Cleaner shrimp sucked into powerhead

[woody189]

I have a 46 gallon tank w/ 3 powerheads. I had a cleaner shrimp but it died and i tried to replace him. I got one that was fairly small and w/in an hour of introducing him to the tank, he was sucked into one of my powerheads and by the time i saw him he was dead. I was real upset because i felt as if it were my fault.
Do you think it got sucked into the PH because it was unhealthy or because the Ph was too powerful. iT was a 300 gph ph.
i wanted a new cleaner shrimp, but i don't want a huge one.
I had a camelback shrimp too which was probably about the same size as the cleaner and he had no problems..
What should i do??

 

[forsfed50]

A skunk cleaner is going to grow to about 2 inches whether
you want him to or not. The power heads do have some type of screen dont they? If not you can use a foam to filter the intake. Its sold at your lfs.
Sorry for the loss those guys are not cheap.

 

[robertmathern]

Sorry for your loss. But dont beat yourself up. Not your fault or the shrimps. He just got a little to close stuff happens. But do look onto what forsfed said. That most likely will solve that problem.

 

[nycbob]

dont think its the powerheads. i hv skunks crawling on the powerheads all the time, without issue. it was just a weak shrimp.

 

[woody189]

THnaks. do you think i'd be alright getting another small one or should i definitely get the foam thing??

 

[flip_x]

id say just get the foam thing since u have problems with it..

 

[sepulatian]

How did you acclimate the shrimp? What is your SG? Inverts should be drip acclimated for several hours, your SG should be 1.025. If either of those were off then he may have been in shock which would make him susceptible to being sucked in through the screen at the bottom of the PH.

 

[mr_x]

i have/had many powerheads in the tank and have never lost a shrimp to one. i'm thinking that the shrimp could have been "under the weather" as well.

 

[woody189]

I honestly don't recall the SG at the time or how long i acclimated. I usually don't rush acclimation, but i wouldn't have acclimated for a couple hours. maybe 45 mins
This was a few months ago and i've been too scared to get a new one. I just wanted to make sure i wasn't going to lose another one.
MY PH's have the normal plastic "Screen" thing. more like a strainer i guess.
I don't really have the money right now, but when i do i'll get another small one. I guess it must have been that specific shrimp.
My first cleaner was so cool, he would walk upside down on the water during feeding time. I hope my next one does that too.
thanks again

 

[jeanheckle]

Really just sound like an odd happening. I also have a 46 gallon with 2 PH, I have 3 peppermint shrimp that have been in there from the beginning and I have 2 Coral Banded Shrimp. I think you are fine getting another one. I acclimated my peppermints for about 45 min and the CBS longer.