RIP cleaner shrimp 2nd one

[cturtle]

help me every time i buy a cleaner shrimp within 3 days he is a goner. i have 2 tangs, an yellow/ purple ange and pecula clown and 3 long striped gobies an a yellow gobi that only comes out durring feeding. sorry i dont know all the true names they are my pets which have all been given new names. all of my fish are doing well in my 40.gall including both starfish as well, although chocolate chip looks like he got bit? looking for compatabilites and suggestions of what i can add later

 

[aston]

I'm also up there on the stocking levels in a 40 gallon tank with no problems with water quality and I've got two cleaner shrimps doing very nicely - they're even breeding pretty regularly keeping everyone else well fed. While water quality is of course important, I think you're barking up the wrong tree with the issue of stocking levels.
With cleaners I've noticed you've got to:
a) get the bigger ones when you buy
b) have some rocky hangouts for them that have a side out of the light and any direct current, and
c) I'd try and keep a pair together as they'll have a bit more confidence especially with larger fish around.
d) Possibly also, take time to make sure they get their share of food at feeding time. Sometimes I feed mine by hand and love the way they crawl on my arm.
Hope that helps.
Cheers
Aston

 

[guppie]

You realy have a large bio load with all the fish you have in your tank, Have you tested the water yet, I would think that would be the first place to start. With the list of fish you have in your tank they might work now, but in the near future there will be a problem, you will have one of them start picking on the others, any tangs need a lot of space, they love to swim and they will not be able to do that in a tank your size. Test the water a post the results, then we will be able to help you , in the mean time you might want to start thinning out the stock on your tank, and I would start with the tangs. I know it is hard to get rid of a fish you like but you will be doing it more harm keeping it in a tank that size, I know I had to learn that lession myself a long time ago. Good Luck

 

[cturtle]

thanks for the imput from everyone. well i did test the water all was good nirate. was 2.0(could be lower.) amm was 0.0 ph was 8.0 nitrite. out of testers sorry. on the shopping list saltity was 1.026( borderline) but now much higher after water change. LFS sells pretty salty water. will be addind distiled tomorrow to balance. my tank has a wet/dry with a a hanging potiem skimmer. so i feel every thing is pretty much in order. i did make and error and not dimm the lights or soak him for to long, he looked pretyy relaxed in the bag and wasn't stressing but i guess i was wrong. TANK OVERSTOCKED??? i want more fish. yes my tangs do eat a bunch and the blue is low key, but the other,(looks like a yellow tang but different coloring) is a little agressive when something new is added but has never really caused any problems i really don't want to rid my fish althouh i do have plans for a bigger tank. the tank has been set up since april with live rock and sand and appears to be doing well but now in fear of. i will try it again. is there a formula to how many fish per gallon baised on fish ... and is it me but the hardest fish to keep alive for me has been perk clowns since the set up. if i wanted problem fish i would have gotten damsels and not tangs. these guys are the bomb and they eat hardy and love the red sea wead strands that i have thrown in from a LFS, great when i am out of town , with no one to feed them

 

[tacks]

Sorry cturtle but I have to agree with jwtrojan42. You are way overstocked for a 46 gallon. You will have nothing but problems in the future due to "Stressing Fish". Not trying to be a jerk, just trying to save you some trouble in the long run.

 

[jimi]

You should not have any detectable nitrites, this is a sign you probably are overstocked. You are most likely losing your shrimp because of the nitrites and unstable salinity.