[agro]

Was doing some much needed trimming in tank. Ended up wanting to take out my larger piece of driftwood after seeing a ball of debris filled flame moss and what looked like mold on the wood. Dropped the wood in a container with a decent amount of water in case any shrimps were hanging on strongly to it.

The wood gave a foul odor and smelled like rotten eggs, so I'm guessing this wood may not be any good for long. Ripped off any decent amount of moss and placed in the water. To my surprise I see tiny carbon shrimplings. Didn't expect this because I noticed the berried carbon was no longer berried and my first sight of her berried was a bit over 2 weeks ago.


I also have another driftwood with moss all over that needs some trimming, maybe some cleaning, but it's most likely also rotting. Shrimplings are most likely all inside that one also.

Not really sure what to do?

Is rotting driftwood common?
Removing the wood is stirring up a bit of debris which may bother?
Was planning on doing a water change due to debris, which isn't as bad once it settles, should I delay due to shrimplings? Parameters all fine.

 

[ravensgate]

What is your filtration in the tank? That rotting smell to me would signify stagnant water.

 

[agro]

What is your filtration in the tank? That rotting smell to me would signify stagnant water.

Sponge filter, shrimps prefer little to none movement of water from what I know?

 

[ravensgate]

Not quite. They don't like to be blasted against the tank. Clean, stable water is key and that often requires filtration. Though sponge filters are great for shrimp tanks I have no idea if you have a corner sponge in a 20 gallon or ? Do you have a photo of your setup? I've had outdoor tanks with no filtration with shrimp in it, so it CAN work but doesn't sound like it's working in this situation. The smell is that of stagnant water that you are describing.

 

[water-kitties]

I think it would be still healthy for the tank to have some flow going around, especially with driftwood blocking areas. I have had no trouble with some pretty big filters on tiny tanks and I have seen a few others here do the same. As long as the shrimp don't look unhappy with it you should be okay.

 

[agro]

I think it would be still healthy for the tank to have some flow going around, especially with driftwood blocking areas. I have had no trouble with some pretty big filters on tiny tanks and I have seen a few others here do the same. As long as the shrimp don't look unhappy with it you should be okay.

Yea planning on adding a HOB but not sure how much flow any of the sort would provide. Also this is happening under the substrate yet don't really more than 1.5in all around.