think he may have been overfeeding, or maybe my powerhead current is too strong. I ALWAYS watch him feed, but I used a stopwatch this time: first flake of food hit floor at 14 seconds (I believe currents fault) followed by dozens more in the first 45 seconds. The shrimp seem to seek out and grab most these flakes quickly. The fish also chase the food of course, and what they can find, they have gone in under 3 minutes, where nothing is floating on the surface.

The shrimp have all done well, and we added a few more this last Friday, I don't think I mentioned that? I actually got a pic this morning of them all grouped up, other than the orange bee and ghost shrimps I mean, but all except 1 the cherries were together, as I have a total of 4 RCS now. Actually not sure if they are all female or male or what?

I still have 0 readings on all the water tests as well, and still not sure what to make of it as far as cycling? I tried not to add excessive fish, still only have 2. Added shrimp, but gathered they have a low bio load, and hoped maybe a tiny bit more ammonia might kick the cycle up. I don't think they are in any danger, as they all molt well. I may have to remove all the decorations and plants, and thoroughly clean them though, as the brown just keeps getting thicker. I'll see if I can get a picture up of the shrimps.

Thanks again everyone! Your guidance has helped me immensely so far.
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It sounds like you are pretty much doing all the right things. Some food is designed to sink fairly quickly. I actually turn my filters off when feeding - but that's mostly to stop the filters from sucking it up before the fish get to it :). Zero readings are fine and what you would expect when everything is in balance. Some algae is perfectly normal. It will bother you more than it does the fish, so wiping it down is only to keep it under control - you're not actually trying to get rid of it.

if you would like to add more fish I would suggest you're ready for another two. Keep an eye on the water but you shouldn't get more than a blip in the first couple of days. If you suspect your son may be overfeeding don't increase the food when you add fish. I've never kept shrimp and don't know how quickly they feed, but for guppies I would only feed what they can eat in 1 minute.
 
Shrimp are very quick to respond when food is added to their aquarium. Most shrimp will swim upsidedown at the surface and pull food through the meniscus. Try turning the filter off and add a little bit of food and watch the shrimp. They are pretty smart when it comes to gathering food :)

Just make sure you turn the filter back on after you have finished feeding them.
 
Thanks you guys! My shrimp don't usually swim to the surface, except big old El Pedro the giant ghost shrimp. The cherries and orange bee just sort through moss balls.

Oh, and good news! I FINALLY have a small amount of Nitrates! I went from 0 on everything for a week, straight to 0.25 Nitrate, with NO ammonia or nitrite. I assume that means I'm cycled, and as you suggested @seangee that it would be ok to add more fish. Thank you all for your help!
 
By the looks of things the three cherry shrimp in the picture are all female. Only high grade males will have good solid colour and then the easiest way to sex them is size of the shrimp, adult females are generally larger and plumper with wider pleopods (the part of the shell that covers the swimmerets and where the eggs are held) while males have narrower ones since they have no need to protect any eggs. Also on nonberried adult females you can usually see a "saddle" of unlaid eggs ready to be fertilised just behind the head area.
Sorry about the quality of the picture the female wasn't co-operating but you can she her berried eggs attached to her swimmerets as she is hiding under a rock.
berried shrimp.JPG
 

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