This morning I noticed that my skunk cleaner shrimp was sitting on the bottom of the tank, not moving around like he usually does, and in a different position than normal. I didn't think too much of it at first, but after going out for a few hours and coming back I saw him in the exact same place. I tried moving him and at first he kind of freaked out and shot away from my hand, landing upside down in a crack between two rocks and not making any more effort to move or right himself. From there I slowly moved my hand over to him and he grabbed my finger like he normally does, and I was able to lift him to a spot that he could stand straight. He still is moving a bit, but not walking at all. He is also ignoring my coral beauty angel who he cleans frequently, and ignoring any food I put in the tank which he usually chases after. I'm pretty much assuming he'll be dead very soon, but is there anything I can do to help him? Or is there anything I can look for as to an indication of what happened? I only got him a few months ago and he was pretty small at the time, so I don't think he's too old. He eats well, cleans the angel frequently, and has molted several times since I got him, so I don't know why he suddenly seems in such bad shape...
Cleaner Shrimp Dying?
- Thread starter pistilli
- Start date
My nitrates run a little high, 30 ppm or so, but no nitrites/ammonia and negligible phosphate. The salinity is 1.024, pH is stable at 8.2. I do water changes 10% per week, and had just done one 2 or 3 days before he started acting weird, which I think is too long of a lag for something from the new water to be the culprit, especially since they come every 7 days and all the rest of the inverts are fine...
Tennyson
Active member
Hmm, ok I don't think it was the water change or your nitrates since my nitrates are 20 ppm.
I honestly am not really sure about this but I can throw out guesses or small things you could do to help.
Have you tried enticing it to come back to normal with foods like mysid? silversides? This might get him to feel a bit more normal.
If you have any dangerous fish that could pose a threat to it, I would try to seperate it without causing too much stress.
Check the water for copper. Most shrimp are highly sensitive to copper.
Well, thats all i can think of. sorry. Im sure someone else with better knowledge than me can jump in and find a solution, but check your copper, that could possibly be the problem. Are there any other copper sinsitive shrimp that seem to be acting weird?
I honestly am not really sure about this but I can throw out guesses or small things you could do to help.
Have you tried enticing it to come back to normal with foods like mysid? silversides? This might get him to feel a bit more normal.
If you have any dangerous fish that could pose a threat to it, I would try to seperate it without causing too much stress.
Check the water for copper. Most shrimp are highly sensitive to copper.
Well, thats all i can think of. sorry. Im sure someone else with better knowledge than me can jump in and find a solution, but check your copper, that could possibly be the problem. Are there any other copper sinsitive shrimp that seem to be acting weird?
philter4
New member
Last night was a full moon, watch him he may just be in the pre shed stage, when they are inactive, don't eat, and disoriented. If this is the case, he will be back to normal as soon as he sheds. The other problem I have with mine, which may be different sp (I have the atlantic skunk cleaners), is temp, they do not like water above about 80 deg, that is probably why they live deeper.
Good luck, I hope it is just getting ready to shed.
Good luck, I hope it is just getting ready to shed.
