Shrimp Gone Missing Overnight

[CinnamonPearl]

I am completely and utterly baffled. So yesterday, I finally got my juvenile amano shrimp for my 38gal brackish tank (which is still freshwater). I acclimated the fifteen shrimp and put them in the tank, and last night they were all there, but this morning, they've all gone missing! I can only find one, and I absolutely had fifteen. I just, I have no idea where the rest could be. I don't think they could climb out of the tank, as I have a secure glass top on. And if they all died, I don't think they could all rot away that fast. It's a new tank, surely the bacteria isn't established enough to handle that much in just ten hours. Does anyone have any ideas? I keep looking through the tank, but there's only one shrimp!

 

[tanker]

What else is in the tank? Does your filter have a sponge cover? Or they are all really hiding.

 

[CinnamonPearl]

My filters don't have sponge covers, but I saw the shrimp sitting right on the intake without being moved at all, and the spaces aren't big enough to suck them up completely, so I don't think they're in the filter. I've been checking in every nook and cranny I can see without actually dismantling the whole tank, and I only see the one.

 

[tanker]

If you are sure the filter did not "eat" them, then they must be hinding. Can you send some pics?

 

[CinnamonPearl]

Yes, of course. I'll send pictures tomorrow, and I'll check the filters tomorrow just in case. I'm pretty sure the intakes aren't strong enough to suck up live shrimp (unless they died and then were sucked up, but I'm doubtful of that too).

 

[Duckie]

How did you acclimate them? There is some difference in opinion on what is enough. Most will say all that is needed is float them in bag and then let them in tank (like you would for most FW fish). Shrimp and snails do a lot better if you float them for temperature, and then slow drip them to acclimate to tank chemistry. Especially when you are dealing with salinity. Going down is somewhat easier than going up, but instant is still a big shock.

 

[CinnamonPearl]

The tank is still freshwater. I'm going to convert the invertebrates over very slowly along with the plants. I put them in one of those plastic fish boxes that hang on the side of the tank, floated that in the tank for twenty minutes, and then slowly poured a cup of tank water into the box every ten minutes or so for an hour. I did it exactly the same as I always do. You think they got shocked and died? But wouldn't I have found all the bodies?

 

[Duckie]

If they died you probably would have found the bodies, I agree. If they are just hiding you might not see them for a while. You got sasd in the bottom they might dig into and underneath rocks? Do they come out when you feed them?

 

[CinnamonPearl]

I don't know where they would hide though, and that many at that. I'm at school now, so when I get home I'll try feeding the tank and get some pictures for Tanker. Thanks for the help, everybody.

 

[OrionGirl]

If you have plants, they're probably hiding. I had something like 50 in a planted 90, and for MONTHS never saw more than 1 or 2 at a time. Now, they're out all the time.