Will cleaner shrimp kill a blenny?

[Pmacha1a]

New tank here, on Saturday I added a tailspot blenny, green clown goby, cleaner shrimp and 4 Nassarius snails. All did well Saturday & Sunday. Yesterday working my 24 my daughter said the shrimp had the dead blenny in its arms.

This morning ammonia-0, nitrite-0 & nitrate-0. Sunday nitrate was 5.

Would the shrimp kill the fish? Everything I read says no. If not was it the loss of nitrates? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[ThePurple12]

No, the shrimp was just scavenging, as shrimp do :) Nitrate loss wouldn't have killed it either. Not sure what did.

 

[ThePurple12]

How old is the tank? You could've had an ammonia spike from adding the fish.

 

[Pmacha1a]

It’s a month old, just cycled. I added the fish Saturday and ammonia was 0. Same on Sunday and today. Just missed testing Monday while at work

 

[ThePurple12]

Then the only other thing I can think of is oxygen depletion. How big is the tank and what do you have for flow?

 

[Pmacha1a]

Then the only other thing I can think of is oxygen depletion. How big is the tank and what do you have for flow?

Thanks, I didn’t think of that. I have a Waterbox 20 cube, stock filtration. My flow was subsurface, I’ll move it up for more agitation.

 

[ThePurple12]

Thanks, I didn’t think of that. I have a Waterbox 20 cube, stock filtration. My flow was subsurface, I’ll move it up for more agitation.

Sounds good, but oxygen depletion probably wasn't the cause since you had some flow in there and just 2 small fish. I'm stumped!

 

[John08007]

Agree, he didn't kill the blenny. Did you see all the fish eating?

 

[Pmacha1a]

Agree, he didn't kill the blenny. Did you see all the fish eating?

Yes, they both ate on Sunday. I did feed lightly though

 

[vetteguy53081]

They do not hunt fish and after a tank cleaning and having zero readings, I suspect ammonia spike and/or presence of nitrates.
Are you by chance using api test kits??
They are notorious for false readings and have let down many reefers.

 

[Pmacha1a]

dang, I am using API

 

[Garf]

dang, I am using API

Did the tank look like it cycled properly? Did you use bacterial additives etc?

 

[Pmacha1a]

Did the tank look like it cycled properly? Did you use bacterial additives etc?

Yes it did. I used DrTims one and only with ammonia chloride. Besides my testing had I 2 LFS test my water( one Friday, one Saturday)before I added the fish.

At this point I’m guessing just that it was fragile and stressed. My clown goby is doing just fine

 

[Garf]

Yes it did. I used DrTims one and only with ammonia chloride. Besides my testing had I 2 LFS test my water( one Friday, one Saturday)before I added the fish.

At this point I’m guessing just that it was fragile and stressed. My clown goby is doing just fine

Sick fish, does sound likely to me. Good luck :)