# warning on root tabs in shrimp tanks.



## turbosaurus (Nov 19, 2005)

About 8 months ago I wiped out my shrimp tank by an accidental overdose of micros. 

Since then I have been really careful of dosing and the couple juvie shrimp that restocked the tank have multiplied back to double digits. 

I noticed some signs of defficencies in my plant leaves recenlty. I thought it would be a good idea to burry some root tabs in the sand instead of dosing fertilizers in the water collum. Three days later my shrimp started dying. This time, its ammonia, and it has to be comming from the root tabs, even though they are burried deep in the sand. death count- 7.

Lesson here- use caution with root tabs in shrimp tanks.


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## tpl*co (Nov 4, 2006)

Good tip! Brings up another question though, what are shrimp safe fertilizers? I'll be having a planted shrimp tank soon.

Tina


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## tazcrash69 (Sep 27, 2005)

What root tabs were you using?


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## conduct (Mar 25, 2005)

Sorry to hear about the loss. I ran into the same problem about 8 years ago on a 55 gal tank. But it was not shrimp but fish. I buried my tabs deep in my 4" substrate but cory's dug them up and it got into the water collum and killed everything overnight.


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## turbosaurus (Nov 19, 2005)

I used aquarium products planttabbs

I think the lesson is to be really careful, Tina and dose everything in moderation. I think almost any fertilizers in high enough doses will be dangerous. 

The micro's contain copper. Copper is poisonous to shrimp but necessary for your plants. That's how I killed mine last time. Even with immidiate huge water changes it was too late. Over the next three out four days they all died. 

This time the planttabs contain ammonia- which I knew... and shrimp are more sensitive than fish - I just didn't think I would find it in the water collumn after I was SOOOO CAREFUL to burry them deep in the sand. I wouldn't have done it with large gravel, but the sand! I thought it would be safe and I was wrong. I probably would have been fine if the tank had a heavier bio load and the filter was able to deal a little better with the addition of ammonia (its a 20 gallon with about 35 shrimp as the only inhabitants), or if I had only put in 3 tabs instead of 10. The good news- if there is any- is big water changes have done a world of good and I think if I stay on top of it there wont be any more deaths. As soon as I noticed the second death I got on the w/c wagon and they all seem to be doing very well so far. its just a pain in the butt to do daily water changes- especially since this tank is in my office and I can't hook up a python, so its dragging buckets back and forth.


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## tpl*co (Nov 4, 2006)

I'm so sorry of your loss . I looked at the bottle of my ferts and it has copper as a micro too (Kent). I'm getting shrimp soon so I don't want to use anything that would harm them. Do I get a fert without micronutriants or use the one I've got but use a lower dose?

Tina


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## sorab (Aug 21, 2006)

I use Kent in my shrimp tank less than half the usual amount, the crs are fine breeding away. Some copper seems okay, just need to keep the levels low.


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## rain- (Mar 29, 2004)

turbosaurus: I'm sorry for your loss. And for it to have happened twice...  I hope everything goes fine from now on and you don't have to experience shrimp losses ever again. And thank you for starting this thread, reminding about the sensitivity of invertebrates is important.

I use Seachem Flourish, Tropica Master Grow, self mixed PMDD, Tetra Crypto tablets and Tropica Plant Nutrition+ capsules in the tanks with my Crystal Reds. Sometimes I dose a bit more than the recommended dosage since I have tons of plants in the tanks, the shrimp don't seem to mind and are reproducing fast. 

I use Seachem Prime and I do 50-90% water changes once a week and I always do the pruning and other things that might stir the substrate and bottom ferts just before the water change so I'll get rid of any extra stuff emerging from the bottom. I've never had my shrimp acting weird because of ferts, but maybe the reason for that is that I do huge water changes once a week (no special reason, the water is just so clean and nice and my tanks are so small that it's easiest to do it that way).

With invertebrates it really is important to be cautious with ferts and take care of the water quality. They are sensitive and cute little creatures and sometimes expensive and hard to get, so being cautious and even overly protective is the wise thing to do.


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## sNApple (Nov 6, 2005)

thanks for the heads up


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