# 1 dead shrimpy!!



## Heady (Mar 4, 2003)

I got about a dozen snowballs about 10 days ago and found 1 little guy dead today!  

They're in a 20-gallon, by themselves, with an Azoo Bio-Filter 9 with air pump, temp 77, and some java moss. Well-established tank with no nitrites or ammonia. Flourite substrate, no ferts. Feeding 1-2 pellets Hikari Crab Cuisine per day. I only give them a second pellet if they eat the first one quickly. If they haven't eaten the second one by bedtime, I take it out.

This was the biggest shrimp. Could it just be old age? Am I not feeding enough? Should I take him out, or let the others eat him? I'm new to shrimp so any ideas are welcome.


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## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

Are you sure its a dead shrimp and not its shell? They molt fairly often when they are young. If they are adults, then it may be that it couldn't handle the trip, and died. I mean 10 days is long time to end up dying, but you never know. I wouldn't worry about the others dying though. When my snowballs got old and died, I just let them stay in the tank, mostly cuz I would have to mess around a good bit to grab the little sucker. If they are molting, leave the shell for them to eat.


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## yum (Feb 11, 2008)

yeah, I imagine that it's hard to tell if it's a molting b/c the shrimp are white. heh. I freaked out the first time I saw a molted shell from my cherry. I thought "OH NO! A death already??"

I have a turkey baster for "dusting" the tank and if I'm ever unsure, I suck up the husk to take a closer look.


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## Heady (Mar 4, 2003)

Hm well technically when I went to bed last night he wasn't dead... he was pure white and upside down, but upon closer inspection he was just barely moving his little shrimpy legs. 

When I went to check on him this morning he was definitely dead and partially eaten. Poor little guy. 

I found a molted shell earlier this week, it definitely looked like a shell. This one is bright white and it looks like the flesh is still all inside.


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## Heady (Mar 4, 2003)

Update: Well, I am happy to say that although I lost 1 shrimp, all the others seem to be very happy and healthy. They are getting big too!!


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

I had bought 5 snowballs a while back and did lose one. It appears when they turn deep white they are on their way out. Does anyone know what the deep white color is indicating?


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## southerndesert (Oct 14, 2007)

When shrimp are sick or dying the will commonly turn a "milky" color. They seldom if ever recover once this happens and their can be a variety of reasons including old age.

I know not much help, but sometimes shrimp will just up and die for no apparent reason and as long as it is an isolated incident and the rest seem healthy I wouldn't worry.

Cheers, Bill


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## yargthegreat (May 5, 2008)

I ordered some very healthy CRS and put them in a cycled tank. Well apparently it wasn't fully cycled yet. About 10 days in one died, I tried not to think anything of it since it was an adult ( stress from shipping them causes adult deaths occasionally). Well I noticed 2 more upside down barely moving its little shrimpie legs. I tried righting them and they could only swim upside down. 

Trying to act quickly i netted them all up and plopped them in a community tank that had been established for months. Both tanks had the same pH and temperature. They were still upside down in the very old tank but they were much more prolific in their movement. After 2-3 days they were no longer upside down and made a full recovery. Kinda spooky, but neat that even the "finicky" shrimp are still hardy enough to make a recovery from fouled water. 

After the incident I purchased new master test kit. Won't happen again :O


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