RCS Issues

[Tarobot]

I have a 5g redcherryshrimp tank with java moss, 2x marimo, white sand from IPU with a HOB slim filter with a sponge over it. there is no carbon filter media pad. the tank has been on for about 3months, i changed substrate from light grave to sand about a month ago. ph is 7 nitrate 0 i dont have KH or GH tester. the issue is that whenever the RCS gets big, about 0.7inch they seem to just die off. there were three that were berried but died before they dropped. i'm not exactly sure what the problem is but i'm assuming there's not enough calcium so that as the shrimps get old they lose the ability to molt and die? all the smaller ones seem really active but the bigger ones seem to die off one by one once a week. just hoping someone could maybe point out possible issues. i'm planning to buy some crushed coral and add them to the filter at the end of the week. thanks in advance.

[djamm]

having similar experience....

I have only lost 3 so far...they all look mature and colourful. Not sure whats going on. The water always test out good...

Cheers

[effox]

Buy a GH\KH test kit, it could be your water buffering. Before I changed to ADA soil I experienced the same issues from the inert gravel (no buffering capabilities). They're probably not able to molt properly and are dying as a result.

[Tarobot]

i see. i was wondering that, thinking about setting up another tank with ecocomplete and hopefully theyll survive until that's cycled.

[effox]

I'd stick with ADA Soil or florabase, I've had great success in both.

Right now I have 6 cherries in my 10 gallon, and haven't done a water change in 6 months, they're just living off of algae in the tank without any issues, and are still (inter) breeding.

[Diztrbd1]

I've got black onyx sand in mine now and had the same problem at one time, but since I added the crushed coral to the filter I've noticed major improvements in color & no deaths at all. Plus I finally seen my biggest molt for the first time. I don't hardly do any water changes , if any , either or hardly even test the water and everything has been fine. I do add some akalinity booster to my water to be added since the KH/GH is 0 from the tap. J&L carries a GH/KH combo test kit for $6.95 if your in need of one . Here's the link API GH/KH Freshwater Test Kit

[Dosan]

I have had the same problem too, not seeing many molts. and a death every couple of days. I have a lightly planted 40 gal with regular gravel with some java and flame moss. What are the best parameters for the RCS in terms of GH/KH/PH water temp and so forth. Could you also explain why the crushed coral in the filter, many thanks. I don't want to hurt any more shrimpies. Also, has anyone ever had shrimp food decay and look like a cloud of tiny bubbles on the gravel floor only after a day. Am I feeding too much. Sorry for the hijack

[effox]

Dosan, PH is debatable, they breed in a wide range of PH levels. KH keeps your PH level constant\prevents swings.

Your GH should be at least 4 or 5 I think, so you should be adding buffer additives. Crushed coral does this as well, adding calcium. Buffers will have both Ca and Mg though.

You need to pull out any food they don't eat as it will grow fungus on it which pollutes your tank with the decay.

[wsl]

As effox has said, RCS can adapt to a wide range of pH, as long as it's not too far from neutral. What's more important is that the pH be kept constant. And yes, it does sound like you're feeding a bit too much dosan.

[lamyfung]

Happened to me before.. my RCS wiped out. it was because my tap water has GH value of 0-1 which made almost every molt deadly to the shrimps. I agree with everybody else that you should get GH test kit and i use Nutrafin African cichlid conditioner to increase GH. I think Fluval has a new shrimp mineral suppplement that adjust GH without changing pH but i suspect it's exactly the same as the African cichlid conditioner