Why my CRS die after 30% water change

[fxbillie]

After trying discus, I recently started to try raise a few shrimps. Bought 2 CRS & 2 CBS (crystal black shrimp) and put them in a 5g. They did great first few days. Then I bought 6 firey red shrimps & put them in the tank too. Do a 30% water change. Then I found the 2 CRS disappeared out of sight and later found to be dead. The 2 CBS and 6 firey red shrimps are all ok. I also have a few tiny baby long fin albino BN pleco there. They are all ok. So I don't think the water is toxic. I have read that CRS does not like water disturbance during water change and some even suggest using dripping to fill back the water after water change to avoid stressing the CRS. Does any one find that CRS can die if you add back water by pouring water directly to the tank? I am puzzled why all the other fish/shrimp are ok but not the CRS. Any suggestions from shrimp pros are appreciated.

[tang daddy]

CRS are sensitive to sudden changes in water params, you'd be better off just topping of the tank then doing wc's. I usually let my water sit for 3-4 days aerated with an air stone and powerhead, also I use declorinator and ph buffer to get the gh up on the new water. Then I use a drip system to top off the water. I have been doing this for all my shrimp tanks and haven't had any major problems with CRS shrimps. Yes it's troublesome, and takes more time than just grabbing water from the tap but that's what I found works....

[waynet]

Hi:
I recently have some success with CRS. I now have about 30 babies.

I do not touch the pH at all. I just use a product (don't want to be biased so I don't name the company here) to get the GH to 5-6.

I have a sponge filter.

do 20-30% water change once a week with aged water and a very little of water conditioner. Let say the instruction says 1 teaspoon per 10 gallon of water. I would use 1/20 teaspoon per 10 gallon of water.

You have to have java moss as well. Add one of two dried peach leaves is good too.

My first couple of attempts at adjusting the pH made my water into a thick glue soup and my CRS did not survive long.

After trying discus, I recently started to try raise a few shrimps. Bought 2 CRS & 2 CBS (crystal black shrimp) and put them in a 5g. They did great first few days. Then I bought 6 firey red shrimps & put them in the tank too. Do a 30% water change. Then I found the 2 CRS disappeared out of sight and later found to be dead. The 2 CBS and 6 firey red shrimps are all ok. I also have a few tiny baby long fin albino BN pleco there. They are all ok. So I don't think the water is toxic. I have read that CRS does not like water disturbance during water change and some even suggest using dripping to fill back the water after water change to avoid stressing the CRS. Does any one find that CRS can die if you add back water by pouring water directly to the tank? I am puzzled why all the other fish/shrimp are ok but not the CRS. Any suggestions from shrimp pros are appreciated.

[cowvin]

5g tank kinda small =[ buy a bigger one XD
after i bought some female crs , my shrimps breeding like crazy XP

[effox]

5g tank kinda small =[ buy a bigger one XD
after i bought some female crs , my shrimps breeding like crazy XP

Agreed, 5 gallons doesn't leave ANY room for error with temperature corrections, water conditioning\buffering during water changes. Personally as Tang Daddy stated, I'd just do water top offs to compensate for evaporation. My brother doesn't do water changes anymore and his shrimp are breeding very well.

Cheers,
Chris

[fxbillie]

Thanks for the helpful comments. You guys are the shrimp pros and know your stuff. Thanks. Just want to clarify on the filtration. I have heard rumours that CRS require high quality water, and so some folks even use cannister filter even for a small shrimp tank. Yet the Richmond outlet which sold me the CRS just use sponge filter and I was told they do wc only once a month about 25%. With some of you mentioning doing the same with sponge filter, and the above post even saying no wc, it makes me wonder what is the real deal about CRS's water filtration requirement. I am happy to just use a sponge filter or even any HOB instead of an expensive cannister. I am now actually moving my shrimps to a 30g instead of the 5g. Thanks for the advice. If any of you wish to sell me some of your CRS surplus babies at a price I can afford, I will love to start CRS all over again.

[waynet]

I changed my water about 20-30% once a week. I might change that you every two weeks after hearing some experts say don't play with your shrimp tank environment so much. If I have all the tools a chemist would have I think I could come up with a list chemical elements/micro organisms that make up the water and publish that. Now I don't, but I know the important thing is the GH.

If your water looks crystal clear then I think the water quality is good for the CRS.

No CRS for sale yet. They are too small.

Thanks for the helpful comments. You guys are the shrimp pros and know your stuff. Thanks. Just want to clarify on the filtration. I have heard rumours that CRS require high quality water, and so some folks even use cannister filter even for a small shrimp tank. Yet the Richmond outlet which sold me the CRS just use sponge filter and I was told they do wc only once a month about 25%. With some of you mentioning doing the same with sponge filter, and the above post even saying no wc, it makes me wonder what is the real deal about CRS's water filtration requirement. I am happy to just use a sponge filter or even any HOB instead of an expensive cannister. I am now actually moving my shrimps to a 30g instead of the 5g. Thanks for the advice. If any of you wish to sell me some of your CRS surplus babies at a price I can afford, I will love to start CRS all over again.

[kmc5]

Just asking what is ur pH, GH? Do u use Ada soil?

I had cherries, but didn't make it. It was strange how they died. Something happened in the process of molting. Hard to describe,
||
( ) <--this is thehead
[. ]

Where they breath, that part of the shell curve outwards. I had pH of 7.7 tho and GH of 5.

Anybody had that problem?

[kirkdgxp]

Hi Bill:

First, you need at least 10 CRS to get going....buy S/S+...don't bother with A or lower

Second, You need ADA soil or Fluvial Stratum Shrimp soil.

