For some reason my seeded HOB filter didn't do much to help, so when I checked I had 2 ppm ammonia. So I ran and got some BioSpira which I had never used before. It seemed to work because this morning it was down to almost 0. I added one female Cherry shrimp as my canary in the coal mine. Of course if it is dead by Wednesday when my shrimp show up I'm screwed anyways!

If you need some "backup stock", let me know. I have plenty of RCS.

Busy weekend... will post some more pictures tomorrow.

AWESOME and glad to see that they arrived alive! Did you win the mixed grade of CRS on auqabid?

Nah I just got them from his website, although its the same thing as the aquabid auction that someone keeps bidding up to like $70 even though you can just buy for $50

Tank set up



Styrofoam box, bag wrapped in newspaper with 2 heat packs on top.


Lunch?


Drip for 2 hours


Not very happy shrimp


Then the transfer into the tank, I only have two hands so no pictures. It could have gone a bit more smoothly, I was dumping them into a net over a bucket and then putting the net into the tank. One decided to make a break for it and jumped a few feet away. Clear shrimp on dark carpet is hard to find (and pick up)! He made it though.







Still can't figure out how to use macro mode very well...

I didn't see that he had a web site. I'll have to check it out--I had him on my watch list. Of course, I now have a local that I can get them from. lol Are you able to sex them? Planning on seperating the grades in the future?

Tank looks good so far.

I just saw his web site. He's got plecs and wild Betta species!

Glad that you have finaly got your shrimps Very impresive looking set up and shrimps

There are a few adults in there, I just haven't had time to sex them yet. Pretty much been just checking and making sure they are alive.

I will be seperating them but will probably wait until I see babies so I know everything is fine before I do that. So if you can wait a month or two for some "rejects" I already have a couple in mind

Went down to do my water change and the level had gotten low enough for the spray bar to be exposed. Then I noticed a shrimp laying on top of the glass cover all the way in the front. So it had climbed the hose, jumped on the glass, walked under the light (sizzle) and died sometime in the last week. I also found one that was freshly dead just laying in the tank like it was sleeping.

That makes 3 deaths total. 9 shrimp left, so far no eggs. My water seems to be the optimal parameters so I'm not sure what happened with the 2 sudden deaths.

I am also having huge issues with BBA all over the java moss. I am not dosing any ferts and my photoperiod is only 6 hours @ 1.8 wpg so my only option really would be to pull the moss out, bleach it, and return.

Got 3 Otos last night to try and keep the glass clean. No preggo females yet.

Very nice little fish Have you got any new pics to share ?

I need to go to the store and get a cheapo tripod or something, then I'll try some more pics. I may try using a magnifying glass.

I was able to get a couple pictures using "digital macro" mode that turned out ok. Most of the shrimp wouldn't come to the front for pictures though and the sides are super dirty.



I think this is a female.


Another female?