# My cherry shrimp just die. help.



## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Hi everyone! My cherry shrimp just all of a sudden die. I don't know the cause. I just find a white/clear exoskeleton at the bottom of the tank(or is this a shedding). there is plenty of algae, good filtration, ph: 6-7, Co2: 25-30ppm, dosing flourish excel x2, fertz: pfertz P, M, N, + K. 3+ deaths for sure.

Help.

Thanks! 

-kakkoii


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## Markalot (Feb 14, 2007)

How many Cherry shrimp to you have? Finding old skins/shells around is normal, that's how they grow.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

I realize that, but some keep on dying(upside down pink thins at the bottom).

I think I have 10.


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## Danielle (Jan 26, 2008)

Whats your ammonia and nitrites? You might cut down the excel dosing to the standard dose too.

How long had you been doing the 2x dose and the pfertz before they started dying?


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Not sure about ammonia and nitrites, but they are extremely low.I have been dosing pfertz from the start and dosing excel <x2 off and on for a month.


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## Markalot (Feb 14, 2007)

kakkoii said:


> Not sure about ammonia and nitrites, but they are extremely low.I have been dosing pfertz from the start and dosing excel <x2 off and on for a month.


That's not a good answer and indicates you might not understand the nitrogen cycle. Small amounts of ammonia or nitrite can kill quickly. A cycled tank has bacteria, usually in the filter, that eats ammonia and turns it into nitrIte and a second bacteria that eats nitrIte and turns it into nitrAte.

You can detoxify the Ammonia and NitrIte by using Seachem Prime and dosing according to the directions on the bottle. You should also be doing 50% water changes whenever ammonia or nitrIte get above .25 or .5 at the worst. You may be doing water changes every day or every other day for a while.

Hopefully I misunderstood.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

You are in luck. You did misunderstand.

Because the tank is completely cycled(running for 3+ months), I do understand the nitrogen cycle, and the last time I checked my ammonia and nitrite they were fine. I think I will cut back on flourish excel?  I think their deaths were caused by high CO2(35ppm+)

Sorry if this was offensive. I hate it when people make assumptions.

anyone else?


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## Markalot (Feb 14, 2007)

> Sorry if this was offensive. I hate it when people make assumptions.


How can people avoid assumptions when you provide limited information? I for one will not try and help you in the future. I will gently remind you that you have NOT tested for ammonia and nitrIte, regardless of how much you know, and you are guessing what might be wrong. I don't think you needed anyones help to hazard a guess.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

I tested ammonia and nitrite and it was around 0.
And just to let you know people come on here to find answers not guesses. I am sure many hobbyists come on here with an explanation that may be true or false, But they need someone with greater experience to help them. I am truly sorry that I had limited information. I *apologize* for the argument, but you have no Idea what position I am in right now.

Lets forget about this, Ok?


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## Markalot (Feb 14, 2007)

> I tested ammonia and nitrite and it was around 0.


Without trying to be offensive, honest not mad here, around 0 isn't good enough. Maybe this isn't a problem but ammonia and nitrItes must be 0. Test tubes with reagents, the only accurate way to test.

Sometimes biofilters crash, maybe something accidently got into the tank, maybe the tank was without a source of ammonia for 2 or 3 days (which would kill the bacteria), maybe something else. All I'm saying is don't assume (sorry  ) something is not a problem.



> Hi everyone! My cherry shrimp just all of a sudden die. I don't know the cause. I just find a white/clear exoskeleton at the bottom of the tank(or is this a shedding). there is plenty of algae, good filtration, ph: 6-7, Co2: 25-30ppm, dosing flourish excel x2, fertz: pfertz P, M, N, + K. 3+ deaths for sure.


I don't know what else is in the tank, if the tank has been stocked the entire time, what the bioload is.

You say you have 10 shrimp and the tank has been set up for 3 months. You should have 20+ shrimp in there by now. Are there any fish in this tank? Has the tank had fish or shrimp in it the entire time?


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

OK. I did test with a test kit. the tank was running for 2 months with no shrimp and 1 month with shrimp. there has been no fish in here except for on CAE.

there are no fish in the tank.


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## Markalot (Feb 14, 2007)

I apologize for my insistence on this point, I'm not trying to assume or condescend, but it seems to be something widely misunderstood. The bacteria responsible for consuming ammonia and nitrIte need a constant source of food. Without a source of ammonia (food) they will usually die within 48 hours and you will need to cycle the tank again. With just shrimp in the tank the bioload is very low, so you may have ammonia issues building slowly.

You might also be correct about the co2 levels, and if this tank is heavily planted then any ammonia produced might be consumed by the plants. Hard to tell, just trying to help. Aquarium cycling and keeping hundreds of cherry shrimp I have experience with, injecting co2 (non DIY) is something new to me.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Thank you very much! If what you are saying is the case then I will test my ammonia one more time to see if it is adequate. If not I with add a fish or two.

Thanks.

-kakkoii


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## go9ma123 (Dec 22, 2007)

Did you say all of your shrimps died? Well... tell the truth, I don't think you should be using any liquid after cycle period is over... You can give small amount every month. That is how I keep my shrimp tank. Also, did you have any smoke or some sort of spary. (spary as mean like hair spary, bug spary, ect...) Even though you are not using front of the tank and using them close enough to let air travel to your tank can cause all your shrimps to die. I had few great shrimp keepers notify me on these and I also had experience with my shrimp death like that. Also, if you do have lots of co2 on, that will also cause your shrimp to die as well. But, not likely shrimps will die with co2. Any ways, if you test out your water and result was good, maybe you need to think and what is causing the problem... Shrimps are very sensitive. Hope you find the problems and wish you the best luck!


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## insomniaclush (Jan 14, 2008)

Quick question on this 
What type of algae do U have in this tank? cherrys and like others only eat specific forms of algae so thats something to look at. I have some cherrys along w/ many others and found using Iodine in small doeses works for the better along w/ aquarium salt...


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## KrispyKreme (Jan 28, 2007)

I had problems with my cherry shrimp when I was using softened water (I use potassium not salt in my softener). Are you using softened water?


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Actually my water is fairly soft already. I have a whole bunch of different kinds of algae: GSA, BA, GBA, etc.


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