Why did my Peppermint Shrimp DIE???

pelican · 04-17-2008, 02:47 PM

I had 2 peppermint shrimp for about 3 weeks and they seemed to have been doing fine. They ate well on flakes and brine shrimp. 2 nights ago, one appeared to have molted successfully; however, yesterday it died. The other one appeared ok and then it died last night. ANY clue??? My nitrates, ph, etc measure in safe ranges.
Other tank mates include:
-1 Ladderback Goby
-2 mexican red leg hermit crabs
-2 ocelarris clown fish
-1 royal grammas
-1 chromus damsel
-1 pajama cardinal
-4 unidentified anenomes that came w/ a live rock (not aiptasia)
-astrea star fish
Any info would be helpful!

rlcline76 · 04-17-2008, 04:05 PM

Whereas, they are vulnerable after a molt, I would look at something outside of the existing livestock since both went downhill.

Any water parameters you can give?

BigAl07 · 04-17-2008, 04:15 PM

any new additions? Keep in mind that many LFS will treat their "FO" tanks with copper treatment. If you get this same water into your REEF tank you'll see your shrimp and other inverts dieing off.

pelican · 04-17-2008, 04:40 PM

I haven't had any new additions, by water parameters...I'm hoping you mean the Nitrate: 40ppm, PH: 8.4, Alkalinity:300 I use Jungle Quick Dip multi test kit and all indicate that they are in ideal ranges. Any ideas? Thanks for you help. Everyone else in the tank seems ok and happy. I'm just concerned that someone else might go soon if I don't find out the problem. Also,I've also never been able to keep any kind of snails. Maybe invertebrates are might thing. I've had the tank going for about 1 1/2.

BigAl07 · 04-17-2008, 04:44 PM

Nitrates at 40ppm is NOT in the ideal range. Sorry to be a downer but that's much higher than I would like to see. I start heavy water changes anything at 20 or more. To export "Trates" you have to do water changes. Your "Trate" reduction is directly proportional to your percentage of water change. Trates of 40ppm will go down roughly 50% by doing a 50% water change. I just feel that's too high for your inverts.

pelican · 04-17-2008, 04:47 PM

Thank you SOO much for your help!!! I guess the kit's color range is not as accurate as it claims. I will do a water change asap and hopefully someday I can keep an invert succesfully. Thanks!

funkpolice · 04-17-2008, 06:37 PM

I think snails and shrimp need a pretty slow acclimation. Maybe they died from a quick ph/salinity change?
bill

CATALYST · 04-17-2008, 07:38 PM

Shrimp don't like nitrates. Buy Salifert test kits. They cost more but they are SO worth it.

lcstorc · 04-17-2008, 08:11 PM

Inverts need a very slow acclimation (several hours) and do not tolerate sudden changes in salinity. That would be my bet anyway.

04-17-2008, 02:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
pelican Tunicate Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3 View Gallery Karma Komment	Why did my Peppermint Shrimp DIE??? I had 2 peppermint shrimp for about 3 weeks and they seemed to have been doing fine. They ate well on flakes and brine shrimp. 2 nights ago, one appeared to have molted successfully; however, yesterday it died. The other one appeared ok and then it died last night. ANY clue??? My nitrates, ph, etc measure in safe ranges. Other tank mates include: -1 Ladderback Goby -2 mexican red leg hermit crabs -2 ocelarris clown fish -1 royal grammas -1 chromus damsel -1 pajama cardinal -4 unidentified anenomes that came w/ a live rock (not aiptasia) -astrea star fish Any info would be helpful!

04-17-2008, 04:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
rlcline76 Manta Ray Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 3,365 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why did my Peppermint Shrimp DIE??? Whereas, they are vulnerable after a molt, I would look at something outside of the existing livestock since both went downhill. Any water parameters you can give?

04-17-2008, 04:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
pelican Tunicate Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why did my Peppermint Shrimp DIE??? I haven't had any new additions, by water parameters...I'm hoping you mean the Nitrate: 40ppm, PH: 8.4, Alkalinity:300 I use Jungle Quick Dip multi test kit and all indicate that they are in ideal ranges. Any ideas? Thanks for you help. Everyone else in the tank seems ok and happy. I'm just concerned that someone else might go soon if I don't find out the problem. Also,I've also never been able to keep any kind of snails. Maybe invertebrates are might thing. I've had the tank going for about 1 1/2.

04-17-2008, 04:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
pelican Tunicate Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why did my Peppermint Shrimp DIE??? Thank you SOO much for your help!!! I guess the kit's color range is not as accurate as it claims. I will do a water change asap and hopefully someday I can keep an invert succesfully. Thanks!

04-17-2008, 06:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
funkpolice Plate Coral Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Orland Park IL Posts: 751 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why did my Peppermint Shrimp DIE??? I think snails and shrimp need a pretty slow acclimation. Maybe they died from a quick ph/salinity change? bill

04-17-2008, 07:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
CATALYST Elegance coral Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,223 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why did my Peppermint Shrimp DIE??? Shrimp don't like nitrates. Buy Salifert test kits. They cost more but they are SO worth it. __________________

04-17-2008, 08:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 21,727 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Why did my Peppermint Shrimp DIE??? Inverts need a very slow acclimation (several hours) and do not tolerate sudden changes in salinity. That would be my bet anyway. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

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