Finally found out why my shrimp were dying.
I do a 10% ( one gallon ) water change every 10 days in my shrimp tank. I’d been doing this for about a month and a half and my shrimp were thriving and breeding, very active and eating.
I went camping for about a week and missed the water change I was supposed to do, so when I got home, I changed 20% of the water instead of 10%. The result was that, within a few days, I’d lost ten shrimp and the rest were lethargic and refusing to eat. I couldn’t test the water because my test strips had gotten wet, rendering them useless.
So I finally bit the bullet and instead bought the $50 api water test kit with a gift card I had saved. Brought it home and did all the tests ( and got a small chemical burn during the process ). Here were the results:
( with temperature preset to 78° F )
ammonia: 0 ( ideal )
nitrites: 0 ( ideal )
nitrates: less than 20 ppm ( ideal )
… and ph: 6.0 or less, since the test doesn’t register anything less than 6.0
I couldn’t figure out why the ph was SO LOW. I had used 20 drops of ph+ about three weeks prior and it had stabilized the ph to where I needed it. It should have remained steady.
Now, I used Clover Valley distilled water for my water changes, since I have copper plumbing pipes and even the smallest trace amounts of copper will instantly kill shrimp. I don’t want to risk either that or dechlorinating drops not working properly, so I just use the distilled water.
I also have shrimp-specific substrate that promotes a lower ph level. However, it shouldn’t lower the ph THAT much, as the tank has been fully cycled since January.
I went and bought a new gallon today and tested it for ph. Distilled water is SUPPOSED to have a true neutral ph of 7.0.
However, when I tested it, it registered as 6.0 OR LOWER.
Not even the smallest trace of green hue in the water, and even paler than the 6.0 test comparison chart.
Just to be sure, I tested it again with the high range ph droplets. Same result: extremely pale water, 6.0 or less. This is not only false advertising, but it also is hazardous to fishkeepers who use distilled water for water changes.
Yesterday I added 20 drops of ph+ to my 10 gallon shrimp tank ( the instructions say to add 2 drops per 1 gallon, therefore 10 • 2 = 20 needed drops ) and it didn’t affect the water. I added another 40 today, and here was the result:
( ignore my pink plastic glove in the corner )
Water between 6.4 and 6.8. Just minutely beneath the preferred 6.5–7.5 for neocaridina ( dwarf ) shrimp. I may add another ten drops of ph+ if I lose any more shrimp in the next 4-7 days.
Multiple sources stating ideal ph of 6.5 to 7.5 ⬆️
And the impact of low ph ⬇️
I lost Micah to the white ring of death, as well as multiple of the juveniles and possibly Yeti, as well ( unconfirmed, as she may have simple died of old age ). I had thought that this was due to the water being too hard, so I was performing more water changes, when in fact it was due to the low ph, which I was inadvertently affecting even further by diluting the water excessively.
So, the mystery is ( finally ) solved. I’m going back to my 10% water changes per 10 days, and will be testing the water an hour after each water change to add ph+ if necessary. Hopefully, I won’t lose any more shrimp 🙏
Keeping fish and shrimp is always trial and error. The parameters will never be 100% perfect and you’ll always lose shrimp simply from the stress of molting ( which is a natural cause of death when not because of the white ring of death or a parameter-caused incomplete molt ) or just because they are tiny, fragile creatures being kept in replicas of their natural habitats. Don’t be discouraged if you have a high loss rate, and don’t be afraid to try again if you need to.
Fishkeeping is, when it comes down to the fundamental, a hobby, and like all other hobbies, you’re not going to become an expert overnight. You’ll mess up just like I did, it’s inevitable. Just remember to always do your research and check the water parameters before taking action!
— Paul
@pubbipawz
