Cleaner Shrimp appears to be dying but unknown cause

[Lee04]

Hi Everyone,

Today I noticed problems with my cleaner shrimp. Last night it was doing great, was walking around and lively. Today however, it is staying on its side but is still kicking around somewhat well.

Info and Parameters:

Nano saltwater aqueon evolve 8 gallon
Age over 4 weeks
Live rock
No corals, frags, fish, etc. only the shrimp

Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ammonia 0
pH 8.2
Temp 80°F
Salinity 30 ppt
SG 1.022
calcium TBD

Other notes: Shrimp was drip acclimated for thirty minutes last night. I didn't notice any problematic hitchhikers on the rocks but recently saw a pinkish worm which I took to be a bristle worm. The fronds that came with one of the rocks is fine.

Here is a photo of the fronds; also one of the shrimp.




Thank you for your help!

 

[Lee04]

Here is a photo of what the worm looked like from what I could tell (picture from internet):

 

[snorvich]

What was the SG of the transport water?

 

[Lee04]

SG for transport water was 1.023.

I moved the out spout slightly toward the side of the tank. Shrimp is now standing on the rock, but staying in one spot. Perhaps that is normal...I imagine that too strong of a current can be problematic. If it stays in one spot, should I be concerned?

 

[Calappidae]

LFS or ordered online? The acclimation could've also been bad. You shouldn't ever drip acclimate that long, once the bag is open it needs to be in before the ammonia changes chemistry due to oxygen change.

 

[ChimolaFish]

If you got it from a LFS, a 30min acclimation is perfectly fine. If you ordered it online, then it can sometimes be more beneficial to do a quick temperature acclimation vs a long drawn out drip acclimation. Anyway, shrimp typically molt when first moved, so I wouldn't be too worried. He's probably just preparing for that\setting up a station for fish to come by and be cleaned (poor thing, haha). Their molts sometimes end in them breaking their own backs though, so be prepared for that.

 

[Lee04]

Shrimp was from LFS. Most probably moulting by the sound of it. It seems far too active with its arms to be on its way out.
Though, now I'm concerned about it breaking its back. I don't suppose there's something I can dose to help it moult?
At any rate, thanks for your responses! I guess I'll have to wait and see how it goes unless there's any further speculation.