[RandomMess]

Hello everyone I'm new to the forum and to fish keeping. We require some advice please.

We have had our tank since November and we have had a visit from a colony of cyanobacteria. Last night I took everything out that had it on. We was not sure what it was so didn't get it out straight away.

So we cleaned as much as we could and I have ordered a treatment. I did about a 40% water change by the time we took all the rocks out to clean. This morning 2 of my cherry shrimp are going crazy swimming around. We have 5 adults and about 6 babies that appeared last week. Have I messed up the water perimeters or are they just doing their mating dance? If it was the water perimeters would all of the shrimp be doing it?

I currently have in the 70l tank:
Approximately 11 shrimp.
5 assassin snails to eat the pink ramshorns that came from a pets at home plant.
5 Tetra.

I don't have a water testing kit so will order one as we usually go to our local pet shop and they do it for me.


Thank you from a struggling newbie!

 

[the gourami guy]

the amonia levels could be to high but other then that i cant think of anything esle

 

[Jason Peculiar]

My cherry shrimps are always more active after a water change. Its like they really enjoy the fresher conditons and it raises their activity levels. Whatever the reason, they are always more active after a water change. 40% is too much at once though. Shrimp really appreciate stable water conditions and don't like big changes in temperature or chemistry. I do 10% on mine, but I do a lot of regular small changes, rather than less frequent large changes.

 

[RandomMess]

Thank you. I didn't mean to take so much out. I usually do 10% weekly but got carried away trying to suck the cyanobacteria out of the gravel. They settled down the next day. I think you are right I upset them with such a large water change.

I got some dip sticks and all the levels are good.

 

[the gourami guy]

Yay :}

 

[Jason Peculiar]

Thank you. I didn't mean to take so much out. I usually do 10% weekly but got carried away trying to suck the cyanobacteria out of the gravel. They settled down the next day. I think you are right I upset them with such a large water change.

I got some dip sticks and all the levels are good.

Nice. Small changes for the win. I hope you get on top of the cyanobacteria problem too. It can be a right pain, but its never forever. It'll settle down with your continued tlc. Good luck with it

 

[RandomMess]

Thanks everyone!

We are slowly winning the war with the cyanobacteria. They treatment had definitely inhibited the growth. Though the little blighters are still there.

I have another question. The treatment is for 5 days which we have done. It says not to change the water for 14 days. I'm getting twitchy because I do weekly water changes and we are going over it.

Will everything be okay to not have the water changed for that long? My plan was once the 14 days are up to do a 10% twice in the week. Does that sound a good exit plant?

Appreciate the advice