Why do my shrimp keep dying?

lkb3493

lkb3493

Member
Well, last night I lost one of my camel shrimp -couldn't find him and found his "ghost" shell in the power head. I guess the starfish and other shrimp finished him off. Well, I just found my other shrimp floating around the tank dead.
This is the third shrimp I have lost in about a month. What am I doing wrong? :help: I also have a royal gramma, 2 Florida orange snails (at least that is what the LFS called them they are the small ones that need help turning over UGH!) and a serpent star. Everyone else seems fine. My water parameters are:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate <10
KH 11
Salinity is 1.024
temp 78
Thanks for your help
 
lkb3493

lkb3493

Member
I floated them in the bag for about 30 minutes and then cut a slit in the bag and let them soak in the tank for about 2 hours. This is what the LFS told me to do. I know now that I should use the drip method but I have had them for around 1 month. I would think that this should have already happened? I am also wondering now about my hydrometer. I just read a post about the hydrometer being unreliable. I am looking into a refractometer as we speak. Could this be the problem?
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
Both of those things could be the problem. Shrimp and starfish need excellent acclimations. Also, if your hydrometer is off, which it very often is, your salinity could be too high or too low also.
 
lkb3493

lkb3493

Member
Do you know how I can check to see if the hydrometer is off? I know that is a stupid question...I have a friend that I may be able to borrow a refractometer from to see...Also, I acclimated my starfish the same way. He is still fine knock on wood. Is there anything I can do for him or is it too late?
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
He may be okay. He may just have been able to adjust to the shock a little easier.
If you can check it with a refractometer, that would work. Use the refractometer to test your water, and then use your hydrometer. See what the difference is.
 
granny

granny

Member
Shrimp also cannot take high nitrate levels-though your readings are fine. Nor can they tolerate copper if your tank has ever been treated with a copper medication.
They also need iodine=I add a vial of iodine to my tank each water change and have over a dozen peppermint and cleaners which have been around for quite some time.-as a matter of fact, they are getting awfully big!
 
S

sinner's girl

Guest
Do you know how I can check to see if the hydrometer is off? I know that is a stupid question...I have a friend that I may be able to borrow a refractometer from to see.
Yep, this would work, then adjust. I did the same thing, I know how much my hydrometer is off, so I take that into account.
Are you feeding your shrimp?
Is anyone eating your shrimp? (like stars and other shrimp....CBS will eat peppermint shrimp, camel shrimp will eat CBS, not sure if CBS will eat camel. My camel may have just eatten the CBS because the CBS ate 10+ pepermint shrimp)
Are you feeding your star? (might eat shrimp...my serpent never did that I saw...brittle might, esp if bigger and your not feeding it).
Change in sg will do it also.
I've never add any chemicals to my tank. I had my camel for close to year (all the others got eatten), temp got high over 4th of july and camel didn't make it.
What is KH?
 
blitz99

blitz99

Member
i highly doubt it's calcium, it would have to be unheard of low...
have we seen the answer for copper? is this a brand new tank or used? if it's used, my guess is something was treated in there before.
 
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