cleaner shrimp question

pteam · 08/30/2008, 12:56 AM

We purchased a cleaner shrimp about a week ago, hes been doing good. This evening we watched him catch and eat several small pieces of squid from a cube ( out of one of those salt water multi packs). Several hours later we have found him appearing to be dead just sitting peacefully out in the open on the floor of the tank. Not upside down or anything.

Our tank temp was at 83-84 today, we put the tank fans on and dropped it back to 80.5, crept back up to 81.5. -could this have killed him, the temp change? The fan was only on 30min.

All levels are normal as we have checked recently, all other life in tank are fine.

Also last week we bought 5 peppermint shrimp and 2 died the next day probably due to poor acclimation but I think the other 3 are living theyre hard to spot as they hide in the rocks.

What could have killed him?

banditpowdercoat · 08/30/2008, 01:05 AM

What are your water parameters?
Sg
Phosphates
Nitrates
Nitrites
PH

any one could lead to bad. Also, How old is the tank?? Cured LR?

pteam · 08/30/2008, 01:09 AM

We added 100lbs of live rock a month ago, it was cured before hand and filtering in water before it was brought to me. Its been in there for weeks now. The water was clear within 30 mins of turning the pump back on after the filter change. My PH is 8.2 (just tested) . Ammonia 0, nitrite 0. I lost the card for nitrate so havnt tested in last few weeks. Alkalinity normal. Calcium 500ppm all these tested last night

carne125 · 08/30/2008, 01:11 AM

Appearing dead or dead?? Maybe he molted and you found his exo shell. Like prev post check all levels and if somethings off then thast your prob

pteam · 08/30/2008, 01:16 AM

Naa I'm pretty sure hes dead, Hes got legs, eyes, body . I guess I'm just hoping hes in a deep sleep?

I feel sooooo bad when things die.

carne125 · 08/30/2008, 01:20 AM

when they molt they molt everything not just parts...but if your sure hes dead then somethings off with water although a quick temp change is suspect prob wont do in your shrimp, something in waters off. Check levels and adjust *** needed then and try again my friend we all make mistakes

pteam · 08/30/2008, 01:21 AM

Ok just checked phosphates - 0 .

Also the tank is 10 years old. But had 100lbs new live rock a month ago and a new octupus skimmer which is working but very little is getting in the container. I used to have a big *** bamboo shark in there and now shes gone. My old protien skimmer was barely working and thats why I replaced it. So now the shark is gone and he used to put out alot of waste so I'm thinking my biological filter is still super strong since it dealt with the shark's waste before and feedings everday.

pteam · 08/30/2008, 01:26 AM

carne125 · 08/30/2008, 01:27 AM

nitrates??? they are bad

pteam · 08/30/2008, 01:30 AM

nitrite 0, but nitrates is the only thing I can't test cause I have the test but not the sheet that shows you what the color results mean. Salt is at 1.022 . Everything else looks good I think? Nobody else is dieing.

Thanks for your help!

carne125 · 08/30/2008, 01:33 AM

prob nitrates brother.. Run to nearest store get a test kit and check levels. Here its 330am so nothings open lol. Nitrates can be a b@tch. After you fix thing add another clear and things will be ok.

pteam · 08/30/2008, 01:34 AM

Can ammonia be 0 and nitrites be 0 but nitrates be high? IF anything I would think my nitrates would be alot lower now that the shark is gone and getting lower everyday.

VacavilleFC3S · 08/30/2008, 01:37 AM

hmm you say it's an old tank, any chance someone has previously dosed copper in it???

carne125 · 08/30/2008, 01:38 AM

are you familiar with nitrogen cycle???? check google for the nitrogen cycle when having a fish tank and you will find answer. Saltwater fish are way more sensative than freshwater to this cycle especially inverts such as shrimp and coral.

carne125 · 08/30/2008, 01:41 AM

copper good point... but he had a cat shark and no way he used that with cat shark

pteam · 08/30/2008, 01:43 AM

ok it looks like I have 40ppm maybe 60ppm nitrate

pteam · 08/30/2008, 01:48 AM

I had to gauge the results from an online image since I cant find the results card.

This is my nitrate results:

In person it looks like 40ppm maybe 60ppm at the most

carne125 · 08/30/2008, 01:51 AM

High but IMO not fatal, maybe too high for initial acclimation. try lowering a bit and adding another shrimp

carne125 · 08/30/2008, 01:52 AM

IMO your NITRITE card is showing a reading,, you may have amon.....check that again

pteam · 08/30/2008, 01:55 AM

Are you talking about the nitrite readings in this picture:

If so my vile is on the right, and the two on the left are actually a picture on my computer screen from the stock image. My nitrite test is not shown , the only vile shown is my nitrate.

I reuploaded the image to show that clearer.

carne125 · 08/30/2008, 01:59 AM

no the blue one.... if you have nitrite you have amon which would kill your shrimp i think its the second or third one u show

pteam · 08/30/2008, 02:01 AM

yea those werent my results. I deleted that from my post, that was a stock photo from google search so I could gauge the results from that nitrate card , that image is here but they are not my results - http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...tests_0318.jpg

pteam · 08/30/2008, 02:01 AM

And the only way to lower nitrates is water change? and no I've never used copper I'm only feeding 1 small cube of frozen food per night, got 2 big tangs, 1 big foxface, 4 clowns, few crabs shrimp and snail. Sometimes a few flakes in a 150 gallon

pteam · 08/30/2008, 12:25 PM

Well tonight I'm sure he was dead. This morning hes gone, I think he may have got eaten.

Anybody have an idea why he died?

