# Deaths, Paraguard, and baby shrimp



## Polarize (Jul 17, 2011)

I had a die-off of my CRS and some Fire Reds last week or two. Might have been due to bad food, overfeeding a bit (though I didn't think a piece the size of the smiley  every other day for around 30 shrimps would be too much), the initial shock of adding a little bit of fluval shrimp stratum, that week of high temps, or a combination of all of the above. Whatever it was, it seemed to mainly affect only the adults, where they would typically become lethargic, stop moving or eating, pinkish hue (in the case of the CRS), and then just dying. I did a 30% water change and they seem much better. I haven't seen anymore deaths (except one a couple days ago) and one of the Fire Reds recently got berried (before this, they seemed to have stopped breeding). The two berried mothers that survived had their babies and I can see a few of them around the tank, probably around 4-5 days old.

I believe it was a bacterial infection and I want to make sure I eradicate it as best I can with Paraguard (Tried Melafix in the beginning stages, seemed to help a bit, but ran out). 

*Basically:*
Is Paraguard safe to use with the baby shrimps? If so, what's the regiment to follow in this case (i.e. dose, water change schedule, etc.)?

I've heard it can kill the snails in the tank and it looks like I have quite a number of ramshorn and bladder snails in the tank. Might be a stretch, but would dying snails end up polluting the water and then possibly kill the babies?


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

Look like stress to me. Stress is most harmful to the adult shrimps. Bacteria will kill babies too.
Probably best thing to do is -do nothing. Do one more 20% WC with slow adding new water and watch the tank for few days. If here is a better shell color and no dead shrimps you are on right track.
If you have bacteria probably it is too late already to save shrimps with low immune.
Paraguard my stress your shrimps even more and you can lose all you CRS.
If you still decide to use it. Do one day 25%,2 days 50% and then 80-100% requirement dosage.
I always have dead shrimps when I start with full dosage.
GOOD LUCK!


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## steven p (Jun 22, 2012)

What sized tank? Any tank mates? The cherries I have in one of my tank stay pale, but reproduce in swarms. If I move "culls" they turn deep solid red. The only thing I can think of is a slightly lower ph from tannins or sharing all the caves with over ten otocinclus and a shoal of 7 trilineatus Cory cats.


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## Oceangirl (Feb 5, 2013)

I used Para guard to treat a bacterial infection in shrimp. Use half strength for the entire time. I have a 29 gallon. I used this in a tank with RCS, Panda cories (Sniff wrong and they die), Fully planted, and CPDS. I used half the recommended dosage on the bottle due to the sensitive nature of the Shrimp and my cories. So I would dose 7.5 ML (I use a baby syringe medical thing) This is what I did and had no deaths, (other than before I started treating) I read online you have to start out very very slowly to the water or it will kill them. Make sure to leave the lights off when treating for the first few days. Then Treat with the full dose at night because the lights are off. This Med will dissipate in water over time and I think light makes it less effective. That is just my 2 cents. I also extremely under fed the whole tank, or no feed if shrimp only tank. Here's what I did:
Day 1: 8am dose 2ML , Noon dose 3 ML, 4pm Dose the rest 
Day 2: 8am 4 ML, 3 pm Rest of the dose 
Day 3: Full dose in the morning or before going to bed which i did. 
Day 4: Full Dose in Morning or before going to bed which i did.
Day 5: Check the Shrimp or Fish you are treating full dose if not well
Day 6: Full Dose in Morning or before going to bed which i did.
Day 7: Water change Day, do what you do. Make sure to sterilize you water change equipment after so not to reinfect. This is also another check day. If fish or shrimp still dying/sick do the week treatment over starting at day 1 after water change. Make sure to add the meds slowly back, like the diagram. Because you took a lot out with the water change.


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## Polarize (Jul 17, 2011)

Thanks for the advice, plamski. I'm a little wary about doing water changes due to the babies, but perhaps a slow drip would be okay?

steven, the tank is a 20 gallon long and there are no other tankmates

Thanks for sharing your experience, Oceangirl! I'm sure others in a similar situation will appreciate it as well.


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## Oceangirl (Feb 5, 2013)

Do your water changes with a Turkey baster bought for the Purpose (thanks soothing!), The suction is enough for poop but not to suck up any errant shrimplets. Or if you do, you let go a little and they spit right back into the tank.


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