My 1st Planted Shrimp Tank

**Chris Yew** · 7th Mar 2005, 01:16 PM

This is my 1st Planted Tank which I intend to use for my shrimps. It's a standard 2 ft tank and using a off the shelf Nutrafin CO2 set;

Here are my 1st lot of Cherry Shrimps;

I put in about 4 adult and 26 young shrimps in the planted tank. The tank is cycled less than a week. After a day, all the shrimps died.

I'm not too sure if the shrimps died of shock and stress, as after I put the shrimps in, I'm still using my hands to plant the plants. Also while the shrimps are in, I've only a female guppy in the tank. I saw the guppy chasing the shrimps. (The tank photo was taken after the shrimps are dead).

**Robert** · 7th Mar 2005, 01:42 PM

Hi Chris,
at first congrats to the great new tank! It looks really nice. But now to your cherry shrimps. I guess they died through a poisoning because normally even stressed shrimps do not die all at once. You said you setup the tank one week ago. I guess you used a new filter for the tank. So there are not enough useful bacteria to reduce the ammonia into nitrite and later on into the less poisonous nitrate. So what you should have now in your tank after about one week is a typical "nitrite peak". It's a typical phenomenon in new tanks, that's why you should cycle your tank at least for four weeks. It needs three til four weeks before the bacteria populations in the tank and in the filter are big enough to do their job (reducing the ammonia in less poisonous chemicals). Do some bigger (~50%) water changes in the next days and measure the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels. There should be no ammonia, no nitrite and only very few nitrate in the tank if there is just one guppy. Normally nitrate levels til 20mg/l should be OK for cherries but more sensitive shrimps won't do well in such an environment. RRememberthat ammonia nandnitrate are very powerful poisons and shrimps are eextremelysensitive in this cases. Also measure the amount of copper in your tanks water because it's also very poisonous to shrimps. A third reason for the death of your shrimps could be chlorine and/or chloramine. Add water conditioners before you add new the water into the tank. So please do some water changes, measure the mentioned chemicals and wait some weeks more before you add new shrimps. It safes you some money and will be better for the shrimps.

best regards

Robert

PS If you put a second, aged filter into you tank, you can support the bacteria of your new filter and it helps to reduce the current ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels but you still have to wait until you tank is well cycled before you can add new shrimps and fishes without a risk for their life.

**silane** · 7th Mar 2005, 02:33 PM

Hi Chris,

Do you use any base fertilizer and liquid fertiliser? Did you overdose?

**Confusekid** · 7th Mar 2005, 04:55 PM

You need to make sure the tank is totally cycle and double cycle before you introduce shrimp into the tank. Also there is a strict procedure to introduce shrimp into 'new environment'. Roughly what you need to do.
1. leave the plastic bag in the tank for atleast 2 hour; best with light off.
2. Added the tank water into the plastic bag. the amount should be around 20% of the amount in the plastic bag.
3. Leave the bag for another 1 hour.
4. After that slowly let the shrimp out of the plastic bag.

Jack

**Chris Yew** · 8th Mar 2005, 01:06 AM

Hi guys, thanks so much for the detail infos.

I believed and realised the number of mistakes I made for my 1st shrimp attempt hehe - pls forgive this newbie... I've intentionally put the female guppy not juz for 'catching mosquito larvae but to test the water condition. It seems that shrimps are even more sensitive than guppies. Probably due to even smaller body size and characteristics of different species.

I've used the same water from the shrimps that I purchased from and add another half from the tank water - then leave it in a pail for 2 hrs before adding them into the planted tank. So like you guys said, my tank may not have cycled enough. I'm onli using a small internal filter as I've no intention for fishes.

I didn't use any base fert. as some said the base fert. may leech and cause the death of shrimps. But the Ocean Free Bio Gravel is said to be a mixture of normal gravel with fert. as told by the seller.

Frankly, using such planted tank with stem plants, I find it difficult to maintain the plants with shrimps inside. Maybe I should consider another tank with simply riccia tied to wire mesh or driftwood, and some moss - juz for the shrimps. Easier to maintain and harvest of shrimps if they breed.

Will try again after the tank is fully cycled.

**jojoecute** · 8th Mar 2005, 11:18 AM

After reading above mentioned, i really learn more knowledge on shrimp tank setup...

Will try to be more patient for setting up new tank... Before a great lost...

Tonite will be setting up another 3ft x 1ft x 1ft at home..

**Chris Yew** · 8th Mar 2005, 01:02 PM

Wish you good luck jojo! I'm still preparing my next setup - a smaller one juz for shrimps.

Originally Posted by jojoecute

After reading above mentioned, i really learn more knowledge on shrimp tank setup...

Will try to be more patient for setting up new tank... Before a great lost...

Tonite will be setting up another 3ft x 1ft x 1ft at home..

**Confusekid** · 8th Mar 2005, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by jojoecute

After reading above mentioned, i really learn more knowledge on shrimp tank setup...

Will try to be more patient for setting up new tank... Before a great lost...

Tonite will be setting up another 3ft x 1ft x 1ft at home..

Joe,
You really play BIG!!!!! What you going to keep?

Jack

**jojoecute** · 9th Mar 2005, 01:33 AM

After monitoring some shrimps....

I think i m tempted with CRS & Diamond....
Other shrimps just to fulfill my curousity.....

I find that Tiger is more active the Bee..
Malayan is nice looking after it stable now - many colors type..

1 thing bad on me is once i interested i go all the way....

Originally Posted by Confusekid

Joe,
You really play BIG!!!!! What you going to keep?

Jack

**Confusekid** · 9th Mar 2005, 02:36 AM

Originally Posted by jojoecute

After monitoring some shrimps....

I think i m tempted with CRS & Diamond....
Other shrimps just to fulfill my curousity.....

I find that Tiger is more active the Bee..
Malayan is nice looking after it stable now - many colors type..

1 thing bad on me is once i interested i go all the way....

Tiger and bumble bee need strong water circulation and high O2 content if not you will see dead shrimp the next morning.
Also make sure that the shrimp are not too closely related if not they will cross-breed. Blue, green and cherry will cross with each other. You do not want to have CRS giving blue right(you know what i mean).

Jack