08/30/2008, 12:56 AM	#1
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	cleaner shrimp question We purchased a cleaner shrimp about a week ago, hes been doing good. This evening we watched him catch and eat several small pieces of squid from a cube ( out of one of those salt water multi packs). Several hours later we have found him appearing to be dead just sitting peacefully out in the open on the floor of the tank. Not upside down or anything. Our tank temp was at 83-84 today, we put the tank fans on and dropped it back to 80.5, crept back up to 81.5. -could this have killed him, the temp change? The fan was only on 30min. All levels are normal as we have checked recently, all other life in tank are fine. Also last week we bought 5 peppermint shrimp and 2 died the next day probably due to poor acclimation but I think the other 3 are living theyre hard to spot as they hide in the rocks. What could have killed him?

08/30/2008, 01:09 AM	#3
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	We added 100lbs of live rock a month ago, it was cured before hand and filtering in water before it was brought to me. Its been in there for weeks now. The water was clear within 30 mins of turning the pump back on after the filter change. My PH is 8.2 (just tested) . Ammonia 0, nitrite 0. I lost the card for nitrate so havnt tested in last few weeks. Alkalinity normal. Calcium 500ppm all these tested last night Last edited by pteam; 08/30/2008 at 01:15 AM.

08/30/2008, 01:48 AM	#17
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	I had to gauge the results from an online image since I cant find the results card. This is my nitrate results: In person it looks like 40ppm maybe 60ppm at the most Last edited by pteam; 08/30/2008 at 01:59 AM.

08/30/2008, 02:01 AM	#23
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	And the only way to lower nitrates is water change? and no I've never used copper I'm only feeding 1 small cube of frozen food per night, got 2 big tangs, 1 big foxface, 4 clowns, few crabs shrimp and snail. Sometimes a few flakes in a 150 gallon Last edited by pteam; 08/30/2008 at 02:18 AM.

08/30/2008, 01:05 AM	#2
banditpowdercoat Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: 100 Mile House BC Canada Posts: 70	What are your water parameters? Sg Phosphates Nitrates Nitrites PH any one could lead to bad. Also, How old is the tank?? Cured LR?

08/30/2008, 01:11 AM	#4
carne125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: jersey Posts: 34	Appearing dead or dead?? Maybe he molted and you found his exo shell. Like prev post check all levels and if somethings off then thast your prob

08/30/2008, 01:16 AM	#5
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	Naa I'm pretty sure hes dead, Hes got legs, eyes, body . I guess I'm just hoping hes in a deep sleep? I feel sooooo bad when things die.

08/30/2008, 01:20 AM	#6
carne125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: jersey Posts: 34	when they molt they molt everything not just parts...but if your sure hes dead then somethings off with water although a quick temp change is suspect prob wont do in your shrimp, something in waters off. Check levels and adjust *** needed then and try again my friend we all make mistakes

08/30/2008, 01:21 AM	#7
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	Ok just checked phosphates - 0 . Also the tank is 10 years old. But had 100lbs new live rock a month ago and a new octupus skimmer which is working but very little is getting in the container. I used to have a big *** bamboo shark in there and now shes gone. My old protien skimmer was barely working and thats why I replaced it. So now the shark is gone and he used to put out alot of waste so I'm thinking my biological filter is still super strong since it dealt with the shark's waste before and feedings everday.

08/30/2008, 01:26 AM	#8
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81

08/30/2008, 01:27 AM	#9
carne125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: jersey Posts: 34	nitrates??? they are bad

08/30/2008, 01:30 AM	#10
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	nitrite 0, but nitrates is the only thing I can't test cause I have the test but not the sheet that shows you what the color results mean. Salt is at 1.022 . Everything else looks good I think? Nobody else is dieing. Thanks for your help!

08/30/2008, 01:33 AM	#11
carne125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: jersey Posts: 34	prob nitrates brother.. Run to nearest store get a test kit and check levels. Here its 330am so nothings open lol. Nitrates can be a b@tch. After you fix thing add another clear and things will be ok.

08/30/2008, 01:34 AM	#12
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	Can ammonia be 0 and nitrites be 0 but nitrates be high? IF anything I would think my nitrates would be alot lower now that the shark is gone and getting lower everyday.

08/30/2008, 01:37 AM	#13
VacavilleFC3S Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Vacaville California Posts: 2,613	hmm you say it's an old tank, any chance someone has previously dosed copper in it???

08/30/2008, 01:38 AM	#14
carne125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: jersey Posts: 34	are you familiar with nitrogen cycle???? check google for the nitrogen cycle when having a fish tank and you will find answer. Saltwater fish are way more sensative than freshwater to this cycle especially inverts such as shrimp and coral.

08/30/2008, 01:41 AM	#15
carne125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: jersey Posts: 34	copper good point... but he had a cat shark and no way he used that with cat shark

08/30/2008, 01:43 AM	#16
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	ok it looks like I have 40ppm maybe 60ppm nitrate

08/30/2008, 01:51 AM	#18
carne125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: jersey Posts: 34	High but IMO not fatal, maybe too high for initial acclimation. try lowering a bit and adding another shrimp

08/30/2008, 01:52 AM	#19
carne125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: jersey Posts: 34	IMO your NITRITE card is showing a reading,, you may have amon.....check that again

08/30/2008, 01:55 AM	#20
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	Are you talking about the nitrite readings in this picture: If so my vile is on the right, and the two on the left are actually a picture on my computer screen from the stock image. My nitrite test is not shown , the only vile shown is my nitrate. I reuploaded the image to show that clearer.

08/30/2008, 01:59 AM	#21
carne125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: jersey Posts: 34	no the blue one.... if you have nitrite you have amon which would kill your shrimp i think its the second or third one u show

08/30/2008, 12:25 PM	#24
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	Well tonight I'm sure he was dead. This morning hes gone, I think he may have got eaten. Anybody have an idea why he died?