Hi everybody,
If you did not see my update to my last post about my peacock mantis with no punchers, I unfortunately lost her the other day. I knew she was about to molt since I had been keeping track of the weeks and she holed up in her burrow accordingly. I knew the nitrates in the tank were too high- I had been isolated from the tank for a week due to a local blizzard (i was able to access her to feed her once during this time, but did not test the levels), and when I checked when I returned, the levels were easily over 40ppm. It is hard to tell since API kits are generally a toss-up, but I know they were extremely dangerous levels. The nitrates in this tank have been a problem for a bit, although I had it under control for the past few months, there was an incorrectly placed under-gravel filter collecting detritus. I gravel-vac every time I do a weekly water change, which kept the issue under control short-term, but it now is obvious to me that I was not tackling the source of the problem, and for that, I blame myself. Anyways, she had severely underdeveloped punchers; she had none when I purchased her but grew small ones after her first molt. I knew this upcoming molt would be more difficult since she has put more energy into developing new dactyls. When I saw the nitrates were dangerously high, she had just begun the molt process; holing herself up for 2-3 days, etc. I didn't feel like I should change the water and add more stress during this time; unfortunately, after two and a half days, she appeared out in the open, dead.
The problem is that this is the third mantis shrimp that has abruptly died on me in the span of two years. I worry that I am not doing a good enough job and should abandon the hobby; I am a broke college student who cannot afford a lot of luxuries that make tank-keeping easier. The tank is a 20g long tank with plenty of live rock and hiding places, a small internal filter, a larger hang-on-back filter, a tiny skimmer, a heater, and the under gravel filter (which was not installed correctly, unfortunately). I use RO water when I can get it from my LFS but have been using the water from my apartment more often than not with lots of dechlorinator. I am worried that it is this water that is killing the shrimps over time, as I am not certain what toxins it might contain and that is the gross irresponsibility on my part. I performed lots of panicked water changes with subpar water. I know this has been my fault time and time again. Every time I think I am doing something right, I am proven wrong by a dead shrimp and the crushing guilt of the life I inadvertently extinguished. I already have fixed the under gravel filter and purchased a new, stronger hang-on back filter which have proven good results, but I am finding myself terribly discouraged. I love stomatopods so much and keeping them has been so rewarding over the past two years. It feels like I am wasting beautiful animals, I feel like one of those pet owners who does not do the proper research, despite spending so much time trying to perfect this tank. I have put so much into getting this right, but after losing Constance, it feels like I should give up before I do anymore damage. I don't want to give up; I want to try again, and give a mantis a really great and healthy life. But I don't want to do it if it means I am a bad fish owner.
Can anyone offer some words of advice? Should I give up? I feel absolutely guilty and terrible and I miss my shrimp so dearly. Can anyone relate to this feeling? Has anyone been through similar difficulties?
I know many of you may want to put me on blast for not being a good aquarium owner and I am ready to accept those words as they come. I hope you can realize that these failures do not come out of a place of negligence and I only want to learn how i can do better.
If you did not see my update to my last post about my peacock mantis with no punchers, I unfortunately lost her the other day. I knew she was about to molt since I had been keeping track of the weeks and she holed up in her burrow accordingly. I knew the nitrates in the tank were too high- I had been isolated from the tank for a week due to a local blizzard (i was able to access her to feed her once during this time, but did not test the levels), and when I checked when I returned, the levels were easily over 40ppm. It is hard to tell since API kits are generally a toss-up, but I know they were extremely dangerous levels. The nitrates in this tank have been a problem for a bit, although I had it under control for the past few months, there was an incorrectly placed under-gravel filter collecting detritus. I gravel-vac every time I do a weekly water change, which kept the issue under control short-term, but it now is obvious to me that I was not tackling the source of the problem, and for that, I blame myself. Anyways, she had severely underdeveloped punchers; she had none when I purchased her but grew small ones after her first molt. I knew this upcoming molt would be more difficult since she has put more energy into developing new dactyls. When I saw the nitrates were dangerously high, she had just begun the molt process; holing herself up for 2-3 days, etc. I didn't feel like I should change the water and add more stress during this time; unfortunately, after two and a half days, she appeared out in the open, dead.
The problem is that this is the third mantis shrimp that has abruptly died on me in the span of two years. I worry that I am not doing a good enough job and should abandon the hobby; I am a broke college student who cannot afford a lot of luxuries that make tank-keeping easier. The tank is a 20g long tank with plenty of live rock and hiding places, a small internal filter, a larger hang-on-back filter, a tiny skimmer, a heater, and the under gravel filter (which was not installed correctly, unfortunately). I use RO water when I can get it from my LFS but have been using the water from my apartment more often than not with lots of dechlorinator. I am worried that it is this water that is killing the shrimps over time, as I am not certain what toxins it might contain and that is the gross irresponsibility on my part. I performed lots of panicked water changes with subpar water. I know this has been my fault time and time again. Every time I think I am doing something right, I am proven wrong by a dead shrimp and the crushing guilt of the life I inadvertently extinguished. I already have fixed the under gravel filter and purchased a new, stronger hang-on back filter which have proven good results, but I am finding myself terribly discouraged. I love stomatopods so much and keeping them has been so rewarding over the past two years. It feels like I am wasting beautiful animals, I feel like one of those pet owners who does not do the proper research, despite spending so much time trying to perfect this tank. I have put so much into getting this right, but after losing Constance, it feels like I should give up before I do anymore damage. I don't want to give up; I want to try again, and give a mantis a really great and healthy life. But I don't want to do it if it means I am a bad fish owner.
Can anyone offer some words of advice? Should I give up? I feel absolutely guilty and terrible and I miss my shrimp so dearly. Can anyone relate to this feeling? Has anyone been through similar difficulties?
I know many of you may want to put me on blast for not being a good aquarium owner and I am ready to accept those words as they come. I hope you can realize that these failures do not come out of a place of negligence and I only want to learn how i can do better.