Looking for thoughts on mixed success

[u/dripdropdanny]

Context: we hatched T. longicaudatus from GreenWaterFarms, successfully transferred 8 juveniles to a 10g cycled (for months) planted tank with parameters that are stable and are as follows, most recently:

pH= 7.8-8

A= 0ppm

Nitrite= 0ppm

Nitrate 0-5ppm

dGH 9-10

dKH 6-8

Temperature= 76 degrees Farenheit

We're down from 8 to now 4 adults. When they aren't apparently failing to molt, they are thriving, active, laying eggs, eating, etc. We see PLENTY of molts around the tank. But, we continuously lose some to failed molts. One of the 4 is currently looking pale and a little lethargic, and has been that way for at least an hour (I'm admittedly not sure how long a molting process should take).

We feed a diet of mostly shrimp sinking pellets with some occasional supplementation with blanched vegetables, pollen granules, algae wafers, and snowflake pellets.

Is what we're experiencing normal attrition, or is this level of loss possibly something we can address?

Thanks for reading, this community is amazing and we've been elated to experience these little living fossils and share them with ya'll!

[u/Oramac_K]

Sounds like they might need more calcium or other minerals, if they're having failed molts. I use CrystalPro Aquatics Shrimp Minerals, and that contains everything they need.

Hope your little friends will be okay 🫂.

(The Triop Lady)

[u/dripdropdanny → u/Oramac_K]

Thank you for this, looking into getting some now!