Fire and skunk cleaner shrimps died

[jk_s124]

I had a fire shrimp for 3 1/2 years and a skunk cleaner shrimp for less than a year. Both shrimp died in the past two weeks. Salinity has been stable at 1.026. Temp averages at 81.4. I dose kalk in ato, but have not had any recent swings in ph or alk. Alk averages at 8.1 dkh and ph is averages at 7.6. Calcium has been steady at 450. I have not measured magnesium in about a month, but last reading for that was 1400- 1500 ppm. Nitrate at 5 and po4 at .06.
I have not seen any aggression. They were both molting every few weeks. Seemed active right up until they died. The fire shrimp was getting old, and I’m not sure if the age of the cleaner shrimp. But I find suspicious that they died in such a close time frame. I added a yasha and pistol shrimp from divers den without qt’ing a few weeks ago. No signs of any fish disease however. Kinda at a lose as to what might be the cause, or if it’s simply strange coincidence. All other hermits and snails are doing just fine too.
If anyone has any suggestions or insight I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I had a fire shrimp for 3 1/2 years and a skunk cleaner shrimp for less than a year. Both shrimp died in the past two weeks. Salinity has been stable at 1.026. Temp averages at 81.4. I dose kalk in ato, but have not had any recent swings in ph or alk. Alk averages at 8.1 dkh and ph is averages at 7.6. Calcium has been steady at 450. I have not measured magnesium in about a month, but last reading for that was 1400- 1500 ppm. Nitrate at 5 and po4 at .06.
I have not seen any aggression. They were both molting every few weeks. Seemed active right up until they died. The fire shrimp was getting old, and I’m not sure if the age of the cleaner shrimp. But I find suspicious that they died in such a close time frame. I added a yasha and pistol shrimp from divers den without qt’ing a few weeks ago. No signs of any fish disease however. Kinda at a lose as to what might be the cause, or if it’s simply strange coincidence. All other hermits and snails are doing just fine too.
If anyone has any suggestions or insight I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

Sorry for your losses

suspect PISTOL shrimp... aren't those able to stun prey with claw... perhaps it went on offense wanting to eat existing shrimp OR they were too close and new shrimp went on defense. However, this thread seems that info is false:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/pistol-shrimp-question-breaking-glass.117883/
so then suspect salinity.... when was last time you recalibrated your refractometer or whatever you use? I had a defective Hanna that I only found was defective when 3-4 shrimp and a tang died ... my LFS double checked our salinity and we were crazy high (Hanna was great and gave a replacement, but still sad over deaths)

 

[jk_s124]

I’ll definitely double check my salinity when I get home. I use a Milwaukee that a calibrate often with fresh rodi. I don’t think the pistol shrimp would be the cup large but maybe. It’s just a little dude and the shrimp bodies were found in other areas of the tank

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I’ll definitely double check my salinity when I get home. I use a Milwaukee that a calibrate often with fresh rodi. I don’t think the pistol shrimp would be the cup large but maybe. It’s just a little dude and the shrimp bodies were found in other areas of the tank

I've got an old Milwaukee that we love but my vision is poor so I just got in their new digital refractometer. RODI will not calibrate... that cleans. You'd need a solution ($5) that is usually 35PPT so then you adjust perhaps a screw in your Milwaukee so that the solution aligns with 35PPT and its then recalibrated for salt refraction. If you have the digital Milwaukee, you need both steam distilled water and seawater calibration validation solution (both distilled and 1.025 SG solutions come to start off)