RIP Shrimpy

[Jscwerve]

Lost my first livestock the other day. Just a shrimp, and I thought I did everything perfectly by the book. I'm hoping it was due to shock or something. The only livestock in this tank is 5 blue hermits and (formerly) two peppermint shrimp.

Here is the tank:

20 gal (ya way small, just a stopgap until my 125 is done)
Salinity: 1.023
Ammonia: 0
Phospate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5

Started the tank 11/20 with 10lbs live rock from LFS, another 10 of dry rock that I had, and 20lbs of CaribSea "Live" sand.

Added the crabs a few weeks later when Nitrites came down to zero, added the shrimp a couple weeks after that (2 weeks ago).

Had two Koralia 425s running and removed one because I think it was just too much. Also using a canister filter (I know the arguments, no need to repeat them here) with only a sponge and carbon in it. Started with bio-balls and ceramic media, but over the last few weeks removed some every couple of days until it was all gone. I clean this out every 3 days and I'm about to remove it all together because I really don't think it does anything.

Everything has been going splendidly. My nitrates spiked at 50 and through water changes every three days are now down to 5. Crabs seem happy, shrimp that's left is very lively. Had a diatom bloom that seems to be going away quickly.

I started the tank to just cure live rock to be placed in my larger tank (then the wife likes that tank in the room, so it's gonna be the QT when the 125 is up this weekend). It was just started with the rock piled in there. I did move the rock around and stack it more asthetically two days before the shrimp gave up the ghost, could this be the cause? Could I have stirred up something that ended it? I checked parameters the next day for ammonia spike or something and it was all good. Came home two days later and the crabs were having a shrimp buffet party.

When I do water changes I take a power head and blow off the rocks and loose stuff off of the sand if there is any and whatever gets sucked up is just that and whatever settles back, oh well. Could I be removing food that the shrimp needed? Did he starve to death?

I feel this is too long of a rant for a shrimp that only cost a couple of bucks, but I'd like to end any problems before they get bigger.

Any suggestions are appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[chimmike]

salinity is just a tad low?

everything else sound good

 

[Jscwerve]

salinity is just a tad low?

everything else sound good

Yes, and am waiting for some evap to raise it up.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Evap won't fix low SG. You will need to mix your top off water to 1.025 or 1.026 this will increase it as well as water changes to the same SG of 1.025 or 1.026 this should be your target SG.

 

[Jscwerve]

Evap won't fix low SG. You will need to mix your top off water to 1.025 or 1.026 this will increase it as well as water changes to the same SG of 1.025 or 1.026 this should be your target SG.

I know, I didn't mean I was waiting for evap to actually raise the salinity, I meant so that there was room in the tank to top off with saltwater instead of plain RODI water. I did a water change night before last, so I didn't want to do one the very next day.

But.... I don't think the salinity was the issue that killed my shrimp. I could of course be extremely wrong, but from what I've read the level really gets dangerous to the shrimp if it drops below 1.015 or so.

 

[shifty51008]

It wasnt just a molt was it? They look identical to the shrimp.

 

[Jscwerve]

It wasnt just a molt was it? They look identical to the shrimp.

That's the first thing I thought as well. From what was left of it when I got home, there was some meat still in the carcass.

And it's a small tank, there are hiding spaces, but I'm pretty sure I would have seen him by now.

It just seems strange, the sudden death with good water conditions and no real reason.

I am holding off putting anything into the tank now because of this which sucks. I was planning on using this basically as an initial quarantine for the first inhabitants of my 125 I'm starting this weekend. I figured in 8 weeks I'd transfer everything from this tank into the 125 and just leave this bare bottomed and ready to QT the next livestock.

I guess the challenge and mystery is part of why we do this, eh?

 

[Jscwerve]

It wasnt just a molt was it? They look identical to the shrimp.

Oh, and almost forgot,


GO BRONCOS!!!!!!

 

[shifty51008]

Oh, and almost forgot,


GO BRONCOS!!!!!!

