Shrimps as a water quality indicator?

[cci[RR]us]

Hi,

I heard that shrimps (perhaps even lobsters?) are more sensitive to water quality changes, such that they are the first ones to suffer from water quality degradation. Thus, some people keep shrimps in their tanks as indicators before disaster strikes.

Is there any truth in this?

Thanks!

[cornyfish]

us,Jan 8 2006, 04:20 PM] Hi,

I heard that shrimps (perhaps even lobsters?) are more sensitive to water quality changes, such that they are the first ones to suffer from water quality degradation. Thus, some people keep shrimps in their tanks as indicators before disaster strikes.

Is there any truth in this?

Thanks!

That's true... certain shrimps are exceptionally sensitive, such as the Blood (Fire) shrimp. When water quality deteriorates, they will stop eating.. first sign of more bad things to come.

[giantbicycle]

Inverts are much more sensitive then corals or fishes, so if any thing happen to yr water parameters, they are the first t o show signs of stress

[cci[RR]us]

Then any ideas if the common blue/purple lobster selling in Pasir Ris Farmway 2, is a good indicator?

[veliferium]

hmm..those can kill small fish..i tink...correct me if im wrong...

CS are a better choice

[cci[RR]us]

Yeah, it killed my uncle's dunno-what-angel and copperbands.

[lightbolt75]

Not really true. When my 2ft tank crashed.... all the fishes died except for the two fire shrimps. They even moulted successfully. Initially I thought they died along with the other fishes. So I let me tank recycled for another month before adding fishes again....slowly. When I start feeding the new stock, guess what..... the two fire shrimps came out of the rocks to feed. They managed to survive without any feeding for the whole month when that the tank was recovering.

[cornyfish]

Not really true. When my 2ft tank crashed.... all the fishes died except for the two fire shrimps. They even moulted successfully. Initially I thought they died along with the other fishes. So I let me tank recycled for another month before adding fishes again....slowly. When I start feeding the new stock, guess what..... the two fire shrimps came out of the rocks to feed. They managed to survive without any feeding for the whole month when that the tank was recovering.

That's interesting... cos in my experience fire shrimps are the most delicate creatures in the tank. But i suppose it has alot to do with the initial health of the shrimps as well.

How did your tank crash? Maybe due to a parasitic infection such as ich that wiped out the fishes but not the inverts?

[cornyfish]

hmm..those can kill small fish..i tink...correct me if im wrong...

CS are a better choice

Yes.. those 2 big claws are a warning...

[lightbolt75]

That's interesting... cos in my experience fire shrimps are the most delicate creatures in the tank. But i suppose it has alot to do with the initial health of the shrimps as well.

How did your tank crash? Maybe due to a parasitic infection such as ich that wiped out the fishes but not the inverts?

Ammonia spike.....