FAQs on Freshwater (and Terrestrial)
Crustaceans, Systems
Related Articles: Freshwater Crustaceans, Invertebrates for Freshwater Aquariums by
Neale Monks, Forget Crawfish
Pie, Let's Make a Crawfish Tank! By Gage Harford
Related FAQs: FW Crustaceans 1, FW Crustaceans 2, FW Crustaceans 3, FW Crustaceans 4,
& & FAQs on:
FW Crustacean Identification,
FW Crustacean
Behavior, FW Crustacean
Compatibility, FW Crustacean
Selection, FW Crustacean
Feeding, FW Crustacean Disease,
FW Crustacean Reproduction
& Crustacean Selection, Crustacean Behavior, Crustacean Compatibility, Crustacean Systems, Crustacean Feeding, Crustacean Disease, Crustacean Reproduction,
Freshwater
Shrimp, FW Crabs,
Terrestrial Hermit Crabs, &
Marine Hermit ID,
Hermit Behavior, Hermit Compatibility, Hermit Selection, Hermit Systems, Hermit Feeding, Hermit Reproduction, Hermit Disease/Health, &
Crayfish FAQs, Crayfish 2, Crayfish ID, Crayfish Behavior, Crayfish Compatibility, Crayfish Selection, Crayfish Systems, Crayfish Feeding, Crayfish Disease, Crayfish Reproduction,
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Calcium in Crab & Shrimp Tanks 6/2/16
Hello,
I keep a few crustaceans (Panther crabs, Rainbows crabs, Geosesarma
crabs, Crayfish and Cherry Shrimp). I know that calcium is important for
the proper development of their shells. I have looked all over the net
and can't find any definitive information on how much calcium and how
often it's needed, so I'm hoping you can help.
I bought some small calcium tablets (1" long by .5" wide), but I haven't
put them in the tanks yet. I need to know how often I should be giving
my crustaceans calcium and how much. So far they've been doing good but
I want to make sure they have the best care possible.
Any help is much appreciated. Thank you.
Kind Regards,
Suzanne
<As with humans, it's the "bio-available" Ca that is important; and for
freshwater organisms this takes the form of both dissolved and
macro-sources. Unless you have a Calcium concentration test assay, I'd
rely on "hardness" as a measure here; and aim for "medium hardness"
(measured in various ways:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_water
AND I would use the small calcium tablets you mention (or softer sea
shells, cuttle bone) as an exogenous source these animals can/may pick
on.
Bob Fenner>
New Terrariums from Penn-Plax 8/25/09
Hey Bob and Crew,
<Paul>
Just thought I'd let all your loyal readers know about 3 new lines
of terrariums that Penn-Plax is introducing under the Reptology name.
Some very exciting products for all your readers that are also into
reptiles
and amphibians, please check out the video -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeTq3bm4784
<Nice units.... lots of good features. Neat video>
Thank you as always.
Paul Demas
Project Manager
Penn Plax, Inc
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Triops Water Problem -- 10/13/08
Thanks for answering a previous set of questions about raising
Triops.
<Most welcome.>
Unfortunately I'm still having problems despite trying to do
everything right. Here's what I have now:
<Hmm...>
Triops australiensis eggs hatched in 3 liter tank in distilled water
with small pinch of bicarbonate of soda per Billabong Bugs
instructions.
11 hatchlings, now 9 days old. Feeding TetraMin flakes and carrot.
<OK.>
Hatching tank is floating in larger 20 liter aquarium with heater and
subgravel filter. Temperature is 25C for both. Hatching tank has a
simple air line producing a small bubble every few seconds. Sand
substrate came with Billabong kit.
<OK.>
All seems well there, so far. pH 7.5, GH 3, KH 1, no detectable ammonia
yet. Some cloudiness. Rapid growth, they are now 6-8 mm long and
growing fast. I have been doing partial water changes < 10% daily
with the larger tank water. They will need to move soon to larger
quarters.
<Sounds like it!>
Larger aquarium is fully cycled using fishless method. Ammonia tests at
zero ppm. Nitrite tests at zero ppm. GH 6. KH 3. pH 7.5. If I add 5
drops of household ammonia, the ammonia and nitrite will drop to zero
again within a day. Added one half a drop of Kent iodine a week ago.
50% water was changed after cycling to reduce nitrates -- plants have
been growing for a month.
<All sounds fine.>
The aquarium is planted with Cryptocorynes which are doing well --
divided 2 original pots into 13 small to medium plants. Aquarium is in
north facing window. No algae growing, probably because plants are
using up excess nitrates. Plants have produced new leaves. Some pet
store Cyclops and tiny snails came in accidentally with the plants. I
kill the snails by crushing when seen. I figure the Cyclops will end up
food when the Triops are added to the large tank.
<Likely yes, the Triops will eat any small animals they can
catch.>
The problem: I added 3 Triops to the large tank today and all gradually
became distressed. Two immediately started continual looping
behavior.
One fed well for a day, then seemed to have problems --possibly a
molting problem. One looper died overnight. The molter is still alive
but struggling.
