I've got berries!

[Forumsnow]

So just as I am going to bed I checked on my shrimpies with a flash light like I always do. Lo and be hold what is staring at me but a tiger with its tail towards me and a bunch of eggs. I knew some of the darker females were saddled but I couldn't see it! She is one of my nicest looking mommas too. Now just to get them born :-)

[PuddlesAqua]

Congrats! Now comes the hard part... keeping her berried and keeping the babies alive.

[giantdny]

I wish I could tell if mine were saddled. They either aren't or they are too dark to tell. How long is that shrimp?


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[Forumsnow]

Thank you, I know the hardest is yet to come. I got them as juvies and have had them for a month and a half. She is maybe 3/4-1" long. I have 2 lighter colored ones I noticed just the other day were saddled. So I assumed the dark ones were also. Guess I was correct haha.

[ravensgate]

I'm so happy for you!!! YAY! Yes, this is the 'easy' part (so they say). The hard part is getting the babies past 3-4 weeks. So you don't get to breathe a sigh of relief for another two months. But I hope you have lots and lots of babies and great survival rates. I can live vicariously through you. LOL!

[Forumsnow]

Thanks raven I would like to think the tonic pro you gave me is a big reason they are still alive, so thank you.
Quick question, how do you raise the tds of your wc change water without your gh going through the roof?

[ravensgate]

Originally Posted by Forumsnow

Thanks raven I would like to think the tonic pro you gave me is a big reason they are still alive, so thank you.
Quick question, how do you raise the tds of your wc change water without your gh going through the roof?

Oh, I know this! Haha, thanks to Mordalphus bringing something up in another thread of mine. Powdered foods/products raise the TDS. I need to test the GH in my tanks today but I don't think it's affecting GH. I started feeding earthworm powder 2/3 times a week and got my TDS raised by about 30 and that's just with a little pinch. Actually, I'll go ahead and test GH right now. Be right back.

[ravensgate]

Ok, my GH in the tank I feed a lot of powdered foods to is GH 6 which is exactly where I've kept it for the last 2 months. The TDS went from 170 to 206 in a week and a half of feeding powdered foods. I've been feeding earthworm powder, ebiken EI, or Bioplus to my babies. With water changes I use RO water at about 150 TDS. I tested yesterday and after adding some clay, white shrimp minerals and a tiny touch of gravidas the TDS was 171 in my jug of water. This is such a tiny piece of info I WISH I would have known back when I was trying the OEBTs because I could never get my TDS over 160 without using a ton of tap water. The Tonic Pro should raise is a smidge if you are feeding it via powder form. When I roll it into the little balls it doesn't raise the TDS as much I guess because it's not floating through the water column. So glad you like that product and you're so very welcome

I've still got my 3 OEBTs, 2 females and a baby that I'm hoping and praying is a male so I can try to get the colony up a bit.

[Forumsnow]

Too funny that's actually how I just started doing it this week. I have bebi, ei, tonic pro, bt9 old see mud and some others. I got $20 in samples from Han and he hooked it up so I have most everything. I'm about to order some bw shield, anything else you would suggest. I was thinking about getting some kind of ph down. I am 7.2 and the breeder was at 6.8, I think this is for baby survival. I put like 2 1/2" of Africana in a medium breeder box hoping that would lower it a little but it just didn't help. This darn seriyu stone keeps things up a little.

[ravensgate]

How do you have your breeder box set up? Is it on the side of your tank? Trying to figure out why you've got a pH difference in the two.

The samples are totally the way to go. Gravidas is one I like though some folks don't care for it...I use WAY less than suggested amounts though, just a teeny sprinkle. Can't remember if I sent you that one or if maybe you picked it up from Han or not.

[Forumsnow]

It's a hob breeder box, the ph is the same as the tank. I was just hoping the Africana would lower the ph a little but it has not, guessing just not enough of it to make a difference.

Looks like ill be having some more berries as there is some serious dancing going on. It's been almost exactly 24 hours from when they were dancing yesterday. Made a little video.
http://vimeo.com/59807923

[ravensgate]

Ok, I'm confused and I think I misread. So where you got the shrimp from were in 6.8 water but yours is at 7.2, is that what you're saying? Because if that's the case, don't mess with your pH. What your babies are born into and survive in will make them more adaptable to that pH (what yours is at). Or are you talking about the pH in a breeder box is higher than what is in your tank? Yeah, I'm confused on how your post is written.

[Forumsnow]

Haha sorry about that. The breeder box and tank are sitting at 7.2. The guy I got them had them in 6.8 . I was thinking about trying to drop my tank to 6.8 to try to match him better and I also heard baby survival rate was higher in the lower ph lol. I tried to lower my ph by putting some Africana in the breeder box. The breeder box shares water with the main tank so I thought I could lower all waters ph but it didn't work.

Think you are correct that I should just leave well enough alone. At least until I see how the baby survival rate is.

Thanks as always raven, you have been a great help. If I get some babies to survive down the road ill send some your way.

[ravensgate]

I would worry more about matching Params when you first got the shrimp. I wouldn't worry about the babies right now. Look at it this way, the adults are happy enough to breed, leave em alone! Lol! And I may totally take you up on that when you get that colony big enough to share. Heehee!

[Forumsnow]

Went and ordered myself some stuff for how hard I worked during the storm last weekend. I ordered mosura gravidas, bioplus, and tds up, also some ebi ken balls. I'll let you know how the tds up goes, they say it will not raise gh but will slightly lower ph, so win win:-).

Just seen either the original berried girl is still alive or I have another berried. She hid out all day yesterday but I think that's normal.