2 shrimps dead in 2 days

[Octavarium]

I've had my peppermint and coral banded for months in my 28g nano cube. They were doing fine until 2 days ago I saw pepper remains, and the next day my CBSs lifeless body...definitely not molts. My questions is could this have been caused by moving LR?? I did a normal water change (RO/DI water with same salinity and 0 TDS) and moved the LR around in a way which I hadn't before, since Im fighting this horrible hair algae attack. After what felt like years of pullign hair from the LR, I put them back in normal order, no shrimps crushed. But the day this and the water change after the deaths started. I find this too odd to be a coincidence, and worry, although all my coral,snails, my ocellaris, and my goby appear fine.

 

[Fishieness]

It is a possibility, as moving rocks can release pockets of nutrients or even H2S depending on the age of the sandbed. Such things can also deplete oxygen levels. It could also have just been acclimation shock, which can be very common within the first few days of adding something.

 

[Octavarium]

Seems sketchy, Im nervous now for the first time about adding some more verts to my reef tank. All values in check, protein skimmer chugging along, no predators or dangerous hitchikers, the TDS on the RO/DI was 2 ppm, so I changed the filters too to take that out of the equation for next WC. Is the sand under some LR really full of that much nasty stuff to do shrimp in within a few hours?

 

[ToeJam]

It is a possibility, as moving rocks can release pockets of nutrients or even H2S depending on the age of the sandbed. Such things can also deplete oxygen levels. It could also have just been acclimation shock, which can be very common within the first few days of adding something.

To add to other possibilities is consider the ample amount of nitrates you had for them to thrive... hair algae was keeping things lets say at 20ppm ...soon as you removed them that nitrate spiked. Nothing was there to eat the nitrates in the water since you removed the algae.

in other words a sudden change in environmental parameters ...shocked them possibly. Stress of moving things around to.

Considering Fishieness post combined with mine...I think the two thing may have occurred.

Being a small tank it doesn't take much to throw parameters off acutely vs slowly ...

This is only a guess .. But all things considered it is very possible.

Simply they didn't acclimate to the tanks sudden changes.

PS: The algae is probably due to Phosphates. Many folks on these boards will mention nitrates but fail to test phosphates. Yes I know you have RO/DI water but it's possible your feeding is introducing phosphates into that tank. heck have you tested your Ro water lately to?

 

[Amphiprion]

Nitrate shouldn't have much of an effect on motile inverts. They thrive in much higher. I would suspect something like H2S or the stress. Did you use new salt or a new batch of salt or something? Just trying to narrow down some variables.

 

[cam191919]

the only thing i could ever get to solve hair algae was turbo snails. three in a 46 bowfront engulfed in algae and it was gone in weeks. just throwin that out there

 

[Octavarium]

RO water is was 0 on all parameters. There still is stubborn HA patches, and I know that means there is phosphates in water although it tests low on my reading. Same salt mix, all the other variables the same since. I have some Mexian turbo snails now to help me with algae, and a reefer I just met recommended GFO, he gave me some to try in a media bag to help remove phosphates. I will try moving a skunk cleaner I purchased for my other salt tank into there soon since I'm done moving rocks... and everything appears normal. Hopefully this scare is over.


BTW cam nice avatar, I got to meet Geddy and Alex and watch their show from the stage during the Snakes & Arrows tour...an amazing night

 

[ToeJam]

Nitrate shouldn't have much of an effect on motile inverts. They thrive in much higher. I would suspect something like H2S or the stress. Did you use new salt or a new batch of salt or something? Just trying to narrow down some variables.

Would sudden changes in parameters kill? Thats what I really was trying to emphasize. Not necessarily Nitrates killing them but the sudden change of parameters.

 

[Amphiprion]

Something like salinity would have a drastic effect on them, as would a very wide temp swing (10 degrees or so). A huge, rapid pH shift could also do that. I understood what you meant TJ, I just wanted to clarify it for the OP.