In rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants NetMax wrote:
: "Melissa Danforth" wrote in message
: and Ameca splendens in another. I'm actually in the process of bringing
: the
: tank they're all now in down to match the water parameters I get out of
: the
: tap at my new location (pH 7.2, approx. 3dKH and 3dGH). The TDS
: difference
: was so pronounced (old was 600 average, current is 200 average) that I
: put
: rift lake cichlid salts in all my tanks on setup here to match the
: parameters
: of the old tap and minimize osmotic shock.

: Hmm, considering Amanos require brackish water for their spawns to
: survive, that might be a possibility.

Rift lake cichlid salt doesn't so much affect the salinity as it does
the total dissolved solids, so I don't think it would help any in the
survival rates of the larva in-tank. You'd still have to remove them
to a brakish tank. Remember that "salt" is a generic chemistry term
for ion compounds. In the case of rift lake salt, the ions contained
are mostly calcium, magnesium, carbonates and sulfates, along with
various trace elements. Not much sodium or chloride as would be needed
for salinity. But I've never had an Amano spawn. It would seem the local
shop I got them from in Davis never sold a female shrimp or I have just
never noticed a shrimp carrying eggs in over 3 years of having them.
When comparing their spot patterns, all seem identical. I seem to recall
female Amanos have a slightly different spot pattern. So I have to wonder
if the shop or its supplier was taking females out of the mix. But
definately no new shrimp, still just 11 Amano and the 1 rhino shrimp as
of the move last month.