Why can't I keep shrimp alive?

S

Solarfall

Totally Gnar
Today I bought 3 peppermint shrimp from a great saltwater LFS I found about 20 miles away, I also got some Cerith and Astrea snails. I acclimated everything in around 2 hours, give or take 15 mins. My snails are fine, they just sat there for the first few hours but most of them are now wondering around the tank. But 2 of the 3 shrimp have already died within 8 hours of being released into the tank. The 3rd is MIA, so I'm guessing it's probably dead and stuck in a powerhead intake or something. A few weeks ago I picked up a coral banded shrimp that died after about a day. I have about 20 snails now, a mixture of nassarius, cerith, and astrea, and I have like 4 or 5 hermits, all of which are doing great. I also have a cinnamin clown and a chocolate chip starfish that have been in the tank for like a month. I don't understand why I can seem to keep anything but shrimp in this tank.

It's a 55g with 10g sump, my params are:
Ammonia: .1 or less
Nitrire: 0
Nitrate: 20
Calc: 460
PH: 8.3
Salinity: 1.024

Now I realize that my nitrates are higher than a perfect tank, but I don't think 20 is enough to kill something within 8 hours. This is really frustrating, so if anybody has some input I would really appretiate it.
 
No, the clown is very docile. But I do have a ton of water flow in the tank, around 3200 gph with my 2 HK4s and 2 generics. I noticed when I first dropped the shrimp in the tank that the smallest one was swept across the entire tank in the current and I had to use a net just to get it to a more mellow spot. The non coral tanks at my LFS didn't have a whole lot of water flow so I'm wondering if the stress of this maelstrom may have something to do with it. I don't have a phosphate or alk test kit yet either, but I don't think they would really be relavent in this situation.
 
do you have corals?? i was thinking maybe you have copper in the tank... but if your corals are looking good then that is probably not it
 
I would not care much about the time to acclimate. When I acclimate, especially inverts, I test the water in the bag AND the water in the tank. I continue to acclimate until they are equal. Also, inverts need fairly low nitrate and yours are in the high side. Also, did the shrimps look like they had been attacked? Claws missing? Bit in half? Examine the corpse carefully before you remove it from the tank.
 
Solarfall said:
No, it's FOWLR, and sadly I am using tap water. But I would think my snails and hermits would've croaked too by now.
Click to expand...

Tap water!!! There's your problem probably! Your other livestock has become acclimated to your using it and have built up a tolerance. Shrimp are very sensitive and cannot take it.
 
Well this actually happened yesterday. I just copy/pasted it from another forum I visit because there's not nearly as much activity on that forum and I still hadn't gotten a response.
But I did check out the carcasses and nothing was out of the ordinary at all. But I do know that the place I went to has impeccable water quality, they ship nation-wide and are famous amoung the other LFS in my area. So I'm wondering if even the 20 nitrates (along with the possible trace amounts of copper in my tank) did them in. Another thing, I mentioned the CBS died after a day. I got that at the store I work at, which has very similiar water quality to my tank. We don't even use RO water, which is embarassing, but I know for a fact that the CBS had been in there for months.
 
When the LFS bagged the shrimp,did they drop a rubberband or a piece of rock rubble in there with them? I've found that if shrimp dont have anything in the bag to hold onto,that they get pretty stressed.
We always drop a rubberband in the bag with shrimp at my LFS.
 
I will also say that the tap water is probably your issue.

How did you acclimate? Have your salinity double checked by your LFS, your hydrometer may be off.
 
If you can't get RO water then at least use filtered water. Some grocery food stores like Wholefoods or Wal-mart have a RO machine.
 
@ Yote
That's actually an interesting theory because it was nearly a half hour drive home then a 2 hour acclimation, and they looked pretty frantic trying to scurry around the bag without anything to hold on to

@ winyfrog
Hah I have 3 hydrometers, two stay in the sump constantly, one being a thermometer combo, and the other I use when I'm mixing water, all read the same.

@Biffer
I think I will grab a copper test tomorrow since I have off. But I have a chocolate chip starfish that's been doing great for a long time now. The stray voltage is an interesting theory too.

And I think I'm going to start buying the big water cooler water jugs from home depot, depending on what they cost. I'm not sure, but I'm thinking I may be able to refill them if I bring the drums back. Anyone know about that sort of thing?

Thanks a lot guys!
 
just grab some 5 gallon buckets from HD

they should be about 5 bucks or so. Im sure cheaper than a water cooler and easier to store also

Brian
 
I'd just buy an RO/DI unit and be done with it.

Change 20% of the water every 4 days. In a couple weeks, your water quality will be 100% better than it is now.

#1 most important thing for saltwater fish or corals = RO unit. And NOT the cheapest POS you can buy. Get a GOOD one.

#2 most important thing for saltwater fish or corals = protein skimmer. And NOT the cheapest POS you can buy. Get a GOOD one.

You can buy buckets. You can buy copper test kits. You can do/buy all kinds of crap. But until you get an RO unit, you're just killing livestock and wasting money.
 
True Rc.
Other than expense, which isn't that much compared to other reefing equipment, why are people so resistant to buying RODI units? Maybe the fear of hooking it up? I hauled water for my small tank ONCE and that was enough to convince me!

A RODI system will pay for itself in under a year too! Why pay for water? !!!
 
I don't know. Y'all know I'm BLUNT and very direct. Some are offended........ can't please everyone.

NOT buying an RO unit is the #1 DUMBEST thing you can do in this hobby. Total investment is usually around $250 for the unit and the pump. Thats NOTHING!! I have over $3000 in a 30g tank!!! The RO unit was less than 10% of the total investment. But the BENEFIT from using it is immeasurable.

Every time I read a new thread about somebody having "seemingly" random algae outbreaks, cyano bacteria or recurring live stock deaths .......... the common link is not having an RO unit. :frustrat:

Buy an RO unit people!!!!!!!!!

If you're too tight to buy an RO unit, then you either can't afford this hobby, or don't deserve this hobby. I can't afford this hobby, but I bought my RO unit when I had the money. LOL!!!
 
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