# Rescaping Tank - Shrimp and fish out or stay in?



## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

My Ebi hasn't been looking very good lately so I really want to rescape it and move things around. Question is it better to do it with fish and shrimp in the tank or should I take them out? It's a small tank so space is limited, but I don't want to stress anyone out too much. Some of the shrimp looked to be berried too, which hasn't happened in a long time.

Planning to add more substrate, add new driftwood, root tabs and some wonderful new plants I got from Bien.

I usually keep everyone in when I do simple replantings, but this one may be more extensive.
What's your opinion? In or out?


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## Bfunk89 (Dec 1, 2011)

Personally I hate trying to move things around with shrimp in the tank (ebi & 5g), I'm always scared of crushing them! Adding in substrate i definitely would move them where as if its just plant adjustment i would work around them, or at least try, they always seem to gravitate to my hand and start tickling haha. I haven't tried moving berried shrimp, which I would avoid in fear of them dropping their eggs (especially if they're first time mommas). Nothing like a good ole catch 22!

Bri


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## theinnkeeper (Sep 12, 2011)

Move them out. I wouldnt be too concerned of cherries and amanos. Transfer them to a bucket with the water they are currently in. Shouldn't lose eggs. add places for them to hide also.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

I think you'll find it easier and more satifsying to move them. You'll end up with a better looking tank and you'll be able to experiment a bit more with the scaping if the inhabitants are in another container.

When I work on my Ebi, I usually leave the inhabitants in while I replant, clean the glass, etc. But when I did a major overhaul a couple of months ago and replaced the substrate, I took the fish out. It turned out to be so much easier than I'd expected, and the tank looked so much better, that I plan to try this again. I kept the fish in their original water in buckets with the plants and wood. 

Shrimp seem quite easy to work with. I often move them from tank to tank.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

If you're going to add substrate, I'd take them out, since it's a small tank. Otherwise, either way wouldn't matter.


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks. I will take them out and put them in a bucket with the original water. Should I add the filter to the bucket? I'm not sure how long it may take me.


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## ug.mac (Jul 13, 2010)

It doesn't need to be original water unless you are buffering PH or your live stock are stressed. 

You will need heater and filter. But make sure you monitor the temperature in the bucket for 24 hours before move anything in.

ug.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Oh, I assumed that it would take you between half an hour and an hour to redo the tank, then maybe a couple of hours to allow the water to settle out. 

In my case, I put the original water (emptied from the tank while draining it) into a 3 gallon bucket and put the filter and heater into the bucket. I didn't plug the heater in because it only took me half an hour to redo the tank. As soon as the water was in it, I put the filter back into the newly set-up tank. I left room in the new setup for some of the bucket water, then I put the bucket water and fish into the tank. (And to make room in the tank for my arm and the rocks, etc, while working in it, I emptied some of the new setup's water into the fish bucket when I removed the plants and rocks, so the water in the bucket remained very similar in temperature and chemisty to the new setup.) It was all very easy. I might do it again soon. I put Eco-Complete into it, but I think I'm going to switch to Tahitian moon sand.

If you don't want to put your filter into the bucket and it's going to take you a whole day to redo your tank, maybe you can set the filter up in a different tank? It's such a small filter and it is easy to attach, it can pretty much go anywhere.


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks that's great advice. I guess I'll throw in a different filter while I'm scaping to help with the potential cloudiness. Is it bad to add everyone back before ts absolutely clear?

Excited to rescape!


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

What kind of substrate are you putting in? If you're putting in sand, I think a little residual cloudiness won't hurt shrimp. If you're switching to ADA, I hear that it releases ammonia for quite awhile and so you probably couldn't add shrimp for awhile. (There are experts here who have done that.) I find that Eco-Complete and any of the wet Aquarium-in-a-Bag sands from Caribsea (?) are very good if you pour the water into a container and not directly onto the sand. I did a tank in extra fine river gravel (rinsed carefully) last week and it did not cloud. What are you using this time? Your scapes are always so nice!

I tried to emulate one of yours in my new Aquastyle tank, but the pretty tall grass-looking plant (val, I think) is turning yellow with brown spots.The other plants are doing well, though. I want to find some more Siamensis 53B as it always grows well for me.


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Oh no...I am topping off my fluval stratum with Ada! Anyone have experiences with the ammonia issue morainy mentioned? I was hoping to add the shrimp back within a few hours. I'm most likely just adding another maybe 2 to 3 cups worth of soil. Hmm...

I can't wait to see your new Betta and aquastyle morainy! No luck wih the vals either? Mine are doing okay. I am also experiencing the yellowing but no spots. I just started dosing nitrogen so I will see if that helps, but accidentally dosed excel today and remembered they melt them. Darn.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Hi Atom,

Don't forget -- I've never used ADA! I"m just going by what I learned from CRS_Fan. I might be wrong about the ammonia. 

If you end up in a pinch, I'd be happy to take your shrimp into the tank with my pygmy cories until your water is ready. They would be fine there and would be easy to catch afterwards (it's an Ebi, too).


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks Morainy. I've also read that Ada releases ammonia somewhere. I'll look it up. If it's a problem I can always move the shrimp into my Eheim for the time being. Catching them back is the problem because the tank is full of vals.


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Added the new ada soil and just did a test...










I'm guessing a water change is needed and my shrimp and fish will have to stay in the bucket for a little while.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Probably because you stirred everything up too. Give it time, your filter will catch up.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Good for you for doing the test! Lovely colour, but too bad.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

This thread should answer your question:

Substrate swap to ADA - Aquarium Plants


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks 2wheelsx2. That's very helpful article. 

Wow...daily water changes. So I guess I should be dosing my micros and macros heavily since I'm essential removing all of my water? Should I be worried about the brand new plants and the ammonia spike?

I'm going to move my shrimp into my other tank for now. Tempted to move my white clouds back in after the first week if readings are good.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

You shouldn't need to dose anything, as the AS will continue to leach the nutrients into the water column. Plants more readily take up ammonia as a source of N than nitrite or nitrate, so you don't have to worry about the plants, just the fauna. White clouds will probably fine, especially with an established filter and the old substrate underneath.


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