Third, PH: 6.2-6.8, GH: 4-6, KH: 1-2

Fourth: Go see Pat at Canadian Aquatics and buy some of his shrimp mineral products Cactus wood and shrimp food. Pat also has nice S/S+ on Sale

Fifth: It will take about 6 months for a good colony to start multiplying in quantity...this is when you can start to separate the grades

Oh, try to use at least a 20-30gal tank for breeding....and don't forget the moss and maybe some Riccia for the surface....ENJOY

Oh and enjoy my new shrimp site:

Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp in Canada | Cherry Shrimp | The Shrimp Farm

This is from my web site:

Fraser Valley Tropicals
One of the most popular shrimp in the hobby is the Crystal Red Shrimp, sometimes called the Red Bee Shrimp. Its coloration and difficulty is what makes this a sought after shrimp for serious breeders and novices alike. Pictures do not do the Crystal Red Shrimp justice. Once you see this species in person you will realize why so many shrimp hobbyists are in love with the Crystal Red Shrimp. Its coloration is unlike any other shrimp in the hobby. I highly recommend that all shrimp hobbyists at some point acquire this species. Please read the parameters and conditions that the Crystal Red Shrimp prefers before you decide to acquire this shrimp. Over time a grading system has developed and some grades of the Crystal Red Shrimp have become very expensive.

The Crystal Red Shrimp is in fact a red mutation of the wild Bee Shrimp. In 1996, Mr. Hisayasu Suzuki of Japan discovered one of his Bee Shrimp had red stripes instead of black. He bred this species with other Bee Shrimp to produce more of the red variety. Slowly other breeders selectively bred the Crystal Red Shrimp to produce different grades and intensify the coloration. However, the Crystal Red Shrimp is not a beginner's shrimp. You must have prior experience with other hobby shrimp in order to step into the realm of the Crystal Red Shrimp. The care and nature of this species requires much more attention to detail, not to mention the expensive price that this shrimp carries. You do not want to make a mistake due to inexperience with the Crystal Red Shrimp and have it cost you a lot of money.

Water Parameters:

The Crystal Red Shrimp prefers soft acidic water. Clean water is also a must as with all shrimp in the hobby. However, the Crystal Red Shrimp may be the most vulnerable shrimp when housed in dirty water. Water changes are a must for this species. Temperature should be lower than 80F and the pH should range from 6.2 to 6.8, gH should be between 4-6 and kH should be between 1-2. It is very important that the Crystal Red Shrimp be housed in specific conditions. Extremes in either water parameters mentioned should be avoided. It cannot be stressed enough how delicate this shrimp is. As you approach higher grades of this species, water parameters become even more important.

Breeding:

The Crystal Red Shrimp is not as difficult of a species to breed like some believe. Like all hobby shrimp, the Crystal Red Shrimp can breed just as readily as most other Caridina species. It will also produce just as many offspring given that the water is clean and the parameters are suited for this species.

The babies of the Crystal Red Shrimp are colored just like their parents just after hatching. However, the grading of the offspring cannot be performed until they grow more. You will see the red/white coloration in the Crystal Red Shrimp Offspring but not any detailed features/patterns which can differentiate between grades.

Unfortunately the Crystal Red Shrimp is a severely inbred species. Obtaining higher grades means that breeders will produce offspring from the same genetic strain. Due to the over-breeding the Crystal Red Shrimp can be more delicate and susceptible to diseases as well as slight changes in water conditions as mentioned in the water parameters section. This is why it is recommended that you gain experience in shrimp keeping first.

Feeding:

The Crystal Red Shrimp is not too different from other algae eating shrimps. It is a scavenger and an algae eater. Feeding is best done once a day. Only feed an amount of food that the shrimp can finish within 2-3 hours maximum. It is not good to feed in excess and have food sitting for too long. Overfeeding is a known cause of death and can also cause water quality issues. Remember that shrimp are scavengers in the wild. They will eat whatever they find and are not used to a constant food source 24/7. Not feeding for one or two days is fine and will not harm this species at all. Sometimes I will not feed for a couple of days in order to let the shrimp cleanse their systems and keep the water clean at the same time.

Hobbyists like to keep this species' sufficient in iodine and nutrition, but at the same time do not to spoil the water since Crystal Red Shrimp are sensitive to nitrate. The foods commonly used are pre-made Crystal Red Shrimp food, spinach, bloodworm, seaweed, and algae wafer. There are several different brands of Crystal Red Shrimp food as well as different sizes of the food and even powder food for young. Shirakura, Mosura, and Biomax are some of the more popular brands. There are also breeders that mix their own food using many different ingredients.

Sexing:

Sexing the Crystal Red Shrimp can be difficult at juvenile stage. Once females reach adulthood you can then tell the difference between sexes, or at least which are females. Females are easy to identify as they are larger and also have a curved underbelly. I do not believe that the difference in coloration is enough to truly sex this species. Instead look for size difference and more importantly the underbelly. The saddle of a female Crystal Red Shrimp may be virtually impossible to see due to the red coloration. You may however be able to see the saddle since it is a browning color.

Grading:

The Crystal Red Shrimp comes in many different grades and grading terminologies as well. Prices increase as the grade is "higher". Sometimes the price of a high grade Crystal Red Shrimp is shocking. Reports of $2500 for a single shrimp have been reported.

[waynet]

Hi:

I don't know if you really need ADA soil or other shrimp soil. I heard people using play sand from Home Depot and the result is good.

I was about to try it but I notice the play sand is not easy to clean.

If I have a spare tank I want to give it a try it one day.