First casualty, thoughts?

Coelli · 09/29/2014, 12:18 PM

My 29g tank was filled on 9/12 and 30# of LR added on 9/13. I had virtually no cycle and other than about 10ppm nitrate initially (slowly dropping) and .14 phosphate (hasn't been checked since 9/14 but I have two balls of chaeto and running extra GFO) ammonia and nitrate have remained 0.

I have 10 snails (2 nassarius, 8 asst'd algae eaters) and 8 days ago added a YWG, small pistol shrimp, and a Sally Lightfoot crab. On Saturday I added frags of xenia, monti cap, green birds nest and GSP. One of the 3 xenias doesn't look good, another could go either way, and the largest is thriving. I did not plan on these, they were given to me at a swap.

Today I found the SL crab dead outside of the pistol shrimp's burrow. The shrimp is about 1/3 of the crab's size but I'm still wondering. Other than a minor diatom bloom, I have no algae and have been trying to add extra pellets for the crab. Water parameters look good still (ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate <5ppm). The crab had been hiding out more the last few days. I don't think it was a molt - he seemed to be pretty intact when I pulled him out.

Could he have starved? Stress of the shipping/new tank? Did Roland the pistol shrimp kill him? What's the shrimp eating all the way back there against the back wall under the rocks, anyway?

I know we may never know but was hoping for some thoughts. Starvation is my guess.

Sugar Magnolia · 09/29/2014, 12:23 PM

Are you sure it wasn't just a molt? Molts do look like an intact crab.

Coelli · 09/29/2014, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia

Are you sure it wasn't just a molt? Molts do look like an intact crab.

I'm not 100% sure yet, but it looked "full." Last time I saw him he looked a little milky, and as I said he's been hiding more so a molt could be the answer. It's possible he's happy and safe somewhere and I'll update if so... But it didn't look good!

09/29/2014, 12:18 PM	#1
Coelli Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Tujunga, CA Posts: 1,443	First casualty, thoughts? My 29g tank was filled on 9/12 and 30# of LR added on 9/13. I had virtually no cycle and other than about 10ppm nitrate initially (slowly dropping) and .14 phosphate (hasn't been checked since 9/14 but I have two balls of chaeto and running extra GFO) ammonia and nitrate have remained 0. I have 10 snails (2 nassarius, 8 asst'd algae eaters) and 8 days ago added a YWG, small pistol shrimp, and a Sally Lightfoot crab. On Saturday I added frags of xenia, monti cap, green birds nest and GSP. One of the 3 xenias doesn't look good, another could go either way, and the largest is thriving. I did not plan on these, they were given to me at a swap. Today I found the SL crab dead outside of the pistol shrimp's burrow. The shrimp is about 1/3 of the crab's size but I'm still wondering. Other than a minor diatom bloom, I have no algae and have been trying to add extra pellets for the crab. Water parameters look good still (ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate <5ppm). The crab had been hiding out more the last few days. I don't think it was a molt - he seemed to be pretty intact when I pulled him out. Could he have starved? Stress of the shipping/new tank? Did Roland the pistol shrimp kill him? What's the shrimp eating all the way back there against the back wall under the rocks, anyway? I know we may never know but was hoping for some thoughts. Starvation is my guess.

09/29/2014, 12:23 PM	#2
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Are you sure it wasn't just a molt? Molts do look like an intact crab. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.