crystal red shrimp issue's

[Herrwibi]

Hi all,

For a while now i've been having issue's with my crystal reds dying off. Water parameters seem ok. I use RO Water and qual drop gh + lc.

TDS - 107
gH - 6
kH- 0/1

Not sure what's going on, had the tank running for almost two years now, last year was a success and managed to breed a few crystals but this year there has been nothing. Soil was changed around 4 months ago. I've had a few shrimp that seem to have a failed most and got stuck but some have been successful. They were adults so not sure if it was an age thing . I've seen several berried but no shrimplets. On the other hand i have a bee/mischling tank and they are booming. gH -7 and TDS around 120-125. The only thing that confuses me is the gH being so high aginst the low TDS reading. I fear that my crystals are going to die off and unable to breed for another generation. Any idea's or tips? They do seem lethargic and not interested in food.

Thanks.

 

[MichaelJ]

The only thing that confuses me is the gH being so high aginst the low TDS reading

Could be something leaching out of your soil? When you changed the soil did you do a complete clean up of the tank?

I keep Cherries, Crystal/Bee and recently added Tiger shrimps. Currently my shrimp tank GH is ~5.5, KH ~0.5. pH 6.3. TDS ~100 ppm. (mostly in the 95-105 ppm range) - RO water remineralized to ~25 ppm of Ca and ~8 ppm of Mg - leaving plenty of headroom for fertilizers (low-tech). Water temp around 22 C. I keep my water well oxygenated, and keep the shrimps on a varied diet of protein sticks, algae wafters and scalded kale and spinach once in a while. I also add botanicals - such as almond leaves - as they contain lots of beneficial compounds with medicinal properties - in addition to acidifying the water.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[Herrwibi]

Could be something leaching out of your soil? When you changed the soil did you do a complete clean up of the tank?

I keep Cherries, Crystal/Bee and recently added Tiger shrimps. Currently my shrimp tank GH is ~5.5, KH ~0.5. pH 6.3. TDS ~100 ppm. (mostly in the 95-105 ppm range) - RO water remineralized to ~25 ppm of Ca and ~8 ppm of Mg - leaving plenty of headroom for fertilizers (low-tech). Water temp around 22 C. I keep my water well oxygenated, and keep the shrimps on a varied diet of protein sticks, algae wafters and scalded kale and spinach once in a while. I also add botanicals - such as almond leaves - as they contain lots of medicinal properties - in addition to acidifying the water.

Cheers,
Michael

Hi Michael ,

All old soil was removed and tank was cleaned down and rinsed , I use glasgarten environment and it hasn't leeched ammonia. Tank is well oxygenated with x2 sponge filters and plenty of floating plants and movement. I feed a variety also, bacter ae/spinach/ qual drop breed/vital and algae and ebi dama. They don't seem interested in any food i put in what so ever. Also use cholla wood and indian almond leaves. I am very confused considering my other tank full off taiwans and mischlings are thriving and get fed the same foods.

Not sure if it worth adding in more crystals but then if they pass or something is wrong with the tank then they may all die . Any other ideas?

Thanks
Mark.

 

[MichaelJ]

Hi Michael ,

All old soil was removed and tank was cleaned down and rinsed , I use glasgarten environment and it hasn't leeched ammonia. Tank is well oxygenated with x2 sponge filters and plenty of floating plants and movement. I feed a variety also, bacter ae/spinach/ qual drop breed/vital and algae and ebi dama. They don't seem interested in any food i put in what so ever. Also use cholla wood and indian almond leaves. I am very confused considering my other tank full off taiwans and mischlings are thriving and get fed the same foods.

Not sure if it worth adding in more crystals but then if they pass or something is wrong with the tank then they may all die . Any other ideas?

Thanks
Mark.

This could of course be age related. Crystal Red's life expectancy is no more than 2 years (some quote them as low as 1 year to 18 months) - could be far, far less if the stock is weak, inbred (very common) or kept under less than ideal conditions.

Cheers,
Michael