Iodine for freshwater shrimp?

beviking

beviking

Senior Member, Sophomoric Attitude
Feb 16, 2002
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Looking for info on fw shrimp, I came across a site that says they use iodine for their shrimp and it has improved their health. (Can't mention the site for fear of setting 125Joe off the deep end).
Any info/experience doing this?
 
I add a bit of Seachem's reef iodide - not iodine (used for treating wounds) - after water changes, less than or no more than single-dose levels.

I have no justification for doing so other than anecdotal evidence. Quite some time back I was keeping several Macrobrachium densonii (sp?), and was losing them one by one, always in molt. It was suggested to try the iodide, and the single survivor continued for normal life span. So I accepted that some shrimp at least have molt problems that may be helped by iodide. Frank Greco of the shrimp mailing list (and a great source for oddball shrimp) suggests using it as well. It may be myth, but I have bought into this one.

FWIW, YMMV.
 
I am a little fuzzy on the necessity to use iodine and do not add iodine in general - though this is mostly for the reason that I have never experienced any shrimp havinig molting problems. Atleast none I could see. Could very well be that some shrimp could benefit from it depending on their tank's current conditions...
 
I have no idea if it would benefit snails but my guess is no.

TimBo, definitely a good point!

RTR, the site in question http://www.azgardens.com/shrimpfactory.php is using iodine. :confused: Once I get it figured out which it is, I think I'll have some on hand just to be on the safe side...and since I'll have it on hand, I'll use it too!
 
Iodine is a micronutirent also needed by snails though I doubt many apply it to their tanks and I'm also 'in denial' to think it is necessary in my own tanks. I know of some aquarists that add it in trace amounts. This is especially true for the few reef keepers I know (although some salt mixes contain it) since they experience their iodine being removed fairly quickly by protein skimming, ozone and filtration.
 
AZ is using the Kent brand, I use the Seachem brand. Any reef prep material should be suitable. Iodine is the element involved, iodide is the form in which it is used. Too many chemically-challenged folk would assume iodine to be tincture of iodine (alcohol solution of crystaline iodine - deadly toxin) from the medicine cabinet for me to ever say to use "iodine".

BTW, the Rudolph Red-nosed shrimp have become a personal fave - they are sooo elegant, but likely at risk in most communities. Free-swimming shrimp are rare in the hobby and their coloring is great. They are not the workers that some others are, but who cares?

nvision - I don't believe iodide/iodine is a big deal for snails. MTS needs for me are no different than any other snails. How is you GH/KH/pH? That is much more likely to be an issue.
 
RTR said:
... Iodine is the element involved, iodide is the form in which it is used. Too many chemically-challenged folk would assume iodine to be tincture of iodine (alcohol solution of crystaline iodine - deadly toxin) from the medicine cabinet for me to ever say to use "iodine"....
Click to expand...

Good point!
I think I'll start off with cherry and amano shrimp. Would tiger barbs bother them?
 
I have also added iodide (Seachem) to my tank with shrimp. They do seem to molt a lot more often now. Since it is a 5 gallon tank I add a mere 1 drop per water change.
 
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