shrimp dying after molting

[fatboy]

In the last week about 5 of my yamato and tiger shrimp have died. It's always after molting. The water conditions are good, nitrates about 10ppm and nitrites/ammnia around 0.ph of 8. I use water conditioner (tetra watersafe) every time I change water (about 20% every 2 days) and the temp is around 78 degrees. I feed them nutrafin max sinking tablets and frozen cyclops, making sure it's eaten or removed before it goes furry.

The tank had about 6 yamato, 4 tiger shrimp, 5 cherry reds and a wood shrimp. A few days ago I added a bristlenose pleco. When I first added 8 cherry reds almost half died in the first few days.

Any idea what would cause sudden deaths? Most of the shrimp were very pink after death and without a shell. One tiger shrimp was pure balck around its head, very odd looking. Could something have attacked them when they were weak after molting?

I've no idea why this tank has so many problems. I keep yamatos and tiger shrimp with my dwarf puffers and none of those have died.

[Veneer]

Any idea what would cause sudden deaths? Most of the shrimp were very pink after death and without a shell.

Just a note - "pinkness" in dead shrimp is a natural consequence of the denaturing of (primarily chitin-based) astaxanthin pigment; such coloration, in and of itself, does not specifically implicate any factors as complicit in the death of your shrimp.

[retardo]

Just a note - pinkish coloration in dead shrimp is a natural consequence of the denaturing of chitin-based astaxanthin.

can you say that in English? ;)

[gnatster]

Just a note - "pinkness" in dead shrimp is a natural consequence of the denaturing of (primarily chitin-based) astaxanthin pigment; such coloration, in and of itself, does not specifically implicate any factors as complicit in the death of your shrimp.

Shrimp have stuff in them called astaxanthin and when they die it turns the body pinkish.

[simcb]

In the last week about 5 of my yamato and tiger shrimp have died. It's always after molting. The water conditions are good, nitrates about 10ppm and nitrites/ammnia around 0.ph of 8. I use water conditioner (tetra watersafe) every time I change water (about 20% every 2 days) and the temp is around 78 degrees. I feed them nutrafin max sinking tablets and frozen cyclops, making sure it's eaten or removed before it goes furry.

The tank had about 6 yamato, 4 tiger shrimp, 5 cherry reds and a wood shrimp. A few days ago I added a bristlenose pleco. When I first added 8 cherry reds almost half died in the first few days.

Any idea what would cause sudden deaths? Most of the shrimp were very pink after death and without a shell. One tiger shrimp was pure balck around its head, very odd looking. Could something have attacked them when they were weak after molting?

I've no idea why this tank has so many problems. I keep yamatos and tiger shrimp with my dwarf puffers and [i]none[/i[] of those have died.

Erh dwarf puffers could have nibble them when snails are low and they wouldnt heistate to do so. In the past i have missing shrimps so i took it out of the tank. Not sure about pleco you mention is it big in size? Shrimps are best keep in shrimp only tanks.

Without a shell ? meaning soft body? Incomplete moulting feed the shrimps food containing high iodine supplement e.g cichilids feeds. I notice nutrifn max(for pleco and invertibrates right?) didnt mention any calcium iodate in the contents i may be wrong.

Keep a look out for calcium iodate(iodine supplement) when you go shopping for commerical shrimp food. After that non of my cherries have incomplete moulting.

Hope it helps.

[retardo]

Shrimp have stuff in them called astaxanthin and when they die it turns the body pinkish.


i'm guessing this is why shrimp are pink in color when boiled. :D

[retardo]

Keep a look out for calcium iodate(iodine supplement) when you go shopping for commerical shrimp food. After that non of my cherries have incomplete moulting.



So do you think it is more the calcium or more the iodine that's helping with the molt? Shrimp need calcium to rebuild/harden up their exoskeletons when they molt, so foods rich in calcium are recommended. Some people swear by iodine, others don't. I add iodine to my tank once a week in case there are benefits, but I don't know with any certainty if there is or not. Either way calcium iodate can have nothing but it has the benefits of both elements if fed to shrimp in sufficient quantities.

