Need help explaining why fire and cleaner shrimp keep dying

[sogdog]

So I had 4 cleaner shrimp in my 200g. They lasted a few years perfectly fine. When I went to add some after they passed, the new ones started disappearing. I have seen 0 aggression from the fish. It’s a straight up community in there, and I’ve seen them interact with the shrimp for the few days before they disappear. Everything seems fine. Recently, I added two fire shrimp and now those have disappeared as well.

Alk: 12
Ca: 465
Mg: 1390
Nitrate: 10-20
Phosphate: .31 (a little high, working on getting it down).

Now here’s the really weird thing. Around the time I added the first replacement xleaner shrimps I added sexy shrimp and bolstered my cuc. Sexy shrimp, hermit crabs, snails, ceriths… they’re all fine.

Any thoughts?

 

[Dburr1014]

My first thought...
Have you checked iodine?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

What other critters (fish and inverts) do you have in the tank?

How long did you have the shrimp for before they went missing?

How long has it been since each went missing?

Could the missing shrimp just be hiding in the tank/only coming out at night?

 

[sogdog]

What other critters (fish and inverts) do you have in the tank?

How long did you have the shrimp for before they went missing?

How long has it been since each went missing?

Could the missing shrimp just be hiding in the tank/only coming out at night?

Tangs, dwarf angels, chromis, 2 clowns, and 2 mandarins gobies (it’s a 200g). There’s peppermint and sexy shrimp thriving. Hermit crabs, various snails, and ceriths (no emerald crabs, didn’t want to risk it).

I kept an eye on the tank at night, and I did not see the fire shrimp come out. It’s entirely possible they are hiding in the big tank, but their behavior was mostly out in the open prior to their disappearance a few days ago. The other scarlet cleaner shrimp went mia 6-8 months ago.

 

[sogdog]

My first thought...
Have you checked iodine?

I have not. I’ll do that

 

[Dburr1014]

I have not. I’ll do that

Iodine is needed for their molt. Perhaps they had trouble molting and died?

 

[sogdog]

It’s possible but then how the heck are the peppermint and sexy shrimp fine? That’s the part that gets me. And I have found evidence of their molts.

 

[Lavey29]

Fire shrimp are cryptic and probably hiding but also like adding anything new to the reef one or more existing inhabitants may not approve their membership.

 

[JTP424]

How stable is your salinity and how often do you do a water change?
I've accidentally nuked some shrimp by doing a water change too quickly after they molt.

 

[sogdog]

Salinity stays between 34.6 and 35.2. Mostly much tighter around 35. I do a water change every two weeks, but with the most recent addition I hadn’t done one yet before they disappeared.

 

[sogdog]

Fire shrimp are cryptic and probably hiding but also like adding anything new to the reef one or more existing inhabitants may not approve their membership.

I agree that this is the most likely scenario. But other peppermint and sexy shrimp have been added at the same time or after and they are fine. It’s specifically the scarlet cleaner and fire shrimp. Maybe it’s the color. I’m sad, I wanted something to clean the scales of my fishies.

 

[Uncle99]

I agree that this is the most likely scenario. But other peppermint and sexy shrimp have been added at the same time or after and they are fine. It’s specifically the scarlet cleaner and fire shrimp. Maybe it’s the color. I’m sad, I wanted something to clean the scales of my fishies.

After molting, which can occur quickly after adding to new systems, will hide until the new skeleton hardens.

Mine disappear for a week or two, then, the skunks come out and stay and the fires, stay hidden unless feeding time.

Maintaining iodine at 0.06ppm is reported to be beneficial to the molting process but I have no idea whether it’s a factor or not. I do maintain this level.

 

[Lavey29]

I agree that this is the most likely scenario. But other peppermint and sexy shrimp have been added at the same time or after and they are fine. It’s specifically the scarlet cleaner and fire shrimp. Maybe it’s the color. I’m sad, I wanted something to clean the scales of my fishies.

Well in a big tank with a lot of rock I'd wait and see. They are probably doing what comes naturally when large fish are swimming by and their survival instinct is to hide. They will probably show up for you.

 

[MnFish1]

So I had 4 cleaner shrimp in my 200g. They lasted a few years perfectly fine. When I went to add some after they passed, the new ones started disappearing. I have seen 0 aggression from the fish. It’s a straight up community in there, and I’ve seen them interact with the shrimp for the few days before they disappear. Everything seems fine. Recently, I added two fire shrimp and now those have disappeared as well.

Alk: 12
Ca: 465
Mg: 1390
Nitrate: 10-20
Phosphate: .31 (a little high, working on getting it down).

Now here’s the really weird thing. Around the time I added the first replacement xleaner shrimps I added sexy shrimp and bolstered my cuc. Sexy shrimp, hermit crabs, snails, ceriths… they’re all fine.

Any thoughts?

The lifespan of cleaner shrimp is in the single digit years - 2-3 in a tank. So - it probably died of old age. Now - the new ones could be any number of reasons - I would consider sending an ICP. I would also consider the other inhabitants

 

[sogdog]

Update: 3 weeks later, both are now visible and healthy hanging out lol. Guess they were really good at hiding.