Shrimp....what am I doing wrong?

[SigPiPup]

I purchased two peppermint shrimp in hopes that they would take care of the aiptasia growth in my tank. I drip acclimated them for about an hour and released them into the tank. One floated over to a piece of LR and quickly found a hole to hide in. The other drifted to the back of the tank and disappeared. I observed the visible one for a short time and he seemed to be ok. A little shy but slowly making his way out of his hole. I took a nap and 30 minutes later he was being ravaged by pretty much every hermit crab in my tank. I can only assume the same for the other one as I haven't seen him. My parameters are 0ppm across the board and pH is at 8.2.

What could I possibly have done wrong? Is it possible that my crabs aren't getting enough food? The shrimps looked healthy when I put them in so I can't imagine that they just up and died.

I have never had luck with shrimps. I bought a cleaner for my nano years back and that didn't even make it a day either.

[reavesinc]

Everything you did sounds fine. I don't even acclimate mine that long and they are still alive. I also have a ton of crabs. Which type do you have? Red, Blue, Orange-legged?

[reavesinc]

Also what size is your tank, you might be able to get a way with a copperband butterfly fish to control those aiptasia.

[SigPiPup]

I've got Two red leg hermits and about 20 or so tiny blue leg hermits. My tank is 85 gallons.

[SigPiPup]

My main concern isn't really aiptasia control as I can continue using the hot water method. My main concern is my apparent inability to keep at least one shrimp alive for any amount of time. I chose peppermint shrimp because they are relatively inexpensive and come with the additional quality of pest control.

Maybe the crabs need extra food. They seem busy to me, cleaning everything. I didn't think that they would snuff out my shrimp. That is a relatively expensive meal for a hermit crab.

[Grins]

The trick with shrimp (other than finding a good source for them) I've found isn't in drip acclimating them as much as it is making sure that the salinity is brought to the same levels fairly slowly. I now measure the salinity of the store's water and then take as long as it needs to acclimate. Sometimes that is only 40 minutes sometimes much longer.

[SigPiPup]

Thanks, Grins. I'll give that a shot next time, if there is a next time. If it happens again though I'm going to have to rule out ever getting a shrimp again. $7 crab food seems a little excessive to me. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the job that they do cleaning my tank, but these poor shrimp deserve better than becoming crab snacks.

[reavesinc]

try putting them into a quarantine inside your tank and see if they perish or live.

[sapgranth25]

you really need to be carful acclimating shrimps has there bodys can`t take any sudden change in water.
So say your deals/lfs water may have been .018 & yours may have been .022 with your slight one hour drip acclimated you may have only brought the shrimps water up to .019 & shrimps need to be done to the same salt level over a long period of time if the salt level is a big differance as long as 12hours if need be but normally it can be performed in a lot less time & then as long as your water quility is to spec then your shrimps will always be happy

so a few ways you can try is to float your bag within tank so it can temp up then add 10ml`ish of water every 5mins until the water salt level matches or add 30ml`ish every 15mins until you double the amout of water within the bag

the time taken acclimatin shrimps is more than worth it because they bring so much more to the world within your tank........ but peppermint shrimps are the less hardy shrimp & will not take well to been rushed into differant salt ph levels

[Grins]

Also, don't discount the source being the problem. I was afraid I was doing something wrong with acclimation until I tried a new source. No change other than that and all the others have lived.

[clown-lover]

Also have you tested for copper? Just wondering since inverts are so sensitive..

[SigPiPup]

Thanks for all of the advice. I may give it a shot again with maybe just one peppermint shrimp this time ($6 bucks a piece so it isn't too expensive if I lose them...again).

I haven't tested for copper. I haven't used copper in this tank and I use an RO unit for my water. It is possible though because I am using rocks from the first time I set up the tank and back then I did use copper. I assume it is possible that some of the rocks could have leached out copper? If it is, wouldn't my snails and hermits have been affected as well?

[Catpicklesdog]

Snails and hermits are tougher than shrimps so it might not be affecting them. At least it'll rule out another possibility though.

[clown-lover]

Sigi I would check for copper just to rule it out.. At this point your running what seems to be a pretty stable system. It just seems wierd to me that your shrimp up and die off. Since they are so sensitive to copper and since you've stated you've used it in the past I would do a check just to be sure.

[BMorgan]

I agree with testing for copper too. Shirmp do seem to be extra sensitive to bad conditions.

However, I have to say I have an interesting peppermint shrimp. I sort of...well...fell behind on my maintenance regimen and my nitrAtes were up around 80+ and the shrimp (along with my snail and crabs) seemed to be doing fine. Anyway...I fixed that but he seems to be an extra hardy shrimp. He is the funniest thing in my tank. When I put flakes at the top for my fish he will swim to the top and crawl around the surface of the water, upside down, and grab all the flakes like a mad man.

