Another RCS dying thread
 

I started this tank a while ago, and it had been running for a month before I added anything to the tank. About a month ago I bought some PFR shrimp and had no issues for two or three weeks. Lately I have been losing about one shrimp every week or so. From what I can see they seem healthy.
pH: 6.0-6.5 from what I can tell on the color chart.
gH: 8 dgH
kH: 0-1
Nitrate: 0-5ppm also from the color chart
Ammonia:0
TDS: 230
It is bugging me that I cannot figure out what is wrong with them. I have had several successful molts, and some not so successful. Water is RO water that has been re-mineralized with Fluval Shrimp supplement. I thought maybe calcium may be an issue, so I have a piece of cuttlebone in the tank, and have been feeding blanched spinach, along with borneowild spinach, grow, and color. Could it be my ph? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

While the pH is not ideal for Neos, it shouldn't be too big of a deal for Cherries.

What's the water temperature? Have you messed with the substrate at all? Tested for copper? Using Excel or CO2?

How old are the shrimp?

oh sorry, temp is 74 degrees F. I haven't tested for copper yet I really don't know where copper or heavy metals would come from other than the rocks in the tank, but even then the dissociation of those ions in to the water would be rather small don't you think? I'll check tomorrow regardless better safe than sorry. Haven't added any excel or co2. The only things added to the water were the re-mineralizer and a way under sized dose of flourish comprehensive. Shrimp are young I bought them as juveniles , one female in there is saddled.

Also what do people usually use to raise the pH of their water for shrimp?

Crushed coral but in small amounts.

I usually start with a teaspoon per 20gal and work my way up from there.

Cool, thanks! Ill update if anything seems to change.

Hows you tap water ?

lol..

my theory is your RO is killing them one by one slowly

Im not even sure why you are using it in the first place....RO is ment for CRS.

I use RO for all my vars of cherries. :)

I use RO water, 150 TDS remineralized with Shirakura Ca+ and have a ph of 6.5.

My shrimp have never been happier or healthier. They stopped dying off and their shells are soooo beautiful. And shiny.


MABJ's iDevice used for this message :p