Fire shrimp help?

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Well I came home from school and found my fire shrimp dead on the sand bed. I had him for about a week and all my water parameters are fine. A couple of days ago he was all happy and eating but the last night he hid behind the rocks and this morning he was still there. I have a small pistol shrimp but I don't think he would have killed him because I have seen them fairly close before and the pistol left him alone. My clownfish does like to nip at him, but I don't know why he died. I really want to get another one, but I don't want to kill it. :( can someone please help me, thank you.

 

[cpayne015]

what all do you have in your tank??? I had trouble keeping them at first when as my mystery wrasse would take out cleaners and fire shrimp so I bought bigger ones and he does not bother them at all anymore

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

All I have is a clownfish, mandarin goby, pistol shrimp (2/3 in?) some snails and two hermit crabs. I also have some corals.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Also some feather dusters. But I'm disappointed that I couldn't keep him alive.

 

[cpayne015]

None of what u have killed it I would not think. I think you just got unlucky.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ok, so if I get another one it should be fine? Could it have been something he ate?

 

[cpayne015]

I highly doubt it was something he ate. I feed my cleaners and fire shrimps piece of silverside couple times a week. Nitrates are the one thing to keep an eye on IMO.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ok because two nights before he died he seemed so healthy and was eating. And right when I found him I tested nitrates and they were around 0. So you think it was just him?

 

[cpayne015]

Could it be a molting too as its normal for them to hide behind rocks. Fire shrimps usually arent as personable as cleaners IMO.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

No I know it was dead. Just laying on my sand bed touched it didn't move

 

[Victorc]

Could be that he was shedding I've had mine for about a year and I hand feed it just when shedding it. Will become shy hide behind the rock u should do a little research on that.its stressful for them while shedding

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Thanks for the info, but I'm almost 100% he was dead. I triedto slowly move him, observed him closely and no life. Don't know why he died though.

 

[Ozzy]

Did you do any acclimation when you bought him. That could be the culprit behind it, I tend to always acclimate everything and have had zero issues with my fireshrimp. When I first started out I wouldn't acclimate all that well and usually lost shrimp in a couple days to a week (They would look and act healthy as well). Also, like someone said if they get stressed out when molting it could cause issues as well. Sorry for the loss, some things can just be finicky as well. A lot of it is trial and error. Good luck!

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

We'll I think I did a good acclimation, took me a little over an hour. And my clownfish harassed him a little bit, but not major. Thanks!

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Would traces of copper in the water kill him? Thanks

 

[robbrouse]

Yes, copper is not good on them.. Why do you have copper in your tank?

 

[808jaymakoa]

Yes copper will kill him real easily

 

[peterthegamer]

If you had some copper, it will kill coral, and shrimps. If you do have it do a water change,

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ok thanks for the advice! :) but now that you guys said that I'm pretty sure I don't have copper because my pistol shrimp and all my corals are doing fine.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Robbrouse, I was just curious because i want to get another fire shrimp but I don't want him to die