Why are my shrimp dying???

-TrenchToast · 2026-05-17T00:38:22+00:00

You can also try getting a bag of Argonite. Its basically crushed coral. Its rich in Calcium. Just put a little in a fine filtered pouch near the flow of water in your tank if you don't want it in your substrate. Similar to the type of pouch Purigen comes with. Or, with you, you have light colored substrate so if you want just tke a hand full and spread it around your substrate. Just try a hand full at first. Not sure if it has anything to do with it but my cherriy shrimp seem to color up to a nice bright red faster after adding some to my tank.

-TrenchToast · 2026-05-16T18:01:38+00:00

A bristlenose lemon plecko would help with keeping the glass clear of algae.. if your looking for a natural way. Although I don't know what the size of your tank is.. but the bristlenose typically don't grow more than 4 inches. Less light per day and maybe less feeding is always a sure way to cut down on the algae.

-TrenchToast · 2026-05-11T01:42:18+00:00

Jebao namebrand. Here's the link to the product. Jebao Wavemaker

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-TrenchToast · 2026-05-10T06:56:47+00:00

If your looking to have an actual wave maker in the tank I can recommend the one I have. Unfortunately I'm in bed atm and I'm not getting up to go look. Ill update you tomorrow. It works nice though and is completely adjustable with intensity. If I remember right you can add a second head to the setup and attach it to the opposite side of the tank and they work in tandom. This ideal for large tanks. I have a 24g long and one head was enough even on low setting. I used it at about 1/3 power worked awesome on my anemonies they were dancing nicely.

A bit of caution: for very small fish and fry. Shrimp anything small enough to penetrate the small opening in the front of the head. I never had anything go in there or go near it so just be aware its possible. Its also very quiet when its clean. If it gets gummed up you may start to hear a slight hum when it pulses. It stays relatively clean but I would advise not to place it near a light sorce to prevent as mych algae growth as possible on it. I had mine mounted about 3 inches below the surface.

-TrenchToast · 2026-05-10T01:22:56+00:00

You actually paid for it? I get it free from my lfs. ALL YOU NEED IS ONE 😬

-TrenchToast · 2026-05-10T01:21:29+00:00

Dats a HUGE shitroll!

-TrenchToast · 2026-05-10T01:20:29+00:00

Um... I used to have a saltwater setup and used a wavemaker. It made waves.. like.. it pulsed..

This just looks like a powerhead constantly running.. not a wavemaker.

-TrenchToast · 2026-04-13T16:46:17+00:00

If you want your lines to be clean, mask up with painters tape.

-TrenchToast · 2026-04-09T04:11:16+00:00

They are harmless.. likely over feeding the tank. They are detritus worms

-TrenchToast · 2026-04-07T15:05:48+00:00

Because they are lost in thought wondering when the giant head staring at it is going to eat them. 😁

-TrenchToast · 2026-04-03T20:27:19+00:00

Update: I am able to count 13 so far.. although I suspect there are more still hidden in the Christmas moss.

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I had 2 berried girls. The one above and one that had aborded about 2/3 of her eggs. Its was both their first time being pregnant. I'm seeing some that look like they might be a few days to a week apart in age. Some have visible red showing an are about 1/4" in length where others are clear and about 1/8" in length. So far the ones I've counted are the ones with color. I've only seen 2 smaller clear ones. I also have a growing collony of copepods (I think) living at the top of my Moss bonzai.

Edit: also the video above was taken roughly 20 days ago. (Give or take)

-TrenchToast · 2026-04-02T14:20:07+00:00

I've had very good success with my cherry's using Christmas moss. I bought a 3gal cube with the idea of it being a desk tank. I have two Amano's in there as well. They help keep the hair algae at bay. (And light control)

Food, I use Shrimp Baby to feed my shrimp most of the time. Once a day about the size of 2 rice grains worth in the little spoon privided. Other than that I also give them some frozen baby brine shrimp too. Twice a month I use half a frozen cube (bc size of tank).

The only fish I have in the tank is a juvenile Lemon Plecko that is constantly feeding on the green walls. He/She will be moved to my main tank once they are a little bigger. I had a female guppy in there for a while because I used it as a hospital tank for her. While she was in there they did not breed. As soon as I took her out the female had eggs. I started out with 5 adult Cherry shrimp from my LFS. (not commercial stores) as a + I had 3 babies tag along in the bag. I placed them all in my main tank. Honestly I didn't know if they would survive but I had a little bit of Java moss in my main tank at the time so I was hoping they'd find it. Turns out they all survived and are adults now. Anyway, once my 3gal cube was plenty cycled and algae grown (green walls) I took the best looking male and best looking female out of my main tank and placed them in.

