OH oh - shrimp problems

Robin Alv

Robin
Jan 14, 2008
326
0
0
New Jersey
I wrote on another thread that my blood shrimp died and didn't know why. Now my skunk cleaner is acting all weird - swimming throughout the tank and sometimes upside down with its legs going a mile a minute. It finally settled under rock now - I have not seen it do any thing like this before. At first I thought it was trying to get nearer to my clown fish to clean, but I don't know enough about them and lost one already today. Any info or help?

My tank is:
37 gallon
ph 8.3
Salinity .22
nitrite and ammonia zero
nitrates less than 10
calcium 480
 
i don't know much about this, but i've heard that iodine is pretty important for shrimp, especially when it comes to molting. i don't even know if you can test the water for it, but i've been putting in a supplement in my tank that has iodine in it, and my blood shrimp that was missing two legs molted last night and is now only missing one leg. i don't know if low iodine can actually kill a shrimp, or if it only affects them while molting, but it's something to consider. good luck to you!!!!
 
Thanks for the info! I will research this and see if it is in my reef salt that I use. If not I amy just stop by my LFS tomorrow - they've shown themselves to be honest and knowlegeable so maybe they can help me with the iodine. Does it harm anything else or is it safe?
 
Only dose for Iodine if your tank needs it. Too much Iodine can kill. You'll need to buy a test kit first. I'd also suggest testing for copper as inverts are unable to cope with any copper and you never know if any has been introduced to your tank (could be via LFS water, rocks etc).
 
I never add LFS water and use my own RO/DI. I guess it just isn't good luck right now and something is there that affects shrimp but hope fully not fish also!
 
Okay - Just needed to know. I hadn't seen this guy (or gal) do this before. He's still alive today so I guess all is going alright. Sounds ridiculous - but it looked like the shrimp was trying to catch up with one of the clowns.
 
Take back my last response. The skunk shrimp is dying. Would a small emerald crab do anything that harmed them?? I've had it about 4 days so the timing is right. My fish look fine and my snails seem fine.
 
Test kits are new - the tank is only 2 months old. I was under the impression they are like clown fish in the sense that they are hardy and do not need an established tank. Do you think it's that? or the small emerald crab I have?
 
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