Shrimp tank - small issues

[Mando]

I'm having a few issues with my shrimp tank recently. I figured I'd struggle with algae soon enough.

1. A weird black stringy algae started growing but only on my stem plants and I'm not sure what it is. I cut out the portions that had the algae and tossed them and some portions even came off on its own. It's like black thin hair all bunched up into a ball. It's so thin that at first I thought it was the plant's roots. I wish I had taken a picture.

Could it be high phosphates? I forgot and left a lot of leaves floating around when I left for my trip. When I got back they were decaying.

2. Mostly older shrimps dying off one by one and very few juvies. Not sure what's causing it. Water parameters are ideal. I will update with new numbers today. This started after I introduced new shrimps from another supplier. My biggest female died and she had a ton of eggs

3. Snail infestation. How do I kill snails without killing my shrimps? or do I have to remove/siphon each shrimp and dose the tank.

I recently changed the lighting (Hygger 20w) and it could be causing the algae growth. However, my carpet finally started growing really nicely and fast. Crypts perked back up and my nubias have new shoot. All this happened when upgrading the lights. I do 3 pumps of thrive every 3 days and 15%-20% WC a week. The first thing I can do is reduce the pumps and do 2 x3 weekly and go from there. I already reduced light from 9hrs to 7 hrs.

[dagray]

Black hairy algae could be black beard algae, not much eats it. I find it can be in the water as I have had to fight it a few times. for snails you can buy or make a snail trap using cucumber or zucchini to bait the trap... or you can add assassin snails which will eat the pond and trumpet snails.

Another solution to the snails is a siphon using 3/8 internal diameter rigid tubing attached to flexible tubing (like is on aquarium vacuums).

Phosphates could be part of the issue as we have high phosphates in our water at times because of the feed lots.

[Mando]

Black hairy algae could be black beard algae, not much eats it. I find it can be in the water as I have had to fight it a few times. for snails you can buy or make a snail trap using cucumber or zucchini to bait the trap... or you can add assassin snails which will eat the pond and trumpet snails.

Another solution to the snails is a siphon using 3/8 internal diameter rigid tubing attached to flexible tubing (like is on aquarium vacuums).

Phosphates could be part of the issue as we have high phosphates in our water at times because of the feed lots.

Well, this one is a separate tank that I feed once every two days. Just googled the black hair algae and it most definitely it. I'll do some research. I will add assassin snail and do the zuchini trick tonight. I guess I just shove something in it to weigh it down and once the snails get on it, just remove it from the tank?

I've tried the tubing method but accidentally took a little shrimplet that swam in front of it + it's a bit tedious so I gave up with it lol

[danotaylor]

What type of shrimp are you keeping Mando? Have you checked your water parameters? Is the tank fully cycled?

[dagray]

Well, this one is a separate tank that I feed once every two days. Just googled the black hair algae and it most definitely it. I'll do some research. I will add assassin snail and do the zuchini trick tonight. I guess I just shove something in it to weigh it down and once the snails get on it, just remove it from the tank?

I've tried the tubing method but accidentally took a little shrimplet that swam in front of it + it's a bit tedious so I gave up with it lol

Yes I usually weigh the zucchini down with a fork, and then remove it when it is loaded with snails. Put the snails in a plastic container with a little tank water and then give them to someone who has fresh water puffers (puffers love eating snails).

Or you can squish the snails and feed to your other fish. When I had discus I would squish the snails on the side of the aquarium glass and the Discus and Angels would come eat the snails.

Sometimes you can get Ottinculus (Ottos) to eat black hair algae and since they are so small they can't eat your shrimp.

[LizStreithorst]

I have that black hair algae growing on the driftwood in my planted Discus tank. It makes the piece of wood look very old and natural and the algae hasn't infested the plants at all.

[Discluv]

What is your KH/GH, and TDS?
Water Params: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?
What kind of shrimp are they?
Shrimp are very sensitive to any chemicals added to aquarium. I use Thrive also in my tank with shrimp, but only once weekly. You are dosing too much.
Feeding shrimp every other day is too much unless you have a well-established colony- which it doesn't sound like you do. Overfeeding is one of the most common ways to kill off shrimp-- especially from the rot from uneaten food fouling the water ( which may or may not be detected by testing). If shrimp dpo not swarm to food very quickly and finish food within a few hours, you are feeding too much.

[Jack L]

assassin snails will take care of you pest snails

[Mando]

IMG_2925.jpg
IMG_2931.jpg
IMG_2926.jpg

[Mando]

In the last pic you can see a dead shrimp above the crypt. I did not check last night but before my trip, I had 7.1 ph 0 nitrite 10-20 nitrate.

I have about 30 shrimp in here and only drop half a stick of this food that the shrimp supplier gave me. It's less than 1/4 in size and it expands a little bit. shrimp and Cory's devour it almost instantly.

[danotaylor]

Are you using any ferts? Shrimp need trace amounts of copper but are highly sensitive to it in higher concentrations.

[Mando]

Are you using any ferts? Shrimp need trace amounts of copper but are highly sensitive to it in higher concentrations.

I'm using Thrive which is shrimp safe. I'm going to do what Discluv suggested and just dose once a week. Or change it to one pump a day, every other day vs what is recommended on the bottle.

I don't think it's a feeding issue but I will reduce their feeding schedule as well to once every 3-4 days. I feed the shrimp very small bits and I feed the tetra crushed flakes which never make it to the bottom.

and to answer your question, yes, the tank is fully cycled. I never had the issue before. it started when I added shrimp from two different suppliers. I also feel like the black algae came from the addition of those two suppliers.

[Mando]

I have that black hair algae growing on the driftwood in my planted Discus tank. It makes the piece of wood look very old and natural and the algae hasn't infested the plants at all.

I wish it was my case. I mean, I stopped mine early but you can see black on some of the plant leaves.

What is your KH/GH, and TDS?
Water Params: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?
What kind of shrimp are they?
Shrimp are very sensitive to any chemicals added to aquarium. I use Thrive also in my tank with shrimp, but only once weekly. You are dosing too much.
Feeding shrimp every other day is too much unless you have a well-established colony- which it doesn't sound like you do. Overfeeding is one of the most common ways to kill off shrimp-- especially from the rot from uneaten food fouling the water ( which may or may not be detected by testing). If shrimp dpo not swarm to food very quickly and finish food within a few hours, you are feeding too much.

I will try to check water parameters today. These are cherry shrimps, red rilis, and blue rilis. I never have left over foods and the tank is pristine. I also have three big amano shrimps in there that devour the food. I only put a 3/8 piece of food. I will take a picture of it tonight. It's hard to explain. The stick starts to grow when it hits the water but it does not get that much bigger. I don't think it's enough to over feed. My supplier said to feed one stick daily, however, I do half a stick.

[LizStreithorst]

I feed my shrimp tank twice a day and the shrimp are multiplying like weeds. My tank has lots of cover from plants. I have 6 neons and 2 juvie L144's

[Mando]

I feed my shrimp tank twice a day and the shrimp are multiplying like weeds. My tank has lots of cover from plants. I have 6 neons and 2 juvie L144's

a few of my females died carrying. I do see very small shrimps in the tank which leads me to believe one of them gave birth before passing.

I'm starting to think that it's a fertilizer issue. Here is why.

I bought some Rotala Blood Reds and if you look at the left most Crypt, just to the right of it, you will see the Rotala blood red there. However, the new growth is green. When I googled why the new growth is green. I found a post that said most red plants will turn green if there is too much nutrients in the water.

what do you guys think?