[Veneer]

So do you think it is more the calcium or more the iodine that's helping with the molt? Shrimp need calcium to rebuild/harden up their exoskeletons when they molt, so foods rich in calcium are recommended. Some people swear by iodine, others don't. I add iodine to my tank once a week in case there are benefits, but I don't know with any certainty if there is or not. Either way calcium iodate can have nothing but it has the benefits of both elements if fed to shrimp in sufficient quantities.

All scientific studies to date seem to indicate that shrimps' need for the various compounds collectively referred to as "iodine" exists only as a trace dietary (as opposed to ambient) requirement.

[gigahertz]

nitrates about 10ppm and nitrites/ammnia around 0.ph of 8. I use water conditioner (tetra watersafe) every time I change water (about 20% every 2 days) and the temp is around 78 degrees.

The nitrate level is a bit high I think. I usually try to keep the nitrate level below 5ppm but my amanos have survived higher nitrate level during one of my vacations ( 2 weeks ).

Also the ph of 8 is quite high for Tigers and Bee shrimps. I have this one tank that had a ph spike when it went to 8 and I lost 4 CRS, 3 tigers and a bunch of Tiger babies. I usually try to keep my CRS tank at around at ph of 6.8 and a bit higher for Bee Shrimps but never over 7.4.

What do you guys think?

[simcb]

The nitrate level is a bit high I think. I usually try to keep the nitrate level below 5ppm but my amanos have survived higher nitrate level during one of my vacations ( 2 weeks ).

Also the ph of 8 is quite high for Tigers and Bee shrimps. I have this one tank that had a ph spike when it went to 8 and I lost 4 CRS, 3 tigers and a bunch of Tiger babies. I usually try to keep my CRS tank at around at ph of 6.8 and a bit higher for Bee Shrimps but never over 7.4.

What do you guys think?

Try to maintain PH within the 7.2 - 6.6 range. Not sure about nitrate level so far i dont care about it and didnt dose any fertilizter, shrimps, plants, and algae happily growing away in my planted.

[silane]

fatboy,

Beside, what others suggested you may want to make sure there are ample hidding places, shrimps after moulting need to rest so that their extoselecton can be form.

The PH at 8 is a problem, free ammonia out of the total ammonia is very high at this PH. Free ammonia (NH3) is more toxic then ionized ammonia (NH4), NH4 is still a toxic.

At temperature of 28C.
When PH is at 8, free ammonia is 6.5%
When PH is at 7, free ammonia is at 0.7%
When PH is at 6.5, free ammonia is at 0.22%

At temperature of 25C.
When PH is at 8, free ammonia is 5.4%
When PH is at 7, free ammonia is at 0.6%
When PH is at 6.5, free ammonia is at 0.18%

[fatboy]

Thanks for the help. I've tested my tapwater and it's around 9.5! Last week it was under 8. That could explain the sudden deaths, either PH deaths or ammonia toxicity.

The second tank, the one with only Dwarf puffers and yamato shrimp, is much larger and has wood in it that keeps the ph more stable at around 7. That could explain why they survive and the shrimp tank inhabitants die.

I'll slowly lower the PH and try to get my nitrites down while I'm at it. I'm also calling the water compnay to find out why it has become so high. That's nasty.

[kross]

Thanks for the help. I've tested my tapwater and it's around 9.5! Last week it was under 8. That could explain the sudden deaths, either PH deaths or ammonia toxicity.

The second tank, the one with only Dwarf puffers and yamato shrimp, is much larger and has wood in it that keeps the ph more stable at around 7. That could explain why they survive and the shrimp tank inhabitants die.

I'll slowly lower the PH and try to get my nitrites down while I'm at it. I'm also calling the water compnay to find out why it has become so high. That's nasty.


No wonder I always can't seem to get rid of the soapy feeling after a shower when I was in UK. lol