Get some crushed coral for your tank or use baKING soda to buffer your water. I would use the coral, it would definitely keep your water buffered and your shrimp happy
cherry shrimp turn white and die shortly after...
- Thread starter demonte1997
- Start date
I have some store bought black gravel. Not sure what the brand was. It couldn't be the best because at first it left a foam at the top (went away two weeks after). When I used my gravel cleaner, I could smell a distinct egg (sulphur) smell coming from the hose... That can't be good. It's gone away now.... I assume it was something left in the gravel. I cleaned that stuff really well...
As a band-aid, I threw a little baking soda in and brought the PH up to 7.0. They seem better. I will invest in some crushed coral in the long run. Also will post up results to copper and KH/GH tests.
you need to keep the kh up about 200. this is easy to do using baking soda. just add a teaspoon and test. add no more than a teaspoon a day. drastic water changes are bad. for shrimp gh isn't that important, mine do fine at 80, but i buffer it up a bit by running crushed coral in a stocking in my filter. you can also rase gh by adding simple epsom salt.
my main concern though is your ph. at ph below 7 it is harder for MOST crustaceans to form shells and even snails. it can in fact inhibit or even erode their shells. so keep the ph at 7 to 7.8 and KEEP IT STEADY most fish can live well beyond reccommended water paramaters as long as they stay steady.
my main concern though is your ph. at ph below 7 it is harder for MOST crustaceans to form shells and even snails. it can in fact inhibit or even erode their shells. so keep the ph at 7 to 7.8 and KEEP IT STEADY most fish can live well beyond reccommended water paramaters as long as they stay steady.
Adding a little baking soda brought the ph to about 7.4. This was about a week ago. Since this point I haven't lost any more and the shrimp are more receptive to food. Thanks for all the help. I will ultimately invest in crushed coral for both of my tanks so when I get another prawn, he will be happy as well. 
