# Cherry shrimp doesn't breed... :(



## Shiyuu (Apr 9, 2011)

I donno what happened to my shrimp tank, I used to have 40+ shrimplets and grow up to sub-adult size, 
even tho they breed slowly, but seems like my shrimp size declined very slowly... 

Ever since some tiny ramshorn snails went into the shrimp tank with the plants, I put 2 assassin snail in it to keep it under control, 
but i guess didn't work too well... 
When I came back from 1 month vacation, 1 assassin snail died, some snails still got eaten by the lone assassin, but shrimp population reduced slowly from 20+ ---> about 15 right now.
and the weird thing is, before I get 1 odd death here and there, normally after some water change, but now, I don't even see the corpse...

My setup:
- 10G tank on 23C degree, dual sponge filter
- some java moss, hornworts
- water should be @ 7.4PH, nothing ever changed
- Water change/top-up 10~20% every 2~3 weeks, with 1/2 fish tank water 1/2 tap water.
- feed on tiny pieces of algae wafer/fish pellets/almond leaves.

Nothing ever changed since beginning, except the snail that went in....
So what happend?? should I toss a breeding tube in there?? Why don't they breed anymore?


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## gsneufeld (Jan 28, 2012)

I think I can offer some insight here, I also have assassins, Ramshorns, and cherry shrimp. I don't keep the Assassins with any sensitive creatures such as dwarf shrimp. Why? Sometimes they start eating a snail, and for some reason just stop when it's only half eaten. It's really astounding how much of a spike in ammonia just a couple of dead snails can make, if you have no other carrion eaters in the tank, I'd bet the farm that the shrimp are suffering from poor water quality issues due to a few bits of decomposing snail here and there. 
If I were you, I would move the remaining cherries to a different tank. The reason you don't see corpses is because your assassin snail is eating them.


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## Shiyuu (Apr 9, 2011)

Hmm.... I thought cherry shrimps are pretty hardy... 
I don't have other small tank for the snails, should I try to remove all the ramshorn? or should I remove assassin snail? or both?


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## gsneufeld (Jan 28, 2012)

If I were you I would move the cherry shrimps, they are very hardy, I'm surprised that any of yours were dying even before this... Ramshorn snails won't breed until they get to about the size of a pea, so you can keep tiny Ramshorns with your cherry shrimp, then move them to the assassin snail tank when they get big, thats what I do.


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## Shiyuu (Apr 9, 2011)

Thank you for the advice~!
I will find some time to arrange it then~


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## Tazzy_toon (Jul 25, 2011)

It would be more helpful to know what the amonia, nitrite, nitrate, kh/gh readings are.
Who was looking after the tank for the month you where gone, maybe they under/over fed. Or didn't do water change. How long has your tank been set up etc?
Cherry shrimp are pretty hardy, I just had a bunch in a small tank that had a mini cycle and not one died although I would never recomend that because of any long term problems.
Your full parameters would be helpful.


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## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

Check your water parameters, how hot it is etc


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## Shiyuu (Apr 9, 2011)

Sorry for the late reply, there's my water parameters:

PH: 7.2 (i just lowered it a little bit from 7.4 few days ago)
GH/KH: not sure, but while ago was at 4 degree
Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate: 0/0/3(?) more yellow than 0, but less orange than 5
Temperature: Same 23C degree

Before I was away for a month, I did:
- a 10% water change + 20% top up, 1/2 tap water 1/2 fish tank water
- 1 piece of new almond leaf in the tank.
- my gf throw a tiny piece of algae wafer near 3rd week of away time.

Then I did a 20% water change 1/2 tap 1/2 fish tank water when I back home, until now.

Couple days ago I caught 1 cherry shrimp died, and rest of them are munching the corpse.... 
So, I'm down to 12~13-ish now... sigh


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## Tazzy_toon (Jul 25, 2011)

I'm sorry, but what do you mean by "half tap water 1/2 fish tank water"?


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## gsneufeld (Jan 28, 2012)

Ph is fine, the thing that matters is stability of the PH in raising your ph to 7.4 you raised it 20%.. thats very stressful for any creatures.. Remember, gradual change. Stop doing the 20% changes, instead just change 10% of the water once a week or every two weeks, and raise the kh to from 5 - 20 degrees, and that should keep your PH from swinging... Treat the water in a bucket and add whatever, then let it sit 24h, and never add vegetables that could have pesticides on them, feed lightly and all should be well... If your tank isn't planted i recommend getting some fast growing ones like elodea or something.


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## Nicklfire (Apr 21, 2010)

interesting what other people say.

In my experience whenever this has ever happened to me it's because i was not doing enough water changes. When i was in the same situation i was doing top ups or 40% changes every 3 or 4 weeks... 

I changed it to 50% water changes a week and made sure i was feeding them daily (not more then they can eat of course)

then i started seeing more molting and babies..


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## Shiyuu (Apr 9, 2011)

Thanks you all for the feedback~! I will do a water change this weekend, since it's long overdue anyway...

1/2 tap 1/2 tank means, if I want to do 2 gallon of water change, I put 1 gallon of prime-treated tap water, and 1 gallon of fish tank water (from another fish tank of course).


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## aqua59 (Nov 9, 2011)

Interesting. I have both Ramshorn and Assassin snails in my Cherry Shrinp tank. The Ramshorn had become so prolific I needed to add Assassin's for control. The Assassin's are few but their numbers are growing. The Ramshorns are still in the 100's but only in Juvenal sizes. When I put my algae pellets in for feeding the snails cover them. It doesn't seem to effect the shrimp, it's just one large ball of activity. I'm just letting the Assassin's do their job slowly.

How ever I have figured out a way to remove large numbers snails without hurting your tank inhabitants. 

I take a clear, small, shallow bowl. I place the bowl in the aquarium in the front so I can see what is going on. I place one pellet of food in the bowl. My shrimp are very active and the first to the pellet in the bowl. In time the snails will make their way inside the bowl and cover the pellet. I like to use a chop stick to scoot the shrimp out of the bowl. Bring to bowl just under the surface and remove any shrimp stragglers that may still be in the bowl.
This method won't get rid of all the snails but it will put a big dent in the population if you want to speed their removal up or just thin things out. One can remove 100's in a day.


This method works well, it's clean,safe and quick.


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## aqua59 (Nov 9, 2011)

Sorry, one more thing regarding your shrimp not breeding. Your water perimeters seem a little high for shrimp to breed and thrive. 6.5 ph is optimum. That's why I like the Fuval Shrimp strata, (red bag). You don't have to add any chemicals to balance your water. I think this would help you our immensely.


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## Shiyuu (Apr 9, 2011)

Thank you for the advice~ 

The current update is, the shrimps stay stabled around 13~14, with 2~3 berries (either green or yellow eggs) once a week.
but the weird thing is, I never saw the shrimplets at all after their cleared their [email protected]@

My tank is now about PH 7.2, but I thought cherry shrimps are OK with varies PH??

Another question is, I put some tiny anubias nana & java fern in it, but there's nearly no growth at all, can I dose a little bit of EI in the shrimp tank??
Are the shirmps gonna be OK with small amount of EI dosing?


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

I'm no expert but I dose a little bit every 3 days or so to try to grow hairgrass and my cherries are unaffectd.


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