New cleaner shrimp dies over night?

Mandrew · 05/26/2013, 08:21 AM

Yesterday I bought:
1 royal grama
1 fire fish goby
1 cleaner shrimp
I have had two damsels in the tank for a few months. When I added them in they were all doing fine. The royal grama was hiding a lot (and still is) but other than that they looked good. This morning I woke up and the shrimp is dead... And I did some reading and it says they are sensitive to nitrates, what is a fatal nitrate level for a scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp?

Mandrew · 05/26/2013, 08:44 AM

Wow!!! I'm an idiot! I reached in to get him and that was just his old shell/skin!!! He was hiding in my tank!

devimik · 05/26/2013, 09:05 AM

Yep, that happens often. Mine molted shortly after being put into my tank and when I saw his molt, I thought he died for a moment too. Glad to hear he's still shrimpin'.

mandarin_goby · 05/26/2013, 09:45 AM

Yeah, I've had little heart attacks seeing their molts, my pom pom crabs' and the emerald crab molts. Honestly, the molt looks just like the critter. Probably a diversionary tactic so predators target the molt while the critter hides and recovers.

Mandrew · 05/26/2013, 10:04 AM

Hey, I feel a lot better knowing I'm not the only one lol

05/26/2013, 08:21 AM	#1
Mandrew Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 200	New cleaner shrimp dies over night? Yesterday I bought: 1 royal grama 1 fire fish goby 1 cleaner shrimp I have had two damsels in the tank for a few months. When I added them in they were all doing fine. The royal grama was hiding a lot (and still is) but other than that they looked good. This morning I woke up and the shrimp is dead... And I did some reading and it says they are sensitive to nitrates, what is a fatal nitrate level for a scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp?

05/26/2013, 09:05 AM	#3
devimik Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: KC, KS Posts: 637	Yep, that happens often. Mine molted shortly after being put into my tank and when I saw his molt, I thought he died for a moment too. Glad to hear he's still shrimpin'. __________________ Mike D Coral Beauty, Green Filefish, One Spot Foxface, Springeri Dottyback, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Yellow Watchman Goby, Flame Hawkfish, Spotted Mandarin Current Tank Info: 90g Softie Reef, 150# live rock, 30g sump w/refugium, Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO, Octopus NWB 150 Skimmer, Mag 950 return, Maxspect 120w Razor 10K LED light X2, BRS Phosphate Reactor; Apex Lite

05/26/2013, 09:45 AM	#4
mandarin_goby Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 844	Yeah, I've had little heart attacks seeing their molts, my pom pom crabs' and the emerald crab molts. Honestly, the molt looks just like the critter. Probably a diversionary tactic so predators target the molt while the critter hides and recovers. __________________ 75 with Eshopps 100 sump, Reef Octopus 110 SSS skimmer, Sicce 3.0 pump, Maxspect Gyre 130, 2 x Kessil a360W, mangroves plus clip-on bulb in sump 75 FW planted with CO2, 12 gallon cherry shrimp tank

05/26/2013, 08:44 AM	#2
Mandrew Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 200	Wow!!! I'm an idiot! I reached in to get him and that was just his old shell/skin!!! He was hiding in my tank!

05/26/2013, 10:04 AM	#5
Mandrew Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 200	Hey, I feel a lot better knowing I'm not the only one lol