Ohhh your pushing it now lol.

Tbh im not sure if we would rather have the wild card schedual or the division champ schedual. Either way we will take it.

Good luck, well until we have to beat you for the 2nd time in a row lol.

 

[Jscwerve]

Ohhh your pushing it now lol.

Tbh im not sure if we would rather have the wild card schedual or the division champ schedual. Either way we will take it.

Good luck, well until we have to beat you for the 2nd time in a row lol.

Um, we beat you guys in the final seconds of that game earlier on a fumble returned for a TD by our defense.

Or have you blocked that memory for it being too tragic!!!!!:lolspin:

 

[shifty51008]

Yeah i remember that game unfortunatly. That game should have been ours lol.

 

[Marchillo]

How big are the blue hermits compared to the shrimp. They could have done it if they were hungry enough and if they are big and the shrimps were small.

Very cute argument btw. Everyone knows your teams are playing for second place in the AFC this year (Patriots season ticket holder)!!!

 

[shifty51008]

How big are the blue hermits compared to the shrimp. They could have done it if they were hungry enough and if they are big and the shrimps were small.

Very cute argument btw. Everyone knows your teams are playing for second place in the AFC this year (Patriots season ticket holder)!!!

Dont get me started on the cheaters . Lol just kidding.

I dont think hermits are fast enough to catch a shrimp though.

 

[Jscwerve]

How big are the blue hermits compared to the shrimp. They could have done it if they were hungry enough and if they are big and the shrimps were small.

Very cute argument btw. Everyone knows your teams are playing for second place in the AFC this year (Patriots season ticket holder)!!!

Lol, shrimp are much bigger than the crabs. And the crabs are so clumsy, I would pay to see one chase a shrimp.

One thing the Patriots haven't done this year? Beat the Broncos.
The Patriots are demons, and Bellicheat the devil.
(Broncos season ticket holder)

 

[Marchillo]

Lol, shrimp are much bigger than the crabs. And the crabs are so clumsy, I would pay to see one chase a shrimp.

One thing the Patriots haven't done this year? Beat the Broncos.
The Patriots are demons, and Bellicheat the devil.
(Broncos season ticket holder)

Yeah so I'm stumped on the shrimp death

+1 Patriots are evil.

Good thing about that first meeting is it doesn't matter. Hopefully the Broncos are lucky enough to make it to Gillette for the rematch.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Ok you two, either take it to the Lounge... Or get a room! :lmao:

 

[Drewl117]

Ok you two, either take it to the Lounge... Or get a room! :lmao:

Ya... What he said!
Hahaha..... Go Pats

 

[Jscwerve]

Well, the other shoe has dropped.

Or shrimp, as it were.

My other peppermint disappeared yesterday.

All water parameters are perfect with the exception of nitrates which are at 10. My salinity was low (refer to first post), but I slowly brought it up over a few days to 1.025.

This time there is no evidence of the little guy even being there. Just *poof*, gone. It had it's usual "hiding" spot on the underside of a rock toward the front of the tank and I could see him daily.

Ugh.

Only other tank mates are 5 little hermits, a few snails, and live rock with a bunch of little brittle stars. There were a few asterina that showed up a few weeks ago, but have since gone.


When I walk down the street now all I hear are people speaking under their breath, "shrimp murderer"................:uhoh2:

 

[thelawnwrangler]

When I walk down the street now all I hear are people speaking under their breath, "shrimp murderer"................:uhoh2:

I know your pain I killed Nemo

newbie question do you feed them do you need to?

 

[Jscwerve]

I know your pain I killed Nemo

newbie question do you feed them do you need to?

I am throwing in some mysis every other day (1/4 cube) to keep everything happy. When I do the shrimp (formerly) and crabs go friggin nuts. I thought that was enough as there are no fish in the system. Maybe it starved? I wouldn't think so, but I guess it's possible.

I don't get an ammonia spike the next day or anything, I've checked.