Root tabs

[ErinV]

Sooooo, it is one of those days. I just finished planting my now properly identified crypts (thanks @Brandy). I want them to take off and give them a good kick start by adding lots of root tabs. It was also time to add some for other plants.

Now I am freaking out, I also added 8 shrimp this afternoon. I added some yellow and blue. Did all the research.... and somehow forgot in the excitement of planting my plants that you have to be careful with copper and shrimp. Checked my tabs and sure enough it as some listed. 

Question: do I know need to undo my whole set up and find all the root tabs? Picture below of brand. I am in 🇨🇦 so unfortunately can't get Easy Tabs. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by ErinV

[KaitieG]

From a quick google, it looks like you're totally fine!  Lots of people who have used them with shrimp--the amount of copper looks to be super duper low.

[OceanTruth]

In my experience, I think your shrimp will be all right. I don’t use the same root tabs, but the brand I use also has a trace amount of copper in it. I haven’t had any trouble with my shrimp or any other invertebrates for that matter. I keep amanos and ghost shrimp.

[ErinV]

Thank you @KaitieG and @OceanTruth. Breathing a bit easier but I will still be counting shrimp every time I go by for the next week or so.

Edited February 26, 2021 by ErinV

[lefty o]

.001%, id not be concerned about that much copper at all.

[CT_]

To put some numbers to it, those tabs are 10ppm copper.  google says caridina's start to die around 0.1ppm (rounding conservatively) , but that 10ppm is in a maybe 1gram tablet is going into 10's of liters of water.  so back of the envelope, you'd have to dissolve 40 tabs per 10g (sorry to jump around in units but "per 10g" seems to be a common measurement) to be dangerous,  and they're getting dissolved over time in your substrate and Cu is getting absorbed too, so that's a pretty good safety margin.

[gardenman]

And in an odd quirk, even snails and shrimp that find copper toxic in certain doses need a little copper in their system. Their bodies use copper to make hemocyanin. Hemocyanin is the shrimp/snail equivalent of our hemoglobin. It transports oxygen through the bloodstream. If you could create a copper-free environment for shrimp/snails, they'd die from the lack of copper. They don't need a lot, very little actually, but they need some. 

[Jungle Fan]

I've actually used some leftover Seachem Flourish root tabs in my 75 gallon heavily planted tank with lots of Neocaridina and Amano shrimp besides my fish and they are perfectly safe. Nothing to worry about, and don't tear up the tank, your shrimp will be safe, and your crypts are getting the boost you intended.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Jungle Fan

[ErinV]

Thank you so much for all your support. I did not rip up the tank. I look for the shrimp everytime I go by and I think 48 hours later they are feeling comfortable in the tank because I can actually see some of them today. Feels like a Where's Waldo game.