# Ghost shrimps



## Qwertus (Oct 14, 2008)

My tank starting to have a weird problem where ghost shrimps turn milky white and then die a few days later.

The tank is 10 gal and was set up about half a year ago. I haven't add anything new recently. Anyone have a solution or know that cause of this ?


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## shakiraa (Oct 10, 2009)

i have this millky white prob a couple of weeks ago. believe due to contaminated by toxic material. the shrimp sort of hardened also rite?


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## Qwertus (Oct 14, 2008)

I'm not sure, I just fed it to my bichir if it turns white not sure how to prevent them from turning milky though.


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## snooze (Apr 10, 2008)

The only time I have purchased ghost shrimp, this happened to me also. A dozen ghost shrimp died within a week or so. I haven't purchased any since... My tank is an NPT, though.


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## Qwertus (Oct 14, 2008)

I have been breeding them for a long time in that same tank but this happen sorta suddenly. I can understand it if it happens to shrimps that have just been added, might be due to shock, but these shrimps have been there since they were born.


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

Ever think maybe they got old and die? I had some I bought them when they were pretty small. About 18 months later one by one they all died I assumed they were just old.


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## Qwertus (Oct 14, 2008)

Some of the shrimps died as juvies too and most of the adults are no older than 6 months.


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

Well assumeing that you already checked your water quality... IDK! 

Did you change thier food? Where do you get your water for their tank? Did you use a diffent water source?


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## Qwertus (Oct 14, 2008)

The weird thing is tmy jap pond snails are breeding like rabbits. I see new babies every 1-2 days. I have 6 adults in the 10 gal atm.


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## giypsy (Oct 6, 2009)

I've had the milky white shrimp die off as well, recently.
These are my observations and a question;

I get my "ghost shrimp" from my LBBPS @ 0.33 a piece, so I buy
whatever we can catch, usually 8-10 at a time. One or two die immediately,
from relocation. After the first major wc, I loose one or two.
Currently my stock of two older survivors, one adult and one juvie,
and a purchase of eight mixed age are down to five or six
in a newly re-scaped tank.

I read another experienced shrimper's thoughts with Flourish tabs
being the suspected culprit. It dawned on me that I had split a 
tab for this re-scape as it is a grow out and the plants
are all babies. Plenty of established bacteria, one placid male b. splendens
as a tank mate. I enjoy my shrimp much more than my fish, however until
I can get their shrimparium to where they like it, I will not purchase
the Neocardinia I really want.

10g, Aqueon filter teeming with bacteria, 1/2" well mulmed Fluorite under
natural color gravel, 
NH(3)= 0ppm
NO(2) = 0ppm
NO(3) = 0ppm
GH = 10-9
KH = 5
ph = 7.6 out of the tap, 8 within 48hrs.
temp = 77.f

My concern with both my 10s is that ph. DIY CO(2) does not put a dent in it, nor does
the brand-new tap-water filter. Our city fluoridates the water, no way to filter it out
with the current equipment.
Q: other than the probable mistake I made by adding one tab per a 10g, does anyone have
any experience with fluoridated water or further thoughts on how to correct the problem?


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

Qwertus said:


> The weird thing is tmy jap pond snails are breeding like rabbits. I see new babies every 1-2 days. I have 6 adults in the 10 gal atm.


live bearing snails are usually prolific. this is why most people detest MTS's ability to take over a tank.


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## giypsy (Oct 6, 2009)

Qwertus said:


> My tank starting to have a weird problem where ghost shrimps turn milky white and then die a few days later. The tank is 10 gal and was set up about half a year ago. I haven't add anything new recently. Anyone have a solution or know that cause of this ?


I just came back from the a different LBBPS than I normally visit.
I purchased 4 glass/ghosts to bring my stock back up to 10-12 
{cannot get a def count re: current}
The newbies are in their bag, hanging on the shrimparium.

No water has been added to the bag, ph=7.8, my tank=8
They were brought home in an insulated stadium cooler, so minimal temp issue.
Total trip time: 1 hr.
They are now milky and were not @ store tank.
I plan to feed them and leave them in that bag w/drip acclimation over 24hrs.

Here is my best guess as to milkiness: stress.
If I can find confirmation of that guess, I'll post it here.
Good luck, everyone else.


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

Stress is likely. Considering ghost shrimp need cold water, a tropical community tank is not a good choice for them. Try cherry shrimp or another warmer water species.


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## Qwertus (Oct 14, 2008)

72F isn't tropical its almost the same temp that gold fish and Kois live in. That tank was untouched for a logn while other than regular maintenance. The shrimps that turned milky were at least the second generation since I introduce them into that tank. Still got no idea what causes it. Could it be fail molting?


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## wicca27 (Oct 13, 2008)

That is possible. I belive it is stress as mine did the same thing. What kind of water do you have? City,rual, well water? If city they could have put more chemicals in due to plant mantinace, rual and well water can have things leach into it.


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## giypsy (Oct 6, 2009)

Six said:


> Stress is likely. Considering ghost shrimp need cold water, a tropical community tank is not a good choice for them. Try cherry shrimp or another warmer water species.


Yep, you are correct in noting the higher temp. The temp was temporary as this
particular tank is a newly re-purposed grow-out as well. Lowering
the temp a degree every 3-5 days. 
Glad to report, all four newbies busily hunting food and 
the addition of an AquaClear upgrade from up to 20 to an up to 30g
perked everyone up and got them popping up into the column for a swim.
New AC-30 has a quick & dirty puff of fiber over the intake and is set
to the lowest flow. 
Some opacity was observed when the bag was hung over the side of
the shrimparium from the trip, it cleared within 3hrs before drip acclimation
commenced.

Now I must echo Qwertus again; 
Where the-sam-hill did all the pond snails come from?
Not from the new shrimp to be sure. A lily bulb that decided to bloom or
a Giant Hairgrass I picked up a week or two ago, seems likely.
No wonder I cannot find the MTS in this tank!


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