What is this that has appeared in my tank?

[Jeffd1979]

Yesterday i noticed that my camel shrimp had died.. his body was laying right up next to the glass so i got down and was looking at him real close and i could see thise little specks crawling on him. they were also crawling on the glass... there were probably 75 of them.. i looked at the glass on the other side of the tank and they are there to.. they are very very small but you can see them moving around on the glass.. What would this be.. i never saw any of this until i added my first 10lbs of live rock 2 weeks ago..


also is there any additive i need to put in to keep these shrimp alive? i think i read something somewhere about how they need something to help with their molting?

[benjen]

Copepods, isopods, amphipods, decapods, etc.

They are collectively known as 'pods. They are efficient detrivores and may eat some forms of hair algae. Most good quality live rock has them and very few people consider them a negative, because the majority of things you might put in your tank consider them a healthy snack. A rare few are parasitic, but you can just pop those off your fish if you get any.

Just feed your regular animals and the pods will clean up leftovers and animal droppings along with small amounts of algae. If you want a thriving population, give them a place to hide where predators can't get them, such as a pile of rock rubble, some chaetomorpha, or a refugium.

[mogurnda]

also is there any additive i need to put in to keep these shrimp alive? i think i read something somewhere about how they need something to help with their moltingThere is lore, which is unsubstantiated as far as I know, that shrimp need iodine for molting. I have never dosed it, and my shrimp have lived for years.

Always hard to tell why an animal suddenly keels over dead. How long have you had it? Have you had others that died?

[Jeffd1979]

I had him about 5 weeks.. my cleaner shrimp and blood shrimp are doing great.. they come out and are very active.. for the 5 weeks i had him he never really came out and was very inactive.. i never saw him eat once.. i honestly thought he was going to die a long time ago... my 3 false percula clowns and quarter size blue tang are doing great.. tank specs are perfect..

ph 8.2
ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 15ppm
it has been 2 weeks since a water change.. i can't believe the nitrates are doing that well..


There is lore, which is unsubstantiated as far as I know, that shrimp need iodine for molting. I have never dosed it, and my shrimp have lived for years.

Always hard to tell why an animal suddenly keels over dead. How long have you had it? Have you had others that died?

[mogurnda]

Yeah, doesn't sound like a sudden death. Maybe acclimation, maybe something happened in the LFS.

Parameters sound good. Are you measuring alkalinity too? For me, it's another indicator of how fresh and clean the water is.

[Jeffd1979]

Yeah, doesn't sound like a sudden death. Maybe acclimation, maybe something happened in the LFS.

Parameters sound good. Are you measuring alkalinity too? For me, it's another indicator of how fresh and clean the water is.

I had not been testing it but i just did..

it is about 200-250. No idea if that is good or bad?? can anyone tell me

[mogurnda]

Sounds like you're using the GH scale, which (correct me if I'm wrong) translates to about 5 meq/L. Sounds high, but not necessarily a problem. What kind of kit are you using?

[Jeffd1979]

Sounds like you're using the GH scale, which (correct me if I'm wrong) translates to about 5 meq/L. Sounds high, but not necessarily a problem. What kind of kit are you using?


I am using a Quick Dip test kit that test hardness/alkalinity made by Jungle Laboratories

the results for my saltwater were

Total Alkalinity/buffering (KH) ppm
it is in between the 180 and 300. i am guessing around 225 somewere..

[mogurnda]

Again, if I have the conversion right, you're OK as long as you're between about 150 and 250. Higher than that, and you will have a problem with caclium precipitating, and a lower value means your buffering is too low.

It's a good indicator of general tank hygiene. When it gets low, it usually means too much organic stuff has been allowed to buiild up, or that your circulation is too low.

[Jeffd1979]

Again, if I have the conversion right, you're OK as long as you're between about 150 and 250. Higher than that, and you will have a problem with caclium precipitating, and a lower value means your buffering is too low.

It's a good indicator of general tank hygiene. When it gets low, it usually means too much organic stuff has been allowed to buiild up, or that your circulation is too low.


So basically the higher it is up to 250 is good.. How often should i need to change the water in the tank.. it is a 40 gallon.. here is what i have in it..

2 skunk shrimp
1 blood shrimp
2 false percula shrimp
1 quarter size tang (i know i know.. wife came home with it.. will be getting a bigger tank soon)

Filtration
10lbs of live rock
1 emperor 280
1 skilter 250 (powerfilter and skimmer in one)
1 powerhead (got pretty good water movement)

I have been changing about 8 gallons every 3 weeks..

[mogurnda]

Your schedule sounds fine. I do about 15-20% every week or two, but I have a small tank with a lot of livestock.