[Teresa]

Hi from Portugal!

I have a new tank (fully cycled), I prepared everything carefully, got some MT snails acclimated, I have Limestone rocks to keep the pH up. These rocks came from the ocean in a natural marine reserve and my experiment was to try and see if some algae would survive in brackish water (before the shrimp were added), and some nice hairy algae did and is now growing like crazy on the rock that gets more light, I also have chaeto and marimo balls growing well. The amonia and nitrites are 0, the pH is 8, the salinity is 1.015, the GH and KH are good, the temperature is 25C, the only issue is it still has brown algae (leftover from a boom when cycling the tank with food). I have aqua Dragons (artemia salina) living happily there.

Everything is perfect... But I never see my shrimps. In the 1st days they were crazy, then they found the hiding places and I only see one once in a while. They have been here for 3 weeks. They are only 10 since they are expensive. But I started with only 10 neocaridina also in another tank and I saw them a lot and they got babies fast, so I figured I was ok to have just a few.

I do have a small sponge filter, because I am feeding spirulina every 3 days or so because of the aqua dragons.

Is it normal? Are they unhappy or is it their nature?

Thank you

[Teresa]

This is my tank https://drive.google.com/file/d/1alOabz ... p=drivesdk

This is a close up of my hairy algae and my marimos (the brown algae is on the glass and on top of some of the other algae) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1akWoqr ... p=drivesdk

[odin]

Hi there! The ammonia and nitrites being 0 is good, what are the Nitrates at? I would remove the filter and pump and stop feeding them. If you have a good tank light you will grow algae and they will eat it. i can go months without feeding my tank because there is so much algae growing, they breed too so i know they are not going hungry. Good luck!

[Vorteil]

Is it possible your salinity is too high? I believe brine shrimp needs a high salinity to survive. Opae ula do well in the 1.010 to 1.015 range. How old is this set up? Are you using an active substrate?

[solomalawi.]

It is normal when there are few animals, when they start to reproduce everything will change.The same is happening in my new tank, to right in the photo

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[Teresa]

The shrimp must have seen my post, this morning I saw several (at least 6). Only 1 shrimp now, I gave them spirulina in the morning I guess they don't need to come out now.

The salinity is 1.015. The artemia salina can actually live in a wide range of salinity, and they are beautiful swimming around. I could slowly lower the salinity I guess, maybe the shrimp will be happier.

The tank is about 2 months old and when it finished cycling I added the shrimps (about 3 weeks ago). I know it is cycled since the values of nitrite and nitrate are kept low. The brown algae is being stubborn in going away, but I didn't really clean it. The MTS like it (maybe the shrimp will also?) and it also does photosynthesis, it just makes other people say the tank looks dirty I like it, it reminds me of the ocean

[odin]

Nerite snails would bulldozer that algae in no time :)


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[Kivyee]

This is my tank https://drive.google.com/file/d/1alOabz ... p=drivesdk

This is a close up of my hairy algae and my marimos (the brown algae is on the glass and on top of some of the other algae) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1akWoqr ... p=drivesdk

Hello Teresa! Welcome to the world of Opys :). It looks like you are using aquasoil in that tank? If that is the case I would suggest not to, as aquasoils will tend to lower pH and basically fight with the rocks in a constant pH tussle. Regarding the shrimps, I wouldn't worry too much about it - they will hide. Once the population grows you will see them more often.

In terms of putting them together with the artemia salina, you are doing it right by having a sponge filter since you are feeding quite often. I think general consensus for Opae Ula are that they should have minimal water disturbance/filtration to replicate their natural environment. Maybe if your airflow is significant to your sponge filter that might be another reason they are hiding? My tank has a matten style filter that was about one bubble every two seconds flowing through the "jet pump". There is very minimal water flow in the tank. Could be something to consider once your artemia has died off, that you reduce feeding and potentially do away with filtration, or at least significantly turning down the air to the sponge filter.