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View Full Version : Dead Harlequin Shrimp... Causes?


Tyrenlds
01/27/2009, 10:29 AM
Found the body of my harlequin blowing around the tank yesterday. I think I've narrowed the cause of death down to two options, care to give your opinions on this?

First cause may be that I had two males and not a mated pair. The shrimp that died came in with a missing claw, and the two never hung out together, always on opposite sides of the tank (they'd also fight over food). This leads me to believe they were both males and that the damage seen could have been from fighting while at the LFS. So I'm thinking they finally had a fight to the death and the healthier shrimp won.

Second cause may have been the Neon Dottyback introduced last week. I've not seen him pay any interest to the Harlequins but have heard they can be aggressive toward shrimp.

What do you guys think? I'm at a loss and want to figure out the cause before I find a mate for the remaining shrimp.

Myrddraal
01/27/2009, 04:28 PM
Was it actually a dead shrimp, or just a molt?

Pulp Fishin
01/29/2009, 09:01 AM
A dead harlequin isn't anything like their molt, I don't think you can confiuse the two.

Pulp Fishin
01/31/2009, 11:19 AM
Here are my harlequins and one molted you can see to the right its nothing like a dead harlequin would look like.

http://i539.photobucket.com/albums/ff360/Pulp_Fishin/DSCN0156.jpg

tpdpercula
07/10/2009, 01:59 PM
I had a pair and recently noticed that I only had a male left. I pulled rock and could not locate the female at all even in the rock holes. My just disappeared!!!

Dave Harms
07/11/2009, 05:30 PM
Well, I know mine died when I couldn't get a star for it to eat for almost 2 months.

Calappidae
08/31/2013, 09:17 PM
As soon as I turned on my powerhead (225 GPH) my harlequin shrimp went flying around the tank until it landed in an over-hang. I then left minutes later to buy some distilled water for a water change and it was dead in the corner of the tank.. It was living on a frozen starfish diet for 2 months so idk if it was starving and the powerhead was too much for it or what.. Hope someone chimes in and answers both our questions here..

tatuaje08
09/01/2013, 11:54 PM
Holy old thread batman!

Living things do die of old age as well.