peppermint shrimp die off?

Aysha · #1 05-26-2012, 04:05 AM

So I bought a peppermint shrimp to deal with my aptasia about a month and a half ago. 2 weeks later he looked a bit disoriented and I heard some popping coming from the tank. I assumed my pistol shrimp had got him and moved on.

I purchased another shrimp ohhhh 6 days ago I found him unresponsive today outside of his burrow and sideways in my finger leather. He died about 10 minutes later so I fed him to my coral banded.

I have had a sexy shrimp and a coral banded in my tank since the beginning of March with no issues.

the tank inhabitants
8 hermits
3-4 snails
1 short spined urchin
1 coral banded shrimp
1 sexy shrimp
coral.

WHY DO MY PEPPERMINTS RANDOMLY DIE?
or is this normal.

78º
pH 8.1
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
Phosphate.01 ppm
Salinity1.025

gregzz4 · #2 05-26-2012, 04:57 AM

I forget what size tank you have ??? and how big is your CBS in relation to your sexy and the peppermints you are adding ???

CBS are very territorial and aggressive

If the sexy is larger than the coral, it may explain why the sexy has survived

If the CBS is larger than the peppermints, this is probably your issue

fishytime · #3 05-26-2012, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregzz4

If the sexy is larger than the coral, it may explain why the sexy has survived

that would have to be one wee CB shrimp....sexy shrimp max out at about an inch

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregzz4

CBS are very territorial and aggressive

If the CBS is larger than the peppermints, this is probably your issue

this is a definite possibility....I think CB shrimp shouldnt be sold as reef safe....

it could potentially be your pistol as well too (it doesnt happen often, but it does happen).....how have you been acclimating the peppermints?....does your tank evaporate a lot and if so, do you have an ATO?.....some shrimp are extremely sensitive to things like PH changes, salinity changes and temperature changes

gregzz4 · #4 05-26-2012, 05:24 AM

Well, maybe some of what I wrote was a bit, ummm, inexperienced, shall we say

I didn't want to mention the acclimation thing right off, but there ya go, it's been asked

Aysha · #5 05-26-2012, 05:40 AM

I acclimate everything with the drip method it is a 29 gallon Biocube. My sexy is small my banded is a bit of a hellian so maybe he's the issue. I rehomed the pistol when I thought he was the issue not to mention that he was chaos on my rockwork. don't lose much to evaporation. I do my water changes weekly I use the intank media basket for filtration.

gregzz4 · #6 05-26-2012, 06:45 AM

Sorry to say, but, 29g isn't a whole lot of room for an aggressive shrimp with other, shall we say, meeker ones
I'm not surprised your peppermints aren't lasting and am shocked the CB didn't KO the pistol

Aysha · #7 05-26-2012, 03:38 PM

oh okay. I was told it was. No more peppermints for me I guess.

paddyob · #8 05-26-2012, 04:01 PM

Good chance your pistol took it.

I have lost three pepps and a harlequin to the same suspect
In my tank.

gregzz4 · #9 05-26-2012, 04:02 PM

Well, don't just take my advice, I'm a novice

Maybe you could trade in the CB for some peppermints, or ....

The CB is a pretty shrimp though .... tough choice

You said you've already removed the pistol ??

patman · #10 05-26-2012, 04:09 PM

Probably comes down to what you want. I took my CB out of the tank to put in the peppermints and they have solved my aptaisia problem. I was happy with that trade-off.