Whats killing my cleaner shrimp?!?

Cody Stanfa · Oct 30, 2016

Hello everyone, I am fairly new to the saltwater hobby and have had my 125 gallon running for about 6 months with no real issues (knock on wood). I really want a couple cleaner shrimps in my tank but for some reason every time I put any shrimp in my tank they wind up dead.

The first shrimp I tried was a blood fire shrimp and he was in my tank for about 24 hours before I found him on the bottom upside down. The other shrimp was a skunk cleaner shrimp I bought 2 days ago and I was excited because he was actually doing good..... Until this morning when I seen something had cut his tail clean off. He was still alive and I was hoping he would maybe make it but unfortunately he did not.

Now neither one of the shrimp looked like they were eaten or even picked at by anything. All I have in my tank is some gobys, 1 tang, a few green chromis, 2 clowns, a green spotted puffer, and 2 emerald crabs. I understand the puffer would be the first initial thought but he noticed the shrimp as soon as I put him in there and was totally okay with him and would swim up to him to try and be cleaned.

The emerald crabs on the other hand were hiding the first two days and maybe its just a coincidence but one of them were out today when I discovered my shrimp had been murdered. I really love my green spotted puffer, he was someones before me and the individual didn't care for him properly so he leaves all crustaceans alone from what I can tell, I cant even get him to chew on things to chip his teeth down. With that being said I don't want to get rid of him if I don't have to, but id much rather have a cleaner shrimp.

Any advice is greatly appreciated, thank you all in advance!

Diesel · Oct 30, 2016

Don't think it's any of your fish in your tank more like a water or parameter issue.
Shrimps are sensitive inverts and will not tolerate much in the water.
Copper is one of them.
You can do a Triton test to see what all is in your water or just don't get shrimp for a month or six and enjoy your tank as it is.

eatbreakfast · Oct 31, 2016

Diesel said:
Don't think it's any of your fish in your tank more like a water or parameter issue.
Shrimps are sensitive inverts and will not tolerate much in the water.
Copper is one of them.
You can do a Triton test to see what all is in your water or just don't get shrimp for a month or six and enjoy your tank as it is.

Water parameters don't cause a lost tail though.

The puffer would be my prime suspect, the emeralds would be the second suspect, but it could also be something else.

You could try adding another shrimp and putting the puffer in a critter cage or a social acclimation box and see if the shrimp fares better.