Murder in my tank? Cleaner shrimp history

[rpkneumann]

My 3 inch cleaner shrimp was happy and all over the tank.
He started hanging out the power head (with filter) and enjoyed the constant food supply
2 days ago i find him on the rocks in his usual place with terribly bent antennas one even looked zig-zag broken.
He moved about normal and ate normal.
Then on day 3.. he's gone. no trace. Not in filter, not in powerhead or in his usual hang-out places.

Could my large pistol shrimp get hold of him, killed him and dragged him into his underworld?
He has undermined every rock in my structure and probably turns over my sand more than the 3 nessarius.
They pistol and the cleaner shrimp have met several times and i did not notice any aggression.

Shouldn't i find shell pieces floating?

Any hints for this mystery?

 

[Sailingeric]

how long have you had it? They don't live more than a coupl- three years from what I have seen. Mine just recently disappeared as well, but I had it about 2 1/2 years, maybe more, and it was a decent size when I got it.

 

[Brew12]

My 3 inch cleaner shrimp was happy and all over the tank.
He started hanging out the power head (with filter) and enjoyed the constant food supply
2 days ago i find him on the rocks in his usual place with terribly bent antennas one even looked zig-zag broken.
He moved about normal and ate normal.
Then on day 3.. he's gone. no trace. Not in filter, not in powerhead or in his usual hang-out places.

Could my large pistol shrimp get hold of him, killed him and dragged him into his underworld?
He has undermined every rock in my structure and probably turns over my sand more than the 3 nessarius.
They pistol and the cleaner shrimp have met several times and i did not notice any aggression.

Shouldn't i find shell pieces floating?

Any hints for this mystery?

He may just be hiding to molt. Give him a few days to see if he comes back out.

 

[rpkneumann]

how long have you had it? They don't live more than a coupl- three years from what I have seen. Mine just recently disappeared as well, but I had it about 2 1/2 years, maybe more, and it was a decent size when I got it.

Had it for 3 months.

 

[rpkneumann]

He may just be hiding to molt. Give him a few days to see if he comes back out.

I'll be patient

 

[vetteguy53081]

I too thinking molt. if you find a shell or carcass, see if it is hollow or full of meat/flesh.

 

[CanuckReefer]

He may just be hiding to molt. Give him a few days to see if he comes back out.

Indeed....my Coral Banded is a master of disguise with the molt. I think where the hell is it ,then magic some old battle armour appears ....along with the shrimp.

 

[mindme]

It seems unlikely to me unless it's a bigger pistol shrimp rather than the randalls/tigers in most peoples tank.

 

[Timfish]

Had it for 3 months.

Is it a Skunk Cleaner or Coral Banded Shrimp? A 3" skunk cleaner is an old shrimp.

 

[rpkneumann]

Is it a Skunk Cleaner or Coral Banded Shrimp? A 3" skunk cleaner is an old shrimp.

Skunk cleaner. Molted 3 times in the 3 months I had him.
this was him In the quarantine tank bout 2 1/2 inches

 

[Timfish]

At that size I would consider the possibility it was just old. I usually get them for my tanks when they're ~1" long. They are prone to predation when they molt so there's a fair percentage that dissapear before the 1 year mark. From what I've seen in my tanks over the decades a ~2" skunk cleaner is roughly 1 1/2 to 2 years old and rarely do I have one make it past 3 years.

 

[rpkneumann]

Ok. Thanks. I figured that he was old. I’ll get a smaller one to replace him if he doesn’t show up in the next 2 days.