Why are you using an acidic buffering substrate when keeping neos? Is it for other livestock that requires an acidic environment or simply for planting/aesthetic purposes? If it is the latter, you should always exhaust the buffering capacity of the substrate first when keeping neos.
How are you remineralizing your water? Based on your numbers, it sounds like you don't remineralize at all or do so to favor most Caridina spp. instead. Since you haven't had the cherries for over a month yet, it could be a molting issue caused by unfavorable water parameters. Neos thrive better in harder water with a higher amount of calcium carbonate but your water has pretty much none. If the water is too hard, then the shrimp have problems breaking out of their shells and often see the "white ring of death" issue. However, if the water is too soft for the shrimp, their shells become too malleable and can't break out of their shells either.
Were your shrimp active and constantly foraging before or were they lethargic(staying relatively in the same area and only moving their antennas)? Lethargic shrimp is a good indicator that something about your water parameters is off or stress.
To be honest, I would be surprised if your neos are able to survive(let alone thrive) in those water parameters in the long run. I have heard successful stories about breeding neos in soft water but they all kept their water parameters very stable.
How are you remineralizing your water? Based on your numbers, it sounds like you don't remineralize at all or do so to favor most Caridina spp. instead. Since you haven't had the cherries for over a month yet, it could be a molting issue caused by unfavorable water parameters. Neos thrive better in harder water with a higher amount of calcium carbonate but your water has pretty much none. If the water is too hard, then the shrimp have problems breaking out of their shells and often see the "white ring of death" issue. However, if the water is too soft for the shrimp, their shells become too malleable and can't break out of their shells either.
Were your shrimp active and constantly foraging before or were they lethargic(staying relatively in the same area and only moving their antennas)? Lethargic shrimp is a good indicator that something about your water parameters is off or stress.
To be honest, I would be surprised if your neos are able to survive(let alone thrive) in those water parameters in the long run. I have heard successful stories about breeding neos in soft water but they all kept their water parameters very stable.
