Hey! Who ate my shrimp?

[Tam]

I have a 140 gallon planted tank and recently bought 18 Amano and 4 Cherry shrimp to help with algae control. Some of the shrimp were pretty small but others were good sized. Over the course of 2 weeks, they have all but disappeared. I saw one large Amano yesterday but can't find any others anymore. Not seeing bodies lying all over the place I have assumed that one (or more )of my fish ate 'em. The fish all seem quite healthy. My numbers (ammonia, nitrite,etc) are fine. I have had 2 Amano shrimp living in the tank for months previously without a problem, so I doubt it is a tank problem.

Are any of the these fish known to eat shrimp?
-bala sharks, tiger barbs, yellow gourami, white molly, bushy nosed plecostomus, chinese algae eaters (large), rainbow guppies, orange tetra, otoclinus, clown loach (small and medium), danios

Thanks

 

[rkilling1]

My bala shark's LOVE shrimp!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GlitcH]

I would say the barbs would enjoy pickin off any young or recently molted shrimp.
My GBRs are always 1 or 2 inches from my hand whenever I'm doing anything in the tank that causes a disturbance. They wait to pick off any small shrimp I happen to scare up.

Also, if the shrimp were to die of other causes.....the bodies wouldn't last long even if you had spotted them. The other shrimp will eagerly make a meal out of them.

 

[cabezon]

I bet that is where all my shrimp went too. the balas looked extra zippy.

 

[triazole]

no one betting on the clowns?

 

[rich311k]

I would imagine the sharks, gourami, clowns and barbs would all look at the shrimp as tasty treats. If they are small enough or molting all of those fish will happily eat the shrimp. I would imagine the pleco would even take a stab at one.

 

[Tam]

So how do you keep shrimp with any of these suspected Seafood lovers ? Just buy 'em big?

 

[rich311k]

With the stock you have the answer is you don't. I always wanted to keep them too but my angels make quick work of them. One of my planned projects is a little planted tank just for shrimp and snails.