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my ghost are turning opague and rcs are missing.help!!

3K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  CaliforniaFishkeeper 
#1 ·
my ghost shrimp are turning opaque one by one and my rcs are all but missing in action.waters fine very clean and clear.din't add and chemicals but fert.the temps at 28 degrees and i removed the striped rapheal but i don't think they made the ghosts slowly die by killing off their body tissue starting from the tail area.any ideas?
 
#3 ·
omg thanks for telling me i just added another 35 into the tank. great i had copper in the fert.so now i cant use liquid fert.but what about the fert soil? im not sure it contains copper or nickle. what does the copper do to the shrimp? umm is there any other fert that doesn't contain copper?
 
#6 · (Edited)
There is no certainty that the copper is causing the problem, I'm not saying it may not be, just a caution before jumping too far.

The level of copper in Seachem's Flourish [which I believe is kitten's fert, though I may be wrong] is not sufficient to cause any issues with fish, plants or invertebrates, provided the recommended dose (once or twice max per week) is not exceeded.

Plants detoxify copper in trace amounts, just as some water conditioners (those that detoxify heavy metals). In both cases, we are talking trace amounts, the limited amount of copper (or other heavy metals) that would normally possibly be in tap water. Health authorities keep fairly close monitoring if such metals are naturally present in their source water. Of course, copper plumbing as most homes in NA have can be a source of high copper, esp if new. I know of aquarists who have "suddenly" lost all fish and plants due to new copper water pipes. If you get a green residue from the tap running in the bath tub for instance, that is copper.

Most ich remedies are copper based and contain far more copper than fertilizers; which is why they warn you not to use them with invertebrates, plants, and half-strength for sensitive fish (characins, catfish, loaches, etc).

A note on the plants point, plants assimilate copper as a nutrient, but they also "take up" excess copper and detoxify it, as they do excess iron, nickel, manganese, or whatever. [Another benefit of plants in fish tanks.] Again, this is assuming trace amounts; we're not talking polluted toxic water that has discharge from a mine or something, but water that comes out of our taps.

Byron.
 
#9 ·
ok so maybe the ferts not the problem havent added ich medication either.the water from the pipe could be and issue.i'll have someone install a filter thats linked to a plastic pipe head instead or i'll let it run in the new sump with carbon that arriving in a few days before i let it into the main tank. my tank has a single carbon catridge in the running over night to take out any last od of heavy metals and the ferts will have to be dosed at half strenght tommorow.to see how it goes.i guess a balance of water,carbon and fert will be needed in the tank as long as all are healthy i'll have and extra thing to looks out for.if theres anyone with more info on shrimp pls let me know.as i want to understand futher whats happening to the shrimps
 
#10 ·
Good Thread, Kitten. I also would like to know more about shrimp. I thought of possibly adding a few Red Cherry Shrimp to my tank as well. I had no idea copper could be an issue for them. I was not sure how my fish would even do with them. I do not want to serve a Shrimp buffet if my fish are the types that would just eat them.
 
#11 ·
your barbs would be an issue inga they eat the rcs =)
 
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