<May be stressed by the water chemistry change. Personally, would
avoid adding anything (e.g., Iodine) unless expressly told to do so by
the manufacturer. These animals live naturally in low mineral content
waters and are presumably adapted to such. In any case, humbly suggest
hatching them in one tank and then rearing them in another is not the
way forward. Would rather hatch in the big tank with minimal water
level, and then gradually add more distilled water (as if it were
rainfall) a cm or so every couple of days.>
The water in the two tanks was exactly the same temperature when
transferred. No net was used, they were simply gently poured in. The
hatching tank had been gradually exchanging water with the main tank
through water changes. The specs don't seem that different, and
they should be acclimated pretty well.
<You'd have thought... but apparently not.>
I just don't understand what is going on. Possibly a dissolved
metals problem? Wouldn't that affect the other thriving
invertebrates (snails and Cyclops). Or is it a hardness problem? Should
there be calcium in the water. If so, then why are the Triops in the
softer (nearly distilled) water doing well so far?
<Triops live in very specific habitats, and it's essential you
stick precisely to the "Recipe" the manufacturer of the
Triops eggs provided. As nice as it might be to see them swimming about
a planted tank, that may not be viable. You could try and hatch some
eggs in a soft water planted aquarium, but hatching them in distilled
water and then moving the babies to a soft water aquarium might not
work. I'm speculating here of course, and I don't believe any
of us here are Triops experts. I kept the European Triops cancriformis
for a while and only managed to rear a single specimen to adulthood.
Would heartily suggest joining one of the many Triops forums or Yahoo
Groups where you'd be able to talk to actual experts.>
My tap water tests pH 6.5, GH 6, KH 3, no ammonia, no nitrite, no
chlorine (it is natural artesian spring water). Could be some manganese
and iron as there are some small rust stains on bathroom bowl
porcelain.
I have to figure this out, because they can't stay in the 3 liter
tank much longer -- the growth rate is too rapid, it's just too
small. Any suggestions? Change 50% of the main tank water with
distilled?
<Hatch, rear the Triops in a single container with consistent water
quality. Add a sponge filter only once mature enough not to be sucked
up. That, I'm afraid, seems to be the recipe that works most
reliably.>
Thanks for your help!
Steve
<Cheers, Neale.>
Shrimps and Iodine Hello again, seems like I'm pestering
you folks a lot with invertebrates questions lately. I was
looking through the Freshwater Snail FAQ again, and noticed a note by
Sabrina <Me!> that freshwater shrimp tanks can/should be dosed
with iodine <I first got this notion from another person that had
asked about it, and I got the dosing rates from the fella at http://www.franksaquarium.com/ , in
case you (or others) wished to know.> (she recommended Kent reef
iodine - I found a bottle of Kent's marine iodine while browsing an
LFS this weekend and picked it up) at a rate of one drop per ten
gallons every week, and that it may help snails as well. Getting to my
questions, does the iodine break down over time in the tank, or get
absorbed by the charcoal in the filter, or what? <It'll get used
up by the shrimp, and will break down in time> Also, is there a way
to measure the amount in freshwater, and would you be able to suggest a
recommended level? <I think it highly impractical to test for
it.... Iodine tests are very awkward and time consuming, and
I'm not even positive they'll work with
freshwater. One drop per ten gallons weekly is a very, very
small amount, but really does improve overall health of the
shrimps.> I've been told there are iodine test kits for reef
tanks, but the individual who told me that wasn't sure if they
would work in freshwater. <Yeah, I rather doubt that it would.> I
change approximately 10% of the water in my tanks weekly, and 25% once
a month, would that be enough to remove any excess to prevent
buildup? <I think you'll be absolutely fine with
that.> Additionally, can the iodine harm fish or other life forms in
the tanks? Other than ghost shrimp and mystery snails, the other tank
inhabitants are black phantom tetras and Otocinclus (golden Otos, I
believe) in one tank, and African dwarf frogs in the other.
<I don't know much at all about the frogs - but everything else
should be great. I've used this in a heavily planted
tank with some pretty sensitive fish, with absolutely no effect on the
fish (or plants) whatsoever. Wishing you
well, -Sabrina.> Thanks again for any help you can
provide, Chris
Crayfish Hi Bob Fenner I have a 2.5gallon tank with a
crayfish and a 29gallon hard alkaline cichlid tank with a divider. I
want to move the crayfish to the empty portion of the 29gallon tank and
was wondering how to go about acclimating him from his neutral water.
<I would "drip acclimate" the crayfish/crawdad to the new
water by placing it in a lower position, dropping half the water out,
and use a length of airline tubing (with an adjustable knot) to drip
(about one drop a second) the cichlid water into its smaller system...
Most species (yours... likely an astacid... maybe Procambarus clarkii?)
will make this transition easily... after this abrupt mixing, just
place the animal by scooping it into a bag or plastic container
underwater and put in the larger system> Ps. I appreciate your past
help, and the speed at which you have replied. <You proverbially
"ain't seen nothing yet". Bob Fenner>
Crayfish I was wondering wither I could successfully keep a
crayfish in a 2.5gallon tank with a sponge filter. <it would be a
little cramped, but it would likely work too. They are incredibly hardy
creatures.>