Found a Neocaridina in New un-cycled tank 😳

[Lizzyduff]

I recently set up a new nano tank intending to eventually put snails and shrimp in it.  Eventually.  I THINK one of my blue dreams hitched a ride on some plants,  and I must have missed the wee thing entirely.  Fast forward a few weeks,  I'm still working on getting it cycled (pH 7.4, ammonia 0, Nitrites around 1.5, nitrates around 10) using old tank filters,  plants,  substrate, water,  snails,  etc.  Then I see this wee critter swim out grab something to eat,  and swim back to...wherever he's been hiding these past few weeks! The tank isn't ready for guests yet! Should I leave him be,  or try to catch him and put him back into his original tank?

[jwcarlson]

This is hardly scientific, but I moved a course sponge filter over to my 75 to try to kick off the cycling about a month ago.  Little did I know that there were about eight shrimplets in the filter.  I was dinking around with putting ammonia in and didn't realize that nitrites would stall a cycle.  I had it at ~85 degrees like 4 ppm ammonia and deep, offscale nitrites and nitrates when I found the shrimp.  I think one died, but the rest of them I netted out and they seem no worse for the wear now.  They were in that toxic bath for about a week and I felt pretty bad about it.

Is that bladder snail in the first pic supposed to be in there? 🙂

[lefty o]

id leave it be. tank cant be too far off if it hasnt died. i see plenty of biofilm for it to snack on too.

[BettaHomesAndGardens]

I would leave him be for the simple fact that a shift in parameters so suddenly again could be more detrimental then where he’s at now. Just my line of thinking.

[Lizzyduff]

On 2/25/2022 at 11:10 AM, jwcarlson said:

This is hardly scientific, but I moved a course sponge filter over to my 75 to try to kick off the cycling about a month ago.  Little did I know that there were about eight shrimplets in the filter.  I was dinking around with putting ammonia in and didn't realize that nitrites would stall a cycle.  I had it at ~85 degrees like 4 ppm ammonia and deep, offscale nitrites and nitrates when I found the shrimp.  I think one died, but the rest of them I netted out and they seem no worse for the wear now.  They were in that toxic bath for about a week and I felt pretty bad about it.

Is that bladder snail in the first pic supposed to be in there? 🙂

Yeah. I like to use bladder snails to help cycle. Plus I use them as feeders for my assassin snails and a friend's puffer. I almost ran out once,  had to start up a jar with a couple,  over feed like crazy for a couple weeks to repopulate 😆  Glad I'm not the only one who has missed a few shrimplets... makes me feel a lot better.

On 2/25/2022 at 11:15 AM, lefty o said:

id leave it be. tank cant be too far off if it hasnt died. i see plenty of biofilm for it to snack on too.

Oh! I I didn't see the biofilm, that's perfect.  If I'm at the biofilm stage we should be getting closer- excellent!

On 2/25/2022 at 11:53 AM, BettaHomesAndGardens said:

I would leave him be for the simple fact that a shift in parameters so suddenly again could be more detrimental then where he’s at now. Just my line of thinking.

Makes sense. 🤔