Help...my Cleaner Shrimp Just Died

[jden092901]

I have a 30 gallon tank...I have a Skilter 400 (skimer and filter in one...its been working very well), I have 2 clowns, 1 six-line wrasse, and a bicolor blenny. I have the clean up crew and my cleaner shrimp just died...I have had him for months now. Why would he die? The only thing with my water is my nitrates, which are at 5. The highest they get is 10, but norm stay 3-5. Everything else is perfect. I dont feed a lot, do you think he just starved?

Thanks,

Josh...O should I get another one or what? I also had a sally crab die a few weeks ago. I think I dont feed them enough...I would love to get a coral bandet shrimp...but hear there mean

[kau_cinta_ku]

sure it wasn't just a molt? they look just like a dead shrimp color and all.

[jden092901]

I grabbed it...picked it up...and it had flesh in it. It was the body...dead. This sucks bad.

[McTeague]

I have a coral banded shrimp and he is grumpy but he never actually does any damage to the other animals. He is all show...

[kau_cinta_ku]

the six line could have also killed it. they will go after ornamental shrimp.

[jden092901]

Why do you think my shrimp died...do you think that a nitrate level of 5 could kill it? I was told that is nothing to be concerned about...I personaly think he just starved.

josh

[norwall]

Couple of ideas. First, they dont have a very long life span to begin with. Second, dont think a nitrate of 5 is bad and infact is very good. Thirdly, I have read that iodine is required by shimps and crabs to molt properly, but I wouldnt go putting iodine in your tank unless you could confirm that it was low and could have been the cause of death.

[jden092901]

Thank you for your help norwall...do you think that my 6-line wrasse could be bothering them? My sally crab died a few weeks ago...one other question...is there any benefit of having a cleaner shrimp over a coral banded shrimp? I love the coral banded shrimp...both are really neat but hear you cant have them in the same tank...

Josh

[m2434]

Nitrate is not very toxic at all, might be the issue if it was 200, but 5-10 is nothing.
How are your corals doing? Sometimes toxins such as heavy metals turn out to be the issue with invert deaths. The fact that you crab died leads me to think this is a possibility, if the Wrasse isn't the culprit.

How big was the shrimp? Shrimp don't live that long anyway, if it was large, it could have been old.

I doubt feeding is the issue, especially if you have nitrates.

[jden092901]

My corals are doing great, my clam is doing good, everything is great but that crab and shirmp. Would it help if I ran some type of phosoban or phos sponge? Soaking up any crap that may be in the water? The shrimp want that big...he was only a few months old.

Josh

[Duff Man]

Is there any way that copper got into the tank? Shrimp and crabs can be very intolerant of copper, even the slightest amount.

[jden092901]

I dont think so...i really dont think any coper got in there...I dont even have anything that is coper...All my other inverts are good...my hermit crabs, snails, and brittle star is doing great. This drives me crazy...lol.

Josh

[snorvich]

Six line wrasses can be hard on other animals. If you are doing regular water changes, your iodide level should be sufficient. That level of nitrate should not be a problem. I have never tried a coral banded shrimp AND a cleaner shrimp in the same tank. But, all said, shrimp don't have an extremely long life span.