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Thread: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

  1. #1
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    Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

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    Hi,
    I've had this 3 gallon tank for about 4 months now. Cycled it for 1 month and added around 30 pcs of sakura, yellow and malayan shrimps. Everything is okay for around 2 months.

    Then came the mystery. My shrimps keep on disappearing. It's a small tank and I'm sure if they died, I was able to locate the carcass but no. They just disappeared.

    However, lately, I can see some dead shrimps although most disappeared without trace. I'm suspecting that it could be because of a particular rock that I've added around 2 months ago. It has got red stains on it. Not too sure what it is. See picture.

    rock red.jpg

    Should I purchase test kits (if there is one) to test for metals like copper, etc? Is it worth it? Or is it because of some chopsticks that I've added for tying some moss?

    Water parameter:
    pH is 5.8 to 6.4.
    Temp: 28-30C
    Nitrite=0
    Ammonia=0
    GH=3-4

  2. #2
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    Re: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

    I'd suspect dragonfly nymphs. Check the tank at night for activity.

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    Re: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

    I agree with squee, high chance it's a dragonfly or damselfly nymph. In my case it was a damselfly nymph.
    Fish.. Simply Irresistable
    Back to Killies... slowly.

  4. #4

    Re: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

    What kind of activities should one be looking for?

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    Re: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

    These nymphs are usually pale in color, but some come in brown tones that can camouflage with your gravel or driftwood. They will be skulking on the bottom, crawling around looking for prey. Use a torchlight to see if you have these nymphs. Some of them may just stay in one spot until they can ambush their prey.
    Fish.. Simply Irresistable
    Back to Killies... slowly.

  6. #6

    Re: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

    Cool. Good to know. Another good nugget of information. Thank you Stormhawk!

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    Re: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

    You're welcome. I found this out by accident in my main tank.. eggs came in with a piece of driftwood that had mosses on it. Needless to say, when I did discover the 2 nymphs, half of my shrimps were already dead.
    Fish.. Simply Irresistable
    Back to Killies... slowly.

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    Re: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

    Thanks for all the feedback. I've been stalking the tank at night but could not locate any nymph. Recently found more dead shrimps. This time bodies were limp and soft. I'm suspecting to be low pH. My snails dont seem to be affected though. That rules out metal poisoning. Read somewhere that Sakuras / fire red are quite senstive to low pH. I'm only guessing that my pH is around 5.8 onwards as most of the time my API reading shows very light yellow..signalling <6 although there's one time when it showed a nice 6.4. Any test kit out there that can test low pH?

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    Re: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

    3 gallons is quite small tank and you put 30 sakura, XX yellow and XX malayan. You put quite number of fauna. What filter did you use?

    Your pH also fluctuate quite a lot 5.8 to 6.4. Is that measure at different time? Any CO2 injection?
    -Robert
    Aquascaping is a marriage between Art and Farming
    My Blog: http://aquatic-art.blogspot.com/

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    Re: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

    30 in all...but I know, still a lot. However other nitrite and ammonia has been nil since I've added the fauna. But I'm having trouble with the pH. Too low I guess. The 6.4 was measured at different time after I've added some old sea mud powder but then days later it went down again. CO2 injection is 1bps for 8hrs/day. Light is also on for about the same time +/-. Filter is a HOF capacity about 200l/hr.

    I've removed most of the remaining shrimps to another tank. Only left with 5-6 juveniles. I've added 2 Ottos and 6 boraras and they are doing fine.
    Any advise.?..should I add some coral chips to bring the pH up or should I switch to more acid tolerant shrimp like CRS?

  11. #11
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    Re: Shrimps dying / disappearing on a daily basis - prime suspect?

    They have a low range pH test kit available, but you have to ask around. Another way is to use the test strips by Merck, for pH alone.

    The choice of switching to soft water shrimps like CRS is entirely up to you.
    Fish.. Simply Irresistable
    Back to Killies... slowly.

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