Need some advice on shrimp keeping!

[stan]

I've been keeping a 10 gallon cherry shrimp tank for over a year now. It's quite disappointing as I can't seem to have them breeding. I so envious of everyone's tank with all those shrimplets! I hope to some day keep CRS!
And I tried to keep CRS before..but.. they didn't last...

Any advice on water parameter, feeding water change etc would really be appreciated...

Following is my setup:
10G
Florite
Java moss
moss ball
HOB aquaclear filter with a sponge over the intake
10 hours of lighting per day

Shrimps:
8 cherry shrimps (mostly female)
1 tiny amano shrimp (same size as the cherrys)

Water parameter:
Ph 7.8
KH:7
GH:6
NO3:0
NO2:0
Ammonia:0
25-26C

Water change:
I use Seachem dechlorinator, equilibrium, Alkalinity for water change
10-25% water change
bi weekly - monthly (Because the tank not populated at all. some time i don't change water for 1.5 month - tested no ammonia build up)

[effox]

That's odd, your parameters check out fine based on my brother's setup. He just tops off too, doesn't even do WC's often and they are breeding fine.

I really have no advice at this point in time, hopefully someone more educated can lend you a hand as I have nothing.

[stan]

I'm wondering If doing water change is actually doing more harm by causing slight change in water parameters. I tried to adjust the tap water to similar water parameter during water change though.
Btw I'm not sure If I'm under feeding them? I feed them daily, a quarter of a piece of CRS food. 4mmx4mmx2mm.

[Pamelajo]

From what I was told when I got into them a couple years back. If there are any babies in the tank they can get sucked up through the prefilter on the aquaclear. I never saw any berried females, but once I switched to a intake sponge filter started to see some little ones.
This one is from experience two tanks side by side,
same water,
heat about the same
lighting time the same
same food
one had lots of plants the other minimal plants
the one with the plants is breeding like crazy the other numbers seem to be dwindling
so now make sure I have lots of plants in shrimp tanks, floating clippings, guppy grass etc. and now am scooping shrimps out at least once a month to take to the lfs.
When doing water changes use a nylon over the intake, to assure if there is little ones they are not getting sucked up. Now that I have so many I don't use the nylon. Or siphon into a bucket and scoop out the babies.
As for feeding they eat very little so that is probably enough, I would give them some variety though. Throw in left over little pieces of vegetables from supper, beans, peas (shell off), cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potato. If you ever have shrimp or muscles etc throw in a tiny piece.
Hope this helps!

[Tn23]

Stan,

Try lowering the pH a bit and adding some Indian almond leaves(PM/txt me I'll give you some) to help buffer the water.
I noticed mine breed better in lower pH water.

[stan]

I used to put almond leave in my tank. stop using it because of the tann. I actually have several almond leaves sitting around. I think I should start add almond leaves again.!

[Tn23]

The tannins it released was the reason why I stopped using it as well

[Nanokid]

zero NH3 No2 and No3? most tanks have at least a bit of one of those....

[mysticalnet]

I think your pH is a bit too high, try going for closer to 7.

[neven]

wouldn't lowering the amount of alkalinity you add solve the PH? try half as much and in a few water changes your PH should be lowered and your KH will still be in the safe zone (3-4) to prevent PH crashes.