Mystery snail eggs & inverts journal

[Guppysnail]

Copepod. Also good microfauna 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/12/2022 at 1:57 PM, Guppysnail said:

Copepod. Also good microfauna 

Neat. Little did I know I had such a good ecosystem going on. I had detritus worms at one point. Not like a mass population or anything. I didn’t mind them either. And of course the limpets. But they are pretty controlled now. But still there. Oh yeah and hydra. Man, what don’t I have!

Edited November 12, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

It is a sad day at Chick’s house. 2 shrimp have passed. All parameters & tank temp are spot on. 0/0/5. PH 7, kH 80, gH 180. One shrimp was on the substrate, the other in a terra cotta cave. All other shrimps are busy doing their daily chores. The shrimps I found were pink/coral color, like a cooked shrimp. But again all other shrimp are ok. The only thing I could think of that I did differently was I added detritus back into the tank the other day when I thought I sucked up baby shrimp in error (was ostra-something and copepod thingies not shrimp). Anyway I wonder if all the dust floating around, maybe they breathed it in? I really don’t know. 
 

I also carefully test temp of new water going in. Water changes are 10% once or twice a week.
 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Guppysnail]

Oh I’m so sorry for your little shrimpy friends. Sometimes if there is too much calcium in the water they can’t molt properly did you happen to notice if partway down their body from their head the shell was split that’s where the shell is supposed to split but then the rest of the shell doesn’t split enough for them to get out it should be like half a ring around the body and that’s they’re having a hard time molting and they all turned that pinkish orange color when they pass.

also it’s not the mulm I end up with scoops full of mulm all the time going back in it was in the tank So all you’re doing is putting it back it doesn’t alter anything that would hurt them

Edited November 14, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/14/2022 at 7:39 AM, Guppysnail said:

Oh I’m so sorry for your little shrimpy friends. Sometimes if there is too much calcium in the water they can’t molt properly did you happen to notice if partway down their body from their head the shell was split that’s where the shell is supposed to split but then the rest of the shell doesn’t split enough for them to get out it should be like half a ring around the body and that’s they’re having a hard time molting and they all turned that pinkish orange color when they pass.

also it’s not the mulm I end up with scoops full of mulm all the time going back in it was in the tank So all you’re doing is putting it back it doesn’t alter anything that would hurt them

I did check for split shells, they didn’t have any partially split or split shells at all. A few days ago I added a marble sized chunk of wondershell though.

[Guppysnail]

On 11/14/2022 at 7:46 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I did check for split shells, they didn’t have any partially split or split shells at all. A few days ago I added a marble sized chunk of wondershell though.

I quit using wondershell it changes my parameters too fast it adds too much of the calcium and stuff just to fast and I was losing shrimp. I haven’t had issues with the new calcium chips Or the nano banquet blocks. But I know every time I was adding wonder shell I would find shrimp that didn’t make it that may not have been the cause it may have just been coincidence

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/14/2022 at 8:10 AM, Guppysnail said:

with the new calcium chips

Which ones?

On 11/14/2022 at 8:10 AM, Guppysnail said:

every time I was adding wonder shell I would find shrimp that didn’t make it

That stinks.  I thought I was doing something good for them.  All parameters were the same on the tests I mentioned but I don't have any calcium test kit so I don't actually know what the calcium level is.  I just throw a little chunk in about every 3 weeks or so.  I will discontinue use of these on the shrimp tank just in case that is the cause.  The poor little guys.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

So this morning I made a Repashy kabob for the fish. Amethyst had other plans though. 
 

 

🎵”Oh baby, there ain’t no mountain high enough…”🎶

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 11/15/2022 at 4:53 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

So this morning I made a Repashy kabob for the fish. Amethyst had other plans though. 
 

 

🎵”Oh baby, there ain’t no mountain high enough…”🎶

Yum! I’d count myself a lucky snail if I was in that tank!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Here are some photos of the shrimpies this morning. 

Unfortunately I lost another one because of a failed molt. I am troubleshooting mineral content as well as fertilizer use. @Guppysnail is helping me with some advice; thank you @Guppysnail. I’m sending a water sample off to the city to get an analysis of the tap water as well. Should be a week to get the results.

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

If your parents ever told you to stop acting like a bump on a log and do your chores, this is what they meant.

 

(Featuring Button)

Edited November 17, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Goliath and Bon Bon hangin out.

 

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 11/17/2022 at 3:56 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

If your parents ever told you to stop acting like a bump on a log and do your chores, this is what they meant.

 

(Featuring Button)

Should I feel concerned by this statement 😜?

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

As predicted, doesn’t seem like the shrimps touched the nano block. I put it in the other tank and the siblings are enjoying it. It doesn’t go to waste.

Save some for momma!

 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Button & Goliath:

Ingot:

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 11/20/2022 at 1:06 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Button & Goliath:

Ingot:

 

 

 

Ingots looking good! 👍 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/20/2022 at 1:50 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Ingots looking good! 👍 

Her shell color is unique in the front. That’s how I know it’s her and not Amethyst. 🙂

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

The shrimps are doing well.  I vacuumed the other day, but I'm getting smarter.  I let the stuff settle to the bottom of the bucket and then I put the same water carefully back in.  The parameters are fine.  I don't know how to lower the crazy gH that I have though.  There is another filter in there now to help w/ the excess mulm that seemed to be neverending.  I haven't gotten my water test back yet to get the calcium and magnesium readings, but maybe I will this week, probably after the holiday.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Nibbles is riding around on Button! 😍

Shrimp party:

 

 

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 11/22/2022 at 12:35 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Nibbles is riding around on Button! 😍

Shrimp party:

 

 

Love the colors on those shrimpies!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Happy Thanksgiving, Snails!

After the water change yesterday, Ingot dug a hole under the PFS, went in the hole, turned upside down, and attached to the PFS(?). Ooooo-k?  Been there since last night. Gunk collects under there so I assume she found some tasty stuff. She basically ordered “off the menu”.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Trouble. Maybe. I do not know if this shrimp is molting or if this is something grim.

Goliath looked like he was going toward the shrimp but he passed by. So maybe the shrimp is alive but is vulnerable. I did not do any water changes or anything, so that is not a factor. 

Also here is Mrs. Shrimp enjoying a green bean. 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Well, Nevermind. Bon Bon is eating the shrimp. So nature is handling things. For those with a curiosity about this, there is a video here. But I won’t post a thumbnail in case it bothers anyone.

It seems clear I will lose all the shrimp. I’ve lost 6/10 so far. They can’t molt, I believe, due to my gH off the charts (180). Taking suggestions on what I can do. Would it be moot to do a water change using distilled water that has no gH? Am I too late to do anything? And the water change is going to stress or kill them, I suppose, as water changes do, unless I drip the new water in. I can easily rig something up. Help @TeeJay @nabokovfan87 @Guppysnail @Minanora

Edited November 26, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Guppysnail]

Doing a water change with distilled will make it worse. They pull softer water into their body and swell usually resulting in an early molt. If they already can’t molt because the shell is to hard you are hastening their demise. It looks like Mrs shrimp is berried. That’s good. Unfortunately with shrimp the first group rarely makes it long. The shrimplettes will have made shells using your water and adapt to being able to molt proper. My gh is much higher than yours. Though it took some doing and a few initial groups mine now thrive everywhere. Hang in there beginnings are always a bit rough.