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I got 4 amano shrimp for my 10 gallon two days ago to take care of algae. The current occupancy is 6 serpae tetras and now only 2 amano shrimp. I acclimated them the same way I would for fish--pour some aquarium water in, wait, pour some more in, wait, pour some more in, wait, net them into the aquarium. Within 8 hours one was dead. The rest looked fine. They were very active. I have fake plants for them to hide in too. Last night I changed the substrate (took forever). The fish did great, and it appeared as if the shrimp did fine too, but one died today. What is going on and how do I prevent the rest from dying?

A third died tonight.
I'm really frustrated. I know it wasn't just me changing the substrate because one died before I changed it. I hvae checked my water. 0 ppm nitrite. 0 ppm amonia. pH = 7.4

I can only think of two things. There may be a lack of hiding places for them. I only have two fake plants.

Another thing. When I changed my substrate, I uncovered a filter bag full of peat I had been using to soften the water. It had only been in there maybe 4 weeks. When I first put it in, I had a fear that anearobic bacteria might develope. My fear was realized. When I smelled it, it smelled like rotten eggs. Its gone now. I don't think it affected the water that much. The water never smelled like that, and I smelled it often. Maybe the shrimp are really sensitive to sulfates. It didn't seam to affect my fish though.

Does anyone have any clue why I lost all these shrimp and how I can prevent it in the future if I get more?


-Eric
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

Ive kept amano's for years, and while they dont seem especially susceptible to high nitrates etc, although cleaner water is better, they are very vulnerable to trace metals like copper, and a lot of meds designed to kill worms and other parasites will harm them.Algae will often pick up such trace metals and meds rather easily, and store them in some concentration, and of course its the amano's main diet, so they will be getting concentrated doses of toxins. They are tougher than a lot of fish in most other respects. They can tolerate a few minutes out of water, and thermic shock is much less of an issue for them than fish. Real plants will be preferred over plastic, but it shouldnt really cntribute to deaths in so little time. Amano's do sometimes die of stress though,and not having hiding places for them like large chunks of bogwood to hide behind could leave them feeling stressed. They arent really a display animal, they rarely come out of hiding, and youll notice they have excellent vision.Their eyes are always looking directly at the camera lens whenever I take a piccy. They are easily stressed by lack of cover and disturbance, and will be stressed by tankmoves, so give them cover as soon as possible.

I guess the only way to help save them if no immediate illness is present is to make sure water changes are up to date, perhaps run some carbon to reduce trace meds, and use a water conditioner that removes trace metals, especially copper. For the feedings, algae will be no 1 , so perhaps remove as much algae you can find by hand that may contain toxins, and give them fish flake and hikari algae wafers to subsist on until a new algae crop grows.

That is probably what killed them. I changed my substrate to flourite, which is meant to contain trace elements for plants. Also, my tap water is very hard, but I do mix it with purified water at a 1:1 ratio. Its porbably the trace metals like you said. Thanks, I will run carbon and change the water again.

-Eric
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."