[Joshb]

Hello! I have 5 RCS in my main tank and 11 days ago I received 10 mixed shrimp. I set them in a 5gal quarantine tank with 7 other small fish from the same shipment.

Over the last 11 days I've lost about half of my 10 in my quarantine tank. This tank was partially cycled but I've changed water frequently to manage parameters. The plan was 30 days of quarantining but I'm struggling with losing shrimp. They've arrived pretty small. I've fed them everything I could think of, added live floating plants, water from my other aquarium.

My RCS are thriving in my main tank and now I'm thinking the new shrimp would be better in my main tank for survival. Is this too soon? Could something be wrong? What's everyone's opinions? It really sucks losing these guys. Especially when they are so small.

Thank you!

 

[Sam the Slayer]

I wouldn’t quarantine shrimp at all unless you are doing so in a very seasoned (set up long term with a balanced ecology) quarantine tank. Shrimp feed mostly on biofilm which isn’t usually abundant enough on freshly setup tanks. I would move them into their forever home making sure that your water parameters are matching and if not slowly acclimate them to the new water.


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[Joshb]

I wouldn’t quarantine shrimp at all unless you are doing so in a very seasoned (set up long term with a balanced ecology) quarantine tank. Shrimp feed mostly on biofilm which isn’t usually abundant enough on freshly setup tanks. I would move them into their forever home making sure that your water parameters are matching and if not slowly acclimate them to the new water.


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Thank you for that. I think that's exactly what I'm going to do.

 

[somewhatshocked]

This tank was partially cycled

That's likely the issue. If there's enough ammonia or nitrite floating around, that'd contribute to their deaths.

And, as a shrimper of nearly 27ish years, I believe it is supremely important to quarantine shrimp unless they're coming from a source you trust. Especially if you have existing livestock in your tank. The pathogens they carry can take longer to visibly materialize than everyday fish stuff.

In light of the ongoing Zebra Mussel outbreak from vendors like Petco and Aquatic Arts, it's even more important to quarantine in order to give yourself time to flush critters like shrimp and snails with enough new water to make sure you don't have an accidental infestation.

If you don't have a cycled sponge filter to use, this is what I do: dump shrimp in a bucket or container with a bunch of floating and loose plants. Do 50-75% water changes, with parameters matched, daily. I also like to have a piece of Poly Filter (the kind that changes colors depending upon what it's absorbing) in each container.

One thing you should consider doing now, as well, is keeping a tiny sponge filter or two going in an existing tank at all times. Allows you to quarantine at a moment's notice. I like to keep a few going. If you have an all-in-one tank, there's usually enough space to fit a couple sponge filters in the pump chamber - I do this in my Fluval tanks (Spec & Flex) and it keeps them outta sight. Just kill the filter after each QT use: bleach, dechlorinate several times, let dry out for a few weeks/months before putting them back in your tanks.

 

[Joshb]

That's likely the issue. If there's enough ammonia or nitrite floating around, that'd contribute to their deaths.

And, as a shrimper of nearly 27ish years, I believe it is supremely important to quarantine shrimp unless they're coming from a source you trust. Especially if you have existing livestock in your tank. The pathogens they carry can take longer to visibly materialize than everyday fish stuff.

In light of the ongoing Zebra Mussel outbreak from vendors like Petco and Aquatic Arts, it's even more important to quarantine in order to give yourself time to flush critters like shrimp and snails with enough new water to make sure you don't have an accidental infestation.

If you don't have a cycled sponge filter to use, this is what I do: dump shrimp in a bucket or container with a bunch of floating and loose plants. Do 50-75% water changes, with parameters matched, daily. I also like to have a piece of Poly Filter (the kind that changes colors depending upon what it's absorbing) in each container.

One thing you should consider doing now, as well, is keeping a tiny sponge filter or two going in an existing tank at all times. Allows you to quarantine at a moment's notice. I like to keep a few going. If you have an all-in-one tank, there's usually enough space to fit a couple sponge filters in the pump chamber - I do this in my Fluval tanks (Spec & Flex) and it keeps them outta sight. Just kill the filter after each QT use: bleach, dechlorinate several times, let dry out for a few weeks/months before putting them back in your tanks.

Thanks for your awesome reply. Would you say a high-end LFS be considered a trusted source?

I just purchased a 5 Gal tank where I intend to grow overflow plants and use as a quarantine tank when needed. This tank would be heavily planted and cycled so this issue never happens again.

If you don't have a cycled sponge filter to use, this is what I do: dump shrimp in a bucket or container with a bunch of floating and loose plants. Do 50-75% water changes, with parameters matched, daily. I also like to have a piece of Poly Filter (the kind that changes colors depending upon what it's absorbing) in each container.

This is sort of what I did and was supposed to be my intention. I will mention my floating plants didn't have enough light and was causing me nothing but issues with them dying off; but that's another story.

I do not want this to happen again so next time around I will be more prepared.

 

[somewhatshocked]

Well... I consider myself a trusted source. I'd still tell you to quarantine any shrimp you got from me if they were going into an existing tank. (Please - no one message me about getting shrimp. I don't have any right now now and only post in the For Sale section here when I do.)

About your QT setup: If you have tons of plants in the container and only have a handful of critters, a filter may not be necessary.

Just be really careful about how you go about this. Otherwise, you'll end up like me and every vase or container you use turns into a permanent fixture of your house. Be more sane about it and don't fall in love with your QT setups like me. Especially if they're cool vases.

 

[Plinkploop]

Well... I consider myself a trusted source. I'd still tell you to quarantine any shrimp you got from me if they were going into an existing tank. (Please - no one message me about getting shrimp. I don't have any right now now and only post in the For Sale section here when I do.)

About your QT setup: If you have tons of plants in the container and only have a handful of critters, a filter may not be necessary.

Just be really careful about how you go about this. Otherwise, you'll end up like me and every vase or container you use turns into a permanent fixture of your house. Be more sane about it and don't fall in love with your QT setups like me. Especially if they're cool vases.

I keep my qt tanks in my basement and ugly looking so I'm not tempted to reimagine them into more trouble 😆😆😆