Hi, All.
I've had my little mud turtle exactly 2 weeks now. I put about a dozen ghost shrimp in the tank about 10 days ago and did a 50% water change about a week ago. I was expecting my turtle to eat some of the shrimp, which I assume he has. I counted 4 shrimp last night. This morning I saw 1 dead shrimp that another shrimp appeared to be eating. This evening there is another dead shrimp and one live one that hardly moves, so I figure he's on the way out.
I looked up a little about ghost shrimp and tested my water. My pH is 6.5 but my nitrates and nitrates score just off the chart using those dipsticks.
Do you think the nitrates and nitrites are what is killing the ghost shrimp?
I ASSUME the nitrates and nitrites are no harm to my turtle since he doesn't breathe water?
Is this something about the "cycling" that new tanks have to go through?
I've had my little mud turtle exactly 2 weeks now. I put about a dozen ghost shrimp in the tank about 10 days ago and did a 50% water change about a week ago. I was expecting my turtle to eat some of the shrimp, which I assume he has. I counted 4 shrimp last night. This morning I saw 1 dead shrimp that another shrimp appeared to be eating. This evening there is another dead shrimp and one live one that hardly moves, so I figure he's on the way out.
I looked up a little about ghost shrimp and tested my water. My pH is 6.5 but my nitrates and nitrates score just off the chart using those dipsticks.
Do you think the nitrates and nitrites are what is killing the ghost shrimp?
I ASSUME the nitrates and nitrites are no harm to my turtle since he doesn't breathe water?
Is this something about the "cycling" that new tanks have to go through?