I purchased 8 ghost shrimp from the LFS about 3 months ago. I placed
them in my 20 gallon tank that has one platy, two swordtails, an octo
catfish, live plants and a few hiding places. They were very
translucent, looked very healthy and active. The fish did not pick on
them too much. After about 2 months they began to slow down and their
shells became tan / opaque in color. In the end they died and of course
the fish had them for dinner.
My kids loved to watch them cruise around the tank. I want to put more
in the tank but not before I understand how to help them survive longer.

All suggestions are welcome!

Thanks!

Randal

You need to add iodine to the tank. Get the kind sold for sal****er tanks. I
use Kent Marine Iodine. For a tank 55 gallons or less, add one drop with each
water change. Or just add a drop whenever you see them starting to turn
opaque.

That's really the only trick to keeping ghost shrimp. They will readily breed
in the tank, even, as long as they get iodine.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

You need to add iodine to the tank. Get the kind sold for sal****er tanks. I
use Kent Marine Iodine. For a tank 55 gallons or less, add one drop with each
water change. Or just add a drop whenever you see them starting to turn
opaque.

That's really the only trick to keeping ghost shrimp. They will readily breed
in the tank, even, as long as they get iodine.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

I thought iodine is not a good thing in fish tanks.. or is iodine in
"iodized salt" and "iodine" in kent marine iodine different? I thought one
doesn't want to use iodized salt because of iodine in the salt, but is there
something else? (or may be the iodine concentration in the salt is too high
for aquarium use?)

linda

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
You need to add iodine to the tank. Get the kind sold for sal****er
tanks. I
use Kent Marine Iodine. For a tank 55 gallons or less, add one drop with
each
water change. Or just add a drop whenever you see them starting to turn
opaque.

That's really the only trick to keeping ghost shrimp. They will readily
breed
in the tank, even, as long as they get iodine.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

I thought iodine is not a good thing in fish tanks.. or is iodine in
"iodized salt" and "iodine" in kent marine iodine different? I thought one
doesn't want to use iodized salt because of iodine in the salt, but is there
something else? (or may be the iodine concentration in the salt is too high
for aquarium use?)

linda

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
You need to add iodine to the tank. Get the kind sold for sal****er
tanks. I
use Kent Marine Iodine. For a tank 55 gallons or less, add one drop with
each
water change. Or just add a drop whenever you see them starting to turn
opaque.

That's really the only trick to keeping ghost shrimp. They will readily
breed
in the tank, even, as long as they get iodine.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

I thought iodine is not a good thing in fish tanks..

"The poison is in the dose," as Paracelsus said. Iodine is a necessary
nutrient. It can also be poisonous if you use too much. I wouldn't dump the
iodine directly on the shrimp, but used as recommended, it's safe.

. or is iodine in
"iodized salt" and "iodine" in kent marine iodine different?

No, iodine is iodine.

I thought one
doesn't want to use iodized salt because of iodine in the salt, but is there
something else?

You can use iodized salt in a fishtank. A lot of people do.

The old books that tell you to only use kosher salt or aquarium salt date from
the days when arsenic was used to keep table salt free-flowing. They don't put
arsenic in table salt any more, so it's safe to use in fishtanks.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

I thought iodine is not a good thing in fish tanks..

"The poison is in the dose," as Paracelsus said. Iodine is a necessary
nutrient. It can also be poisonous if you use too much. I wouldn't dump the
iodine directly on the shrimp, but used as recommended, it's safe.

. or is iodine in
"iodized salt" and "iodine" in kent marine iodine different?

No, iodine is iodine.

I thought one
doesn't want to use iodized salt because of iodine in the salt, but is there
something else?

You can use iodized salt in a fishtank. A lot of people do.

The old books that tell you to only use kosher salt or aquarium salt date from
the days when arsenic was used to keep table salt free-flowing. They don't put
arsenic in table salt any more, so it's safe to use in fishtanks.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

The old books that tell you to only use kosher salt or aquarium salt date
from
the days when arsenic was used to keep table salt free-flowing. They
don't put
arsenic in table salt any more, so it's safe to use in fishtanks.

they used to put arsenic in table salt!?!? Yowza!!! I know arsenic can be
expelled from the body, but still.. what human kind used to do to
themselves... (then again, Coca-Cola used to contain trace amounts of
cocaine until they switched it out for caffeine instead... so.. go figure
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/cocaine.asp)

linda

The old books that tell you to only use kosher salt or aquarium salt date
from
the days when arsenic was used to keep table salt free-flowing. They
don't put
arsenic in table salt any more, so it's safe to use in fishtanks.

they used to put arsenic in table salt!?!? Yowza!!! I know arsenic can be
expelled from the body, but still.. what human kind used to do to
themselves... (then again, Coca-Cola used to contain trace amounts of
cocaine until they switched it out for caffeine instead... so.. go figure
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/cocaine.asp)

linda

They may not have had enough calcium to make hard shells. once they
lose their shell they are vulnerable until the new one is as hard as
the old one.

Marcus

http://www.Aquatic-store.com



On Tue, 25 Feb 2003 10:31:33 -0800, Randal
wrote:

I purchased 8 ghost shrimp from the LFS about 3 months ago. I placed
them in my 20 gallon tank that has one platy, two swordtails, an octo
catfish, live plants and a few hiding places. They were very
translucent, looked very healthy and active. The fish did not pick on
them too much. After about 2 months they began to slow down and their
shells became tan / opaque in color. In the end they died and of course
the fish had them for dinner.
My kids loved to watch them cruise around the tank. I want to put more
in the tank but not before I understand how to help them survive longer.

All suggestions are welcome!

Thanks!

Randal

They may not have had enough calcium to make hard shells. once they
lose their shell they are vulnerable until the new one is as hard as
the old one.

Marcus

http://www.Aquatic-store.com



On Tue, 25 Feb 2003 10:31:33 -0800, Randal
wrote:

I purchased 8 ghost shrimp from the LFS about 3 months ago. I placed
them in my 20 gallon tank that has one platy, two swordtails, an octo
catfish, live plants and a few hiding places. They were very
translucent, looked very healthy and active. The fish did not pick on
them too much. After about 2 months they began to slow down and their
shells became tan / opaque in color. In the end they died and of course
the fish had them for dinner.
My kids loved to watch them cruise around the tank. I want to put more
in the tank but not before I understand how to help them survive longer.

All suggestions are welcome!

Thanks!

Randal