Vampire shrimp has turned into a social butterfly?

[Monzie]

A bit of background info, to start...

We have a new 27 gallon freshwater tank that has been beset with problems since we filled it earlier this year. Took forever to cycle, entire school of tetras died in two days and infected the rest of the tank with ich, three inline heaters in a row went kaput, tank has been infested with brown algae for months, and now our favorite fish (a Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami that my kids named "Charlie") developed a mysterious lump.

So, we just stuck Charlie in quarantine so we can treat him with some antibiotics. We also bought some snails two days ago to help deal with the brown algae issue. Well, those snails are now my personal heroes because they have eaten ALL the algae in the tank. If I wasn't happily married, I just might propose to them. I love these snails *that* much. Really.

Well, I'm not sure whether it's the sudden absence of algae or the fact that our gourami is on vacation at Club Med(icine) but now our normally reclusive Vampire Shrimp has come out of his usual hiding place and has been hanging out on top of the big fake tree root that's the centerpiece of the tank. Normally, we only ever catch glimpses of his antennae peeping out from the shadows under the log. Now, he's all like "'Sup, dudes?" I'm not complaining. In fact, I'd like this sociable shrimp trend to continue. Maybe we could teach him some tricks? Like the Sea Monkeys in the back of those comic books?? Okay, maybe not that. But I do like that our shrimp isn't hiding any more.

By now you're probably asking yourself "Does this crazy woman have a question or is she just drunk on invertebrate love and/or hard cider?" I actually DO have a question...

Is our shrimp out in the open because he suddenly has a new lease on life? Or was he afraid of our friendly gourami and now rejoicing his freedom from the big blue guy? Is he just hungry as heck because the snails ate his gigantic algae hoard? Or is he going bonkers eating the crap they have liberated from the log and allowed to float into the water?

Any thoughts, invert aficionados?

 

[henningc]

Pull water from the bottom of the tank and test to see if the levels are ok. Typically my inverts start climbing when things are not in balance on the bottom.

 

[shellyx]

Is he maybe just settled in? I have a vampire shrimp and she sits in her coconut shell fanning as the flow of the filter passes through there but she sometimes comes out during the day for a wander Lol i know it can take them a while to feel comfortable enough to come out. But you can check your paras as been said as well just incase

 

[Monzie]

Another option that I'd forgotten is that I moved the sponge filter out of the main tank into the quarantine tank. The rare occasions when I used to see the shrimp wandering out from under the log, he'd be on the sponge, snacking on the crud that collected there. So maybe he's out in the open more now because his favorite algae buffet got temporarily relocated?

Pretty sure the water's okay. I haven't checked parameters in a while because we have been doing HUGE weekly water changes lately, trying to stay one step ahead of the brown algae. Shrimp looks otherwise healthy and he just molted, so I dunno. I think he's okay. I'm just pleased that I'm seeing more of him than I ever have. He's cool and I really like watching him wave his filters around in the current.

 

[Fishfur]

He might just be settling in. I have some that hide all the time, and one that often shows itself. But not all the time. But he might also be happy the gourami is gone. They are a much shyer species in general than most other shrimps you get for tanks.. so it's nice you're getting to see him out and about.

 

[hippy guy]

My vampire shrimp (named Charlie sheen) would come out if the outside of the tank was still. His hiding place doesn't have the best current, so he's probably coming out to a better current of water to filter food from. They are pretty fun


20long hitech/10gal shrimptech