yellowg555
Member
I've had a cocktail shrimp sitting at the bottom of my tank for about 6 days now. It has a fuzzy "cocoon" around it. How can I tell when to remove it? And what is that "fuzzy" stuff around it? Some sort of aquatic mold?
When to remove cocktail shrimp?
- Thread starter yellowg555
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maroonclownfan
Member
Originally posted by YellowG555
I've had a cocktail shrimp sitting at the bottom of my tank for about 6 days now. It has a fuzzy "cocoon" around it. How can I tell when to remove it? And what is that "fuzzy" stuff around it? Some sort of aquatic mold?
The fuzzy stuff is the bacteria growing from the rotting shrimp. This means its working.
Take the forementioned advice, check the ammonia in your tank if it is very high then take the shrimp out. Check the nitrites too to see if they have started to rise. Your ammonia should decrease towards 0 as the nitrites increase. Your nitrites should then start to decrease towards 0. When both ammonia and nitrites are zero the "cycle" is complete. At this point you can start lightly stocking you tank.
Good luck.........MCF
yellowg555
Member
I checked the ammonia yesterday and it was 0, while nitrites were 0.5. Does this mean the cycle is nearly complete? I feel like an idiot for not checking sooner...do people check those levels everyday after they throw in a shrimp?
maroonclownfan
Member
Six days seems a little too quick for a cycle to complete. unless a lot of established LS and LR were used.
It usually takes 2-4 weeks, depending on tank and method.
Let it go for few more days and do daily ammonia and nitrite checks.
Not everybody checks every day but it is a good idea to check every couple days while cycling to see the development. Typically you will see spike in ammonia, with little nitrites, then as the ammonia goes down the nitrite goes up, the nitrites will then start to decline until both ammonia and nitrites approach zero.
By checking periodically you are able to see this trend. your not stupid, just learning like the rest of us did.
Good luck......MCF
It usually takes 2-4 weeks, depending on tank and method.
Let it go for few more days and do daily ammonia and nitrite checks.
Not everybody checks every day but it is a good idea to check every couple days while cycling to see the development. Typically you will see spike in ammonia, with little nitrites, then as the ammonia goes down the nitrite goes up, the nitrites will then start to decline until both ammonia and nitrites approach zero.
By checking periodically you are able to see this trend. your not stupid, just learning like the rest of us did.
Good luck......MCF
yellowg555
Member
I used 200 pounds of dead aragonite sand, seeded with 40 pounds of live sand from this website. I have 100# of cured live rock in there as well. Would the combination of live sand and cured rock be possible to make for a fast cycle? That question may seem like I want to jump the gun, but I don't. From everyone I've talked to, patience is the key, and I intend on having as much of it as possible.
maroonclownfan
Member
It is possible, but you are right not to rush it.
What is probably happening is that the nitrites are rising due to presence of ammonia from the shrimp. You probably have enough bacteria to compensate for the dead shrimp already. This doesn't mean you are free and clear. But you got a head start.
My suggestion is as before, leave the shrimp in, if the tank is keeping up with the ammonia processing it into nitrites you are probably there. Its kind of a tough call with out actually being there, so you will have to make it.
Your tank sounds like it is reacting like it would if a fish were to die in an established tank. If your parameters stay near zero take out the shrimp or don't, the bacteria will eventually consume it anyway.
Sorry so long winded.....good luck........MCF
What is probably happening is that the nitrites are rising due to presence of ammonia from the shrimp. You probably have enough bacteria to compensate for the dead shrimp already. This doesn't mean you are free and clear. But you got a head start.
My suggestion is as before, leave the shrimp in, if the tank is keeping up with the ammonia processing it into nitrites you are probably there. Its kind of a tough call with out actually being there, so you will have to make it.
Your tank sounds like it is reacting like it would if a fish were to die in an established tank. If your parameters stay near zero take out the shrimp or don't, the bacteria will eventually consume it anyway.
Sorry so long winded.....good luck........MCF