Urgent help needed Shrimp busy dying

Rob13

Rob13

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Hi guys,

I have a 400L system that was wiped out by marine velvet (I am currently in week 6 of the fallow period and apart from inverts have no livestock).

This week there have been more changes than usual to the tank (ie I have mixed on and used salt water that I have made myself as opposed to buying from an LFS; I added some Zoas; and dosed some Seachem zooplankton as well as phytoplankton to feed the 8 or so corals that I have).

SG is at 1.026;
Ammonia is at 0;
Nitrates are also at 0 (I have been dosing 0.5ml of NOPOX for about a month now to combat some hair algae);
Temperature is at 23.7 today as opposed to 24.5 that it usually sits at.

My one cleaner shrimp was dead this morning and the fire shrimp looks to be following, I am seriously at a loss as to why they could be dying? The other cleaner shrimp still looks OK...

Any ideas? Is that swing in temp too much? This loss of livestock is really killing me...

When mixing your own salt water is there something I am missing (I used aquavitro salinity)?

PS: I do a 40L water change a week...
 
Just to add: I mixed on the salt to a SG of 1.026 and mixed it using a big spoon as per the suggestion of the LFS, as aquavitro apparently clouds up a lot if you use a power head.

Also I was told that with only 40L and it being summer I did not need to heat the water up?
 
Every three days I use some tongs and personally give each shrimp a small piece of flake...

I have an urchin and some snails in the tank that all seem perfect...
 
The urchin and snails will live off of algae.
When you had fish in your tank, did you feed flakes only or frozen foods as well? I'm leaning towards them not getting enough to eat. But I hope someone on here could give you a more concrete answer
 
I fed frozen as well... It just seems strange that two of them died within a few hours of each other?

Should I maybe try running some carbon?
 
I also use salinity salt. never had problems mixing with a powerhead. in fact in mix very well with the powerhead. I normally mix the salt a day or two before adding it to the tank.
 
Just a quick thought. Sorry, nothing to do with the shrimp.

But wouldn't there be a chance that the zoas you bought could carry velvet? I thought you weren't meant to add anything during the fallow period?
 
Dexter said:
never had problems mixing with a powerhead
Click to expand...

What powerhead do you use? Maybe I should look at investing in one to mix the salt in...

I lost the fire shrimp earlier... I am now running some Seachem carbon just in case there is some toxin or something in the water... I really am at a loss as to what caused this...

TaahirS said:
zoas you bought could carry velvet
Click to expand...

There is a chance yes but all corals I have added have come from tanks where fish have also been residing for a few months and all corals have been dipped... Again just going on advice I have been given so am really hoping this hasn't prolonged the possible fallow period in any way...
 
I use very old powerheads....dont even know the names. Its just to keep the water moving.
 
Hi Apollo,

No I knew that using copper in the display with the corals and shrimp was out of the question. The only additives I have been adding is the NOPOX and then for the first time, I added the phyto and zooplankton this week...

I put that carbon in last night and the last remaining shrimp is thankfully still alive this morning (although not as active as usual?), together with all other inverts... So I really am not sure what caused this...
 
I forgot to mention that my green star polyps have been closed since Monday as well...

Is it possible that my water is too clean and despite feeding the shrimp every three days, there just isn't enough food in the tank as @Juan27 suggested?
 
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Rob,

Don't think so. I had cleaner & fireshrimps back in 2009 and fed them only every 7-8 days. They lived long healthy lives, until their untimely demise due to a tank crash 3 years ago.
As for your GSP - They can be fickle sometimes and remain closed for no good reason. Not necessarily an indicator of trouble, as there could be many variables impacting here.

I know that you are on edge at the moment due to the unexplainable livestock losses. Believe me, I was distraught after my tank crashed a few years ago, and even when I restarted paranoia set in which caused me to constantly check and monitor every parameter I could.:m33:

Just take it one day at a time, monitor health of the system daily and do some more water changes until the situation stabilises. I am sure all will work out well.
Good luck.
 
Apollo said:
As for your GSP - They can be fickle sometimes and remain closed for no good reason. Not necessarily an indicator of trouble, as there could be many variables impacting here.
Click to expand...

I have also read this online and not seeing any visible problems with the coral I will leave it be for a while and try not to worry too much...

Apollo said:
even when I restarted paranoia set in which caused me to constantly check and monitor every parameter I could
Click to expand...

This is definitely the response that I am currently having and with all parameters testing perfect it really isn't helping me sleep at night as I am not sure what to do...

Apollo said:
Just take it one day at a time, monitor health of the system daily and do some more water changes until the situation stabilises. I am sure all will work out well.
Good luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind words @Apollo! I will maintain a strict WC regime and will take it one day at a time, hopefully the system can sort itself out...
 
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