Amano Shrimp Dies After Molt?

UnknownUser · 07-09-2008, 02:45 PM

Hello to all,

I am new to this site and just love it, and looking at all of the wonderful pictures everyone has posted up of their tanks and their fish it is just fantastic. With the wealth of knowledge on here I would like to share a story that happened last evening with my week old amano shrimp! Week and a half
He has survived very well through the tank up until last night when I got up check the perimeters I noticed someone on the bottom of the tank so I turned the light on and saw that he had molted! His shell was on one of the plants and he was off to the side on his back sitting there. So I observed him for about 2.5 seconds and then he started kicking his front feet around so I thought well that is good he is just hardening up before he flips over and goes about his way just as my sun tiger tarantula does...

So I turned the light off and went back to bed and woke up... Now he is dead... Nooo movement. so I picked him up with my hand just to make sure and yeah he's got nothing... I like him so so sooo much maybe more then the fist sometimes, and I just don't know! SO I tested the water right as all of this was going on and my PH was around 7ish my nitrites were in the safe zone and so were the nitrates... I just don't know! So I called the lfs I got him from and they were like uhhh I?m not sure but when they molt they just do their thing and they are good to go.( They won't replace him either ).. So I got on the net trying to find info on shrimp molting... The only thing I could come up with is that the other fish (tetras, guppies, hatchet fish) saw him as vulnerable and nipped at him... But if this is the case... What is a fish/shrimp owner to do when the shrimp molt? We can?t stand around the tank pulling each shrimp out right after molting until they come up to par right??

I feel this is all my fault and I should have done something to save him such as put the fish net over and let it lie on top of him so the other fish could not nip at him... I just don't know and of course want MORE shrimp but at 4 bucks a pop I don't want to keep buying them have them molt and just pass on... They will molt quite often since they are young... So I am looking for some words of advice.

I found one online site that sells them... But you have to have like a 40 or 50$ minimum order before they will ship, and I don't want to order anything before I find out more...

somerton16 · 07-09-2008, 04:26 PM

you say that your nitrates and nitrites are in the safe zone what are the numbers? also did you check for ammonia? usually the bottom dwellers are the first to go if there is any ammonia present in the tank. i would wait till the tank is fully cycled and them wait around 3 months to get any clean up crew especially algae eaters. when the tank is still new their isnt a sufficient source of food for them to eat. i have a bamboo shrimp and when he molts he doesnt lay on his back he just continues his normal activities.

UnknownUser · 07-09-2008, 05:47 PM

Oh really? Yours just sheds his shell and carrys on? I wish I was up when he did it because I don't truly know what went wrong...

Do you just have the one shrimp in your tank? I am thinking about changing out 25% of the water and letting things settle down in there. I will post what the the percentages of nirtite and nitrate... and I will do a ammonia test tonight as well... I have to get this tank settled down its driving me nuts!

UnknownUser · 07-10-2008, 06:25 PM

Ok here are the numbers. . .

Nitrate = 25ppm

Nitrate = .7ppm

Total hardness = 75ppm

Total Alkalinity = 100ppm

pH= 7.5

How can I figure out what a appropiate nitrite level is for the fish in my tank?
3 Guppies
2 Hatchet Fish
2 Killifish (non agressive ones)
7 Various Tetras
In a 30 gallon tank

somerton16 · 07-10-2008, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UnknownUser

Ok here are the numbers. . .

Nitrate = 25ppm

Nitrate = .7ppm

Total hardness = 75ppm

Total Alkalinity = 100ppm

pH= 7.5

How can I figure out what a appropiate nitrite level is for the fish in my tank?
3 Guppies
2 Hatchet Fish
2 Killifish (non agressive ones)
7 Various Tetras
In a 30 gallon tank

i see you have 2 nitrates listed i'm going to assume the second one is nitrites. you should have 0 nitrites your tank is still cycling. what is your ammonia levels at?? i would do a WC and keep an eye on the tank. i usually do a water change when my trate levels reach 20ppm. which is usually every 10 days but i make it easier on myself and do it every sunday. let us know what your ammonia is.

UnknownUser · 07-11-2008, 02:44 PM

Ok My ammonia level is at 1.0ppm... I found some Ammo-Lock at Petsmart I was thinking about getting. It said that when I test the water it will still show that there is ammonia in the water but that it converts toxic ammonia to a non-toxic form, and then the filter pulls those particles up... I also found hthat there are ammo-carbs and amm-chips that can be added to the filter to remove ammonia and improve water quality....

I put some type of grassy live plant in the water after I did a 25% water change 2 days ago and now the plant is dieing from the tips down (bought them for .99$ so Im not upset they are dieing) and I am wondering if that is from the ammonia...

How hard will it be for me to keep plants alive in the tank with sand? Maybe I should get a new light... I also have some slimy stuff on the glass and I was thinking about getting a black mystery snail to get busy on that...

I am just kinda like uhhhh doing all my little water tests and watching these plants die, and losing my shrimp.

somerton16 · 07-11-2008, 07:15 PM

your tank is still cycling i wouldnt add any more fish untill you show no readings of ammonia or nitrite. i wouldnt use ammo lock or anything like that unless your fish are showing some real signs of stress. you are almost done with the cycle just keep on eye on things and do WCs every other day to keep them levels in the low range till the cycle is completed. i am not a plant person but i dont think that plants can survive in sand. your gonna have to ask that question in the p;anted tank section. i know its hard being patient but you have to to let things equal out and be safe for the little wet ones. keep us posted.

UnknownUser · 07-12-2008, 12:40 AM

I am going to do a 50% water change... The fish are like laying at the bottom and keep rubbing their bellies.

I did a ammonia test and it is going up... I don't know how else to make it go down... Should I put conditioning salt in the water when I change it or no no? Should I put Nitraban in the water after changing it? hummmm...

UnknownUser · 07-25-2008, 02:29 PM

I figured out why the shrimp was dead... The two male Killi fish I had in the tank were the corprates... Those sons of beaches ate several of the petty ghost shrimp I had in the tank as well. Needless to say they were given up nice and fat to where they came from.
I really like the killi fish too,, the great color variation... No more nightly assasiations though...