caridina japonica dying off

[nickmcmechan]

maybe the ferts?

we all know copper will kill inverts, what doen't seem widely known is what tolerance inverts have to other heavy metals

my guess is the ferts are killing them off

 

[Squawkbert]

2 theories and solutions:

1) CO2 may be too high (not likely, but it happens)
KH/pH charting is not the best way to measure CO2. I suggest getting a drop checker and using a 4dKH standard solution and a bit of bromothymol blue indicator solution (eg: API test kit regular pH drops). If you're >30ppm CO2, it will go yellow. ~15-30ppm range=green, blue means CO2 too low.

2) starvation
Do you feed them algae wafers? If you have no appreciable algae in your tank, you have to supplement. In your case, the Otocinclus cats and SAE are probably capable of out competing shrimp for algae and for wafers, so you probably need to add larger wafer chunks in the evening (dark period) for Otos and some very small pieces of algae wafer scattered all over during the light period for the shrimp (they'll at least get some of it if it's scattered).

In my 46g, I feed broken wafers early in the AM for my Otos. If I feed that during the light period, the DG and tetras eat it all.

 

[GoldLenny]

What kind of fertilizer did you use in your substrate and what do you use in your water column. I've read conflicting reports online about using fertilizers. Some say their shrimp were OK, others had die offs.

Do a Google of Amano shrimp and fertilizer for more reading. Also note, that since your nickname is "Amano Wannabe", you should know that the scientific name of Amano Shrimp was changed last September (2006) to Caridina Multidentata, so they are no longer Caridina Japonica... although I'm sure they will still be called Japonica for quite a while till the majority of sites change to the correct scientific name.

 

[VTwinFanatic]

have you EVER medicated the tank with any kind of Copper Medications?

 

[pixl8r]

Seachem Florish contains multiple types of metal (iron, zinc, copper, and more). Floris Iron contains iron . Metals are toxic to shrimp. It's my opinion that the fertilizers are killing, and will continure to kill, your shrimp.

Fertilizers and pesticides and invertebrates are not a good combination. From what I've learned, when your test kits can detect a given metal, it's already too high. You have a little bit more time with amonia and nitrates, but they also put shrimp under stress.

I would recommend that if you want to keep shrimp, get a 10g tank that you can dedicate to a single species, or a few species that have the same water requirements.

Good luck!

 

[mellowvision]

I am putting my vote in starvation. 3 otos, an sae and all those shrimp in 10 gallons seems not only overstocked, but a major competition for food. I have a similar situation, with 3 otos and 6 amanos, and since I added the amanos, the otos aren't quite themselves. I am planning on moving them soon.