Sexy shrimp gone...

flyingscampi

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...5 out of 7 have completely vanished in a year old 60 litre nano. One is still alive, I removed the corpse of another, but I can't find a single trace of the remainder.

I had 2, then added 5 more 13th Nov. All was well until 5th Dec when I noticed a dead shrimp stuck to the powerhead (not a shed skin.) A couple of days later I performed my weekly water test and phosphate was 0.19 (up from the usual 0.1). I changed 10% water, but three days later phosphate was up to 0.33. I then noticed the lack of sexy shrimp (I'd been busy and not paying enough attention.) I've since performed daily water changes and phosphate has finally started to come down to 0.28. Nitrate is 16.5.

I have (no fish), a hermit crab, a few trochus and stomatella snails, lots of copepods and small amphipods, brittle stars, a duncan coral, a couple of mushrooms and some GSP, and all appear to be well. The shrimp liked to hang out in the duncan which didn't seem to mind.

The shrimp were fed algae wafers and crab pellets in addition to what they could find in the tank.

All parameters have been stable since the tank started.

I'm upset that they're gone, these are my first losses, and I'd had the original 2 shrimp since I started the tank. What do you think might've happened to them? A disease that only affects shrimp? A predator? (I've heard no clicking or snapping noises.) Would the duncan harm them?

Am I correct assuming dead shrimp caused the nutrient spike?
 

Utubereefer

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I had 2…. I saw them when I put them in my 30 gallon tank. That was it
Richard Pryor Kinda GIF
 

Mr. Mojo Rising

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sorry for your loss. I have 5 sexy shrimp in my 32, I love them, they're always walking and dancing around everything, definately one of the coolest inhabitants in my tank.

The only thing I can think of, based on your "no fish" tank, is that they starved. I know you said you fed them, but I dont know how often, I dont know if you watch them eat, etc.... They are also carnivors so perhaps your offered foods were not sufficient? Again, just guessing based on your post, its the only thing I see as a possibility.
 

fishface NJ

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In captivity will scavenge for meaty foods like mysis, shredded clam etc. I think they starved to death in your tank
 
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flyingscampi

flyingscampi

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sorry for your loss. I have 5 sexy shrimp in my 32, I love them, they're always walking and dancing around everything, definately one of the coolest inhabitants in my tank.

The only thing I can think of, based on your "no fish" tank, is that they starved. I know you said you fed them, but I dont know how often, I dont know if you watch them eat, etc.... They are also carnivors so perhaps your offered foods were not sufficient? Again, just guessing based on your post, its the only thing I see as a possibility.
I dropped in Hikari algae wafers and crab pellets every day which I've witnessed them eating. I also dropped in some frozen mysis once a week. I was pretty generous because nutrient levels never rose (probably due to macroalgae/coral in the DT.) They also picked at GHA which is present but not abundent.

I'm going to target feed the one I have left and see if he's eating the food I'm offering.
 

polyppal

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I had 5 in my nano, and added a few hermit crabs about a week ago. Now I have zero -my guess is the hermits got them in the night
 

OrchidMiss

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I plan on having a pair in my 10g work tank.
Hopefully they will last haha
 

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