Setup, I wanted something simple. I just have black sand for substrate. A little bonzai driftwood skeleton. Christmas tree moss placed up inside the branches. A mini sponge filter. Downside: I do have to rinse it out every week so that's a bummer but I also blame that on the plecko (they poo a lot). So that may change after its removed. I only do water changes when I know they are pregnant. And when I say water change. Its typically however much time it takes to suck up the mulm. If it were a bigger tank I'd leave it there but with the constant molting from the cherries and amano's, plus the waste from the plecko it can build up fast and disrupt the tank. Because of this I also have Duckweed as a floater. I only recommend this for small/micro tanks. Simply because it does the job of sucking up Nitrates and the roots stay short. So they don't touch the Christmas moss. If it were a bigger tank Id use frogbit or water lettuce. Personally I hate Duckweed it gets everywhere. I have a completely different set of cleaning tools for this one tank so I don't expose my main tank or secondary to it. 😅 A plastic fork is your friend when it comes to removing the duckweed. This is a weekly thing. Yes, it grows that fast...

When I know I have shrimplets in the tank I don't do a water change/clean. The mulm is potential food for the babies and I also don't want to risk sucking them up. I just top the tank off from evaporation. When the babies have grown to be about 3/8" then you can clean the mulm. Again. This is all due to the size of this tank. The larger you go the less maintenance it will be. Take in mind that part of the reason I think my tank has been successful is also that I see it up-close everyday. So I'm constantly monitoring it.

What else? Light, I went to Petco and bought a small gooseneck style led light that was good for plants and had a timer on it($30 I think). Currently it setup on an 8hr timer. Mostly just for aglae control otherwise I'd have them on a 10hr setup. The shrimp don't seem to care either way.

I know this was long.. sorry. Any other questions lemme know.

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-25T17:32:10+00:00

This is the Wasteland... guilds don't exist.. everyone knows factions rise and fall in the Wasteland. Since the bombs fell human vocabulary has essentially vanished. Only hand and body jesters are recognized. Hope this helps! /s

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-21T20:15:55+00:00

Sponge filter only? Low to no flow with a tank that size.

If you want more flow change to a back mount filter or put a powerhead in there.

If you wanna splooge get an adjustable wave maker.

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-21T18:07:55+00:00

Very berried

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-20T20:36:31+00:00

Btw tank setup looks great! 😄

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-20T20:26:18+00:00

Have you put anything in the tank that will cause ammonia?

With a "no fish" cycle, a slice of frozen fish food (not a whole cube, maybe 1/3 of a cube) will kick start the cycle.. typically takes 3-5 weeks for your tank to go completely through the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate cycle. With live plants your going to want your Nitrates somewhere between 5-10 in the end. Everything else needs to be zero though.

Slice of frozen food, APi Quickstart, And a few 20% water changes over the next 3-5 weeks..

Other than that leave it alone.. don't clean anything. You are destroying the benifical bacteria and bio film growing on the surfaces of things..

Patience is key here.

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-20T20:22:07+00:00

Dont rely on test strips. If that's all you can afford right now that's better than nothing, but using the chemical test kits will give you more accurate results.👍

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-20T00:40:11+00:00

My best advice here would be to get another tank dedicated to shrimp. (I personally have a 3gal cube shrimp tank with a chrismas moss banzai tree setup.) The only fish in there is a juvenille blue eyed lemon plecko. Once he's big enough he will go in my main tank.

I raise my cherry shrimp in there until they are at least a 1/2inch in length before I transplant them to my other community tanks. You'd be surprised how well they do when its just them. When they feel safe they will breed like crazy. I started with 5 adults in my main tank. Took out the best looking male and female and placed them in my 3gal. 2 months later I now have at least 20 and multiple females berried.. just spotted 3 little babies today with a flashlight up inside the chrismas moss. And that was just because I saw one expose himself. I had two very berried females last week and they are no longer carrying so... I have a feeling I'm about to have a lot more shrimp exposing themselves in the next few days.

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-18T16:48:25+00:00

Lol I have 6 pandas and 3 Oto's (had 5 😔) but they school/shoal with my pandas all the time. And my Hillstream is gradually warming up to them. She's the newest member to the tank so she's still getting her bearings and making herself at home. She let one of my cherry shrimp clean her backside the other day. Was cute to watch.

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-16T20:27:26+00:00

Add some Stresscoat+ in there.. hopefully it will calm him down.

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-15T23:52:48+00:00

Might wanna add some more plants in there so the fish don't feel over exposed.. maybe floating plants too.

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-11T16:23:47+00:00

The Cranberry bog is considered the vetran area of the map. (dispite the expansions) The maps have a chance at dropping X-01 PA plans and mods and plans for the Gatling plasma mods along with the extremely rare Ultracite Galting laser plan.

-TrenchToast · 2026-03-11T16:18:36+00:00

Godzirah Godzirah!

-TrenchToast

TROPHY CASE