Shrimps are definitely the coolest.

[SigPiPup]

I'm definitely going to test for copper. Other than predation and possible salinity shock I can't imagine what else it could possibly be. I'm definitely going to try a shrimp again. I agree that they would be a great addition.

Would copper hinder the growth of coraline? My coraline is growing like crazy, even on the rocks that were previously exposed to copper. If there is copper in the water, how is that removed. Is there some type of chelation filter or will I have to remove the rocks?

[Grins]

Have you tried more than one source for shrimp? It could be where you are buying them...as well as how long they have had it. They'll often die the first 3 days...I'd not get them if they were just acclimated to the store.

[SigPiPup]

I haven't tried another source. This place has the best prices and I've used them for years now. They had the shrimp for a while though. I'll give them one more shot.

I had my water tested for copper. Good news...no copper. They also keep their tanks at the same S.G. as my tank. The guy at the store suggested that possibly there is stray voltage in the tank and that a grounding probe might be needed. He also said that most people don't have these. It is something that I haven't heard talked about much.

They didn't have any peppermint shrimp in stock today so I'll have to try one next week.

[clown-lover]

Great that you didn't have copper!!! However I'm thinking if you had a stray voltage in your tank you'd notice it because as soon as you stick you hand in the tank you should feel a tingling in whatever part is submerged in the water.

Grounding probes are a great idea, I have one myself but unless you have felt that voltage or even used a volt meter to test for it I'm highly suspect.

[soccerkidbs]

if you know them real well i would ask them to hold a pep at the store and you buy one and see if they last the same amount of time. it could just be a bad source. i am good friends with my lfs and they hold all my fish for at least 2 weeks before i buy them. if they die in the store its no money out of my pocket.

[Grins]

Although they might be good, their source for shrimp may not be. One option is doing what Soccer suggested and asking them to hold the shrimp after you've paid...the other is to try a different source just for the shrimp.

[djmajor]

Cleaner shrimp are harder to find in my area however I found one under a rock at a LFS. I agree the salinity was important, recent purchase of a reflactometer made the comparsison for correct acclimation easy with the dropper. CS hide in the rocks and next day was coming out eating food.

[SigPiPup]

Exciting news. After over a week I caught a surprising glimpse of a surviving Peppermint shrimp. I still can't believe that it lived.

Anyways, thanks for the help.

[clown-lover]

Very Cool Sigi.. Glad you had a survivor..

[Grins]

glad to hear it, probably hiding out after a molt

[SigPiPup]

Another good sign.....the few aiptasia I had remaining after my last extermination are now gone. At least it is doing it's job. Maybe eventually it won't be so shy and actually come out into the open.

[Catpicklesdog]

I hardly ever see my peppermints, I'm still not sure whether or not I have 2 or 3!!! At least now you know you can keep shrimp perhaps it's worth trying a skunk cleaner?

[Star_Rider]

check the tank at night . my peppermint shrimp only come out at night.

[animalman]

Hello everyone. I also have a small problem with aiptasia and purchased some peppermint shrimp in hopes to rid my tank of this one little pest, while also shooting it with hot water. but the real story is this. When I got home with my shrimp I only floated them for 1/2 an hour then let them into their new home. I should add that my tank is only 2 weeks old and they are still alive and well. I think grins might be right, don't discount your LFS. Also like Reavesincs idea.

[Grins]

You're lucky they lived if you only floated them. I'd drip or acclimate them to your display water a bit more cautiously next time. Especially if the parameters are at all different. Inverts can go into osmotic shock fairly easily.

[gfxslayer]

Exciting news. After over a week I caught a surprising glimpse of a surviving Peppermint shrimp. I still can't believe that it lived.

Anyways, thanks for the help.

Congratulation, you start the game now ! :)
What I like about shrimp, is that they help me clean up little mess at my tank. they are really cute hard worker.

[Subliminal]

Biggest thing for shrimp, from what i understand is SG. They don't take to changes very easily.

That being said, I also have heard what Grins said about how Shrimp might have been handled wrong from the get go, and by the time your lfs got ahold of them, they're like a ticking timebomb...except they just die instead of explode. :(

[SigPiPup]

I hardly ever see my peppermints, I'm still not sure whether or not I have 2 or 3!!! At least now you know you can keep shrimp perhaps it's worth trying a skunk cleaner?

Eventually. I would like other shrimp in there, but for now this one will do. I'm just glad that it survived and seems happy. It comes out more and more now. It is getting used to its new environment. :D

[djmajor]

I have one small cleaner shrimp that hide in the rocks all the time. Finnally found another cleaner twice the size and what a difference. They both come out most of the day to dance and doing pedicure work. Wonder if the age and size has a difference? The larger was not shy from the get go and the little one has come out playing.:dance2: Perhaps a pair?