Test carefully
Follow the test kit instructions, check its expiration, and use clean vials. Ammonia may enter from decaying food, animal waste, a disturbed filter, or an incomplete cycle.
Record the result with the date and compare it with nitrite and nitrate readings. Clear water does not prove that ammonia is absent.
Investigate before dosing
Check feeding, dead animals, filter operation, and whether biological media was replaced or cleaned aggressively. Repeat an unexpected result with a fresh test.
If ammonia is confirmed, use a measured response appropriate to the tank and livestock. Avoid stacking binders or medications without understanding how they affect test readings.
For your own tank
If the test shows ammonia, do not add new shrimp or increase feeding while you investigate. Check for dead animals, decaying food, filter stoppage, and recent media cleaning. Use reliable test instructions and ask for help if the reading is unexpected.
- Aquarium Co-Op · The Beginner's Guide to the Nitrogen Cycle
- Aquarium Co-Op · Care Guide for Cherry Shrimp
Use these as general hobby references. Test your aquarium and confirm product guidance before making changes.