Cleanup Crew deaths in a 14g

[shrimpy]

I have a 14g nano tank...............since about January. I had all the expected trouble of getting the water right, but that is now solved and the fish live. Recently though, I have had problems keeping the cleanup crew alive. Even replacements are dying off after a week or two go by......emerald crab, sally lightfoot crab, olive snails, turbo snails, scarlett hermits.......no one is immune.......but the 4 fish (2 clowns, a fairy wrasse, and chromis) are fine. I have had the water tested both at home (kit) and the marine shop.........everything checks out fine for ph, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, salinity. They have no answers for me.
the water I use I get from the marine shop. same goes for the inhabitants.
now what I see as a distinct clue is that during the process to get the tank set up.........we had all kinds of issues maintaining the proper balance of ph, nitrite, etc..........so I was doing a lot of water changes (as instructed by the marine shop). Eventually they had us put more bacteria in and we finally got it solved..................but in the past 3-4 weeks I can't keep the cleanup crew alive save for a few blue leg hermits. Snails are dying within a week........crabs are lasting longer. There is algae for them to eat. We feed the fish flakes daily and mysis shrimp goes in every other day.
any ideas as to why this keeps happening?

 

[premilove]

the hermits could be killing the snails only bc the hermits want to expand out of their shells..maybe you have a hitchhiker in there that could be the culprit? i think it is the hermits that are doing it tho..jmo

 

[uneverno]

Was the tank brand new when you got it?
Inverts dying and fish ok smells like copper to me.

 

[perfectdark]

If your acclimating properly... my suggestions would be to check for a hidden preditor, look into replacing them from another LFS, perhaps the ones you are getting are not well, test for copper. If all of the above check out negative, IMO they are starving... how many are currently alive and how many at a time are you losing?

 

[shrimpy]

I never knew of a p[ossible copper issue.......so I will pursue that angle....thanks to all.
My only thought had been the starving as a possibility. Right now..........I'm down to a couple blue hermits (once had a dozen.........a scarlett who is in a shell that doesn't move much........a coral branded shrimp (2nd one)...........a red thorny starfish (new), and the fish. My 2nd emerald green crab just died and I can't find the sally........I suspect it is dead as well.
I do have live rock in the tank..........3 pieces..........1 over 2 creating a cave of sorts.

 

[shrimpy]

Originally Posted by uneverno
http:///forum/post/3000768
Was the tank brand new when you got it?
Inverts dying and fish ok smells like copper to me.

yes.........the all inclusive bio cube.......

 

[uneverno]

K, good. That eliminates one possibility, that being that the tank had been treated w/ Cu in the past and it's leaching out of the seals now.
I'd pursue the problem in this order:
1) Copper (could be in your water source - odd, but possible)
2) Poor livestock
3) Starvation - I can see the hermits and the snails, but I have a tough time with the Sally and the shrimp on that one. Both my Sally and my Cleaner practically run my fish over at feeding time.
and
4) Predator. Again, I can't imagine something large enough that it could take out a Sally and 2 Emeralds and yet escape your notice at some point. (Unless you have an Octopus you're not telling us about

)
HTH,
Emil

 

[the_hadleys]

This is just a newb's suggestion... But I've heard that wrasses like to eat crabs... Just a thought. Good luck! I hope you find the culprit!

 

[perfectdark]

Coral banded shrimp are preditors and will easily kill other small inverts with no issue what so ever... I would look here first.

 

[shrimpy]

Originally Posted by The_Hadleys
http:///forum/post/3001110
This is just a newb's suggestion... But I've heard that wrasses like to eat crabs... Just a thought. Good luck! I hope you find the culprit!
unless it's for the sport of it, I'd say no as the crabs are fully intact.

 

[jemshores]

Could it be starvation? IMO thats alot of CUC for a 14 and I believe you said 3 pieces of LR. Maybe there is not enough detrius (sp) for them to eat...come nite time, they all compete...take a flashlight after lights out and check out what's going on...

 

[happitylogan]

thats alot of fish in a 14g imo...

 

[tax lady]

I have a green brittle serpent star that made meals out of my shrimps, crabe, (except emerald crabs), and just saw him with a nass snail. Want to return him if I can catch him. Any good ideas on how to nail that sucker|? He will not attach himself to the baster that I had a silverslide in.
Do you think that I can grab him with my hand, or even grab one of his tenacles and pull him out, or willhe hurt me?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[shrimpy]

I may have a new problem or an answer to the prior one....................but this this morning I witnessed a blue hermit crab essentially tear a turbo snail from his shell and take ot over. Now this blue is about the size of a scarlett red hermit.........but still.....I didn't expect to see that carnage.
as for starving............plenty of algae............I don't know what they are starving from.

 

[shrimpy]

not sure how it has alluded detection.........but one of the feared lost olive snails has reappeared...........and I have taken rock out and sifted sand looking for dead bodies.........but this one showed up along glass while still under sand...................weird.

 

[the_hadleys]

It's a mystery for the ages... We've got three itty bitty blue hermits, I hope they don't decide to go Rambo on us!

 

[shrimpy]

I've seen this same blue leg hermit go after new snails put in tank. 2 more new emeralds have died after a couple weeks. They wouldn't move around much.........so if they starved, I can see why although algae/grass seems abundant. new Coral banded shrimp is doing fine after a couple weeks. Fish are still outliving everyone. Can't keep snails alive (except 1 olive) and only 3-4 blue hermits are still around..........I'm hesitant to add anyone as it seems a certain death sentence.