Why can’t I keep shrimp alive?

[randy322]

Every time I put in new shrimp whether they be coral banded, cleaner, or peppermint I can’t keep them alive. I also have an issue where I lose about half of my snails. I don’t think it’s iodine or copper, as I have had two shrimp stay alive for months now, my tiger pistol, and one peppermint shrimp which always hides and I assume it’s dead. Usually, when they pass it’s slow, they either become lethargic and stop eating and the next day they die, or after a water change they swim erratically then die overnight, or they disappear completely. No other issues at all besides GHA, which is why I keep adding more snails over time slowly. I also dose all for reef every other week using tropic Marin salt.

 

[Lavey29]

Have you done an ICP test to check all levels like copper? Shrimp need calcium and protein.

 

[randy322]

Have you done an ICP test to check all levels like copper? Shrimp need calcium and protein.

I have not… I suppose I’ll contact TSM as they have been advertising that recently….. why would the one peppermint and tiger shrimp survive? I would think if that was off they both would pass. The tiger has been in for ~6 months and peppermint 3

 

[Lavey29]

I have not… I suppose I’ll contact TSM as they have been advertising that recently….. why would the one peppermint and tiger shrimp survive? I would think if that was off they both would pass. The tiger has been in for ~6 months and peppermint 3

Not sure, maybe some species are more susceptible to contaminants. Do you have any significant algae issue that might be poisoning them some how? Any possible predators?

 

[dthom]

Full tank picture? What else do you have in the tank?

 

[randy322]

Not sure, maybe some species are more susceptible to contaminants. Do you have any significant algae issue that might be poisoning them some how? Any possible predators?

Just green/ turf algae. I was thinking maybe it’s the tiger pistol but IDK. I’ll start with the test and work from there

 

[GSPClown94]

after a water change they swim erratically then die overnight

I would look into this some more and see if some part of your water change method is causing stress on your livestock. Water changes should not result in death.

 

[formallydehyde]

How are you measuring salinity for water changes?

 

[formallydehyde]

Oh also are any of your shrimp getting black spots on them?

 

[randy322]

How are you measuring salinity for water changes?

For salinity I do one of those plastic things, I sometimes double check with a thing I bought off amazon salinity one of the ones you need to look in light with, I try to get as close as possible after the first die off as that’s what I thought it was too .

My process is this with water changes
Prepare one 5 gallon bucket,
Remove 3 buckets worth
Put the prepared bucket in if all reads right
Mix one by hand, the other with a pump I bought off amazon
Measure and dump in as slowly as possible


Edit;

I never see the peppermint so I can’t say for the black spots
The tiger pistol I usually only see for seconds and I thing it’s strips are black, also haven’t seen it (but hear it all the time)

Bodies looked normal hard to tell, everytime a nassarius ate the meat out after it passes