Cleaner Shrimp sudden death???

fcatch76

fcatch76

Member
Hello everyone,
Asking for some advice on this one. First the specs:
Biocube 29- running for roughly 7 months
32 lbs. LR in tank
Nano Koralia for added water flow
Removed Bioballs and replaced with LR in sump area
1-1/2" to 2" sand
pH- 8.2
SG- 1.024
temp- 80 F
Phos- 0
Nitrate- 40...I know!!!
Stock:
2 True Clowns
1 Royal Gramma
1 Lawnmower Blenny
2 Mandarin Dragonets- yes I feed live copepods, they have been taking brine shrimp too
1 Red Scooter
2 Emerald Crabs
3 Marg. snails
3 Lg. Nar. Snails
4 Sm. Nar. Snails
3 Maxima Clams
5 Painter's/ Barber's brushes
1 Lettuce Nudibranch
Green Ricordea -Started as 4 polyps is now 7 polyps
Blue Ricordea - 4polyps
Mushroom Toadstool
Some Star polyps
Now the issue, since the startup of my tank I had a fire shrimp, healthy and molting regularly- my six line wrasse decided his time was up and destroyed my fire shrimp- so he became a credit from my LFS. We use the credit to get a skunk cleaner and after three days he ends up fighting with maybe the emerald crab (eye was ripped off and some whiskers pulled). So off to the LFS and purchase a smaller sized cleaner and after three days he just died???? No signs of an attack, nothing missing....
Any ideas?? I know those Nitrates are high, just performed (Tuesday) a 6 gallon water change, cleaned out my sump and the sand was also surprisingly clean. Have in the past over feed with frozen shrimps but have since cut back. The water I use for water changes has 0 nitrates.
Thank you to everyone that stops by to read my dilemna and hopefully can give some input!!
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by fcatch76
http:///forum/post/2713836
Hello everyone,
Asking for some advice on this one. First the specs:
Biocube 29- running for roughly 7 months
32 lbs. LR in tank
Nano Koralia for added water flow
Removed Bioballs and replaced with LR in sump area
1-1/2" to 2" sand
pH- 8.2
SG- 1.024
temp- 80 F
Phos- 0
Nitrate- 40...I know!!!
Stock:
2 True Clowns
1 Royal Gramma
1 Lawnmower Blenny
2 Mandarin Dragonets- yes I feed live copepods, they have been taking brine shrimp too
1 Red Scooter
2 Emerald Crabs
3 Marg. snails
3 Lg. Nar. Snails
4 Sm. Nar. Snails
3 Maxima Clams
5 Painter's/ Barber's brushes
1 Lettuce Nudibranch
Green Ricordea -Started as 4 polyps is now 7 polyps
Blue Ricordea - 4polyps
Mushroom Toadstool
Some Star polyps
Now the issue, since the startup of my tank I had a fire shrimp, healthy and molting regularly- my six line wrasse decided his time was up and destroyed my fire shrimp- so he became a credit from my LFS. We use the credit to get a skunk cleaner and after three days he ends up fighting with maybe the emerald crab (eye was ripped off and some whiskers pulled). So off to the LFS and purchase a smaller sized cleaner and after three days he just died???? No signs of an attack, nothing missing....
Any ideas?? I know those Nitrates are high, just performed (Tuesday) a 6 gallon water change, cleaned out my sump and the sand was also surprisingly clean. Have in the past over feed with frozen shrimps but have since cut back. The water I use for water changes has 0 nitrates.
Thank you to everyone that stops by to read my dilemna and hopefully can give some input!!
Unless it was sick from the time of purchase, or was preyed upon. Acclimation shock is most likely the cause IMO. 3 days after entering your system fish and inverts can fall victim to acclimation shock. JMO
 
fcatch76

fcatch76

Member
hmmm...I do understand the shock but took every acclimating precaution, the little guy was running around happily...
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Happily is a relative term, and should not be used when describing a new addition to your tank. Whatever their appearance may look like the last thing they are is happy. With that in mind there are a number of things that must equalize and stabilize within their little bodies before they are in the clear after being acclimated. Its a very common occurance and is seen quite often in the hobby. Sorry for your loss.
 
fcatch76

fcatch76

Member
trust me, I thought of that when I saw the little guy. Even picked him up slowly and waited a second for one last gasp of seawater.
Although, I have to say my wife did that to me with our emerald crabs, she flushed the molt and then said to me on the phone,"I could be crazy but he's back...." You can only imagine my reaction...
 
kingsmith

kingsmith

Member
yeah one really early and well hungover morning I was smoing a but checking out my tank and my mind was blown. First I thought noooooooo my lobster died. Then I thought Holy S*******t 2 Lobsters, what did my friends buy a lobster break in stage a battle royal. Nope I am just shot. The molt looked so brightly colored it through me off
 
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