I can't keep them alive

[Fishyfanatic]

For some reason, my ghost shrimp keep dieing. I put 10 in my 10 gal tank about a month ago. Today, I pulled out the last one. They look like they are being cooked. I know, that sounds weird. But when I find them dead they are pink in color, like a boiled shrimp. The temp is at 76. They are also just becoming missing. I had thought that it could have been the Molly but was told on AA that the molly wouldn't eat them. Could it be the Tetra's? So far I have pulled out two shrimp that look cooked. What is going on? I never had this problem in my 5 gal with a Male Betta. Just in this 10 gal tank. Any insite? BTW- It's a 10 gal tank with 3 Tetra's and a Molly.

 

[Meredith]

That is weird. I had a bunch of ghost shrimp at one time and when they died they turned white not pink. I had one live a long time, and I think I killed him on accident. I found his head neatly severed from his body. I think maybe I squished him with some driftwood. Too much information??
Anyway could they be congregating around the heater and maybe not moving when it comes on?

 

[megladonsharky]

maybe it is the salt in the tank... I am assuming your tank is almost brackish for the molly??

 

[wabyrd]

Make sure there are actually shrimp in the shell you're pulling out. Once the ghost shrimp molts, it's very soft and mollies and tetras will nip at it causing it's death. Are there hiding places for the shrimp for when it molts? Also, as suggested above, it could be related to the salt content.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

No, i am not using salt in the tank. I've never used salt for my mollies.

I have greenery bunched up for them in the corner and they used to always hang there. I also have a little rock formation thing that I made for them.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

They could have been hanging out by the heater, but I've never seen it. They normally just sat in the greenery. That's where I am finding the pink bodies.

 

[Meredith]

Maybe you just got a bad batch.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I moved 5 in there from the 5 gal, they got eaten or just disapeared. Then I got 5 more, they left. Then I got 10 more and now they are gone. This is the first batch that has turned pink though. I don't know what it is. Maybe the Tetra's are eating them?

 

[krap101]

yeah i usually have a 25% survival rate.

 

[debomb4u]

I think this is turning me off for getting shrimp in the future....

 

[Veneer]

For some reason, my ghost shrimp keep dieing. I put 10 in my 10 gal tank about a month ago. Today, I pulled out the last one. They look like they are being cooked. I know, that sounds weird. But when I find them dead they are pink in color, like a boiled shrimp. The temp is at 76. They are also just becoming missing. I had thought that it could have been the Molly but was told on AA that the molly wouldn't eat them. Could it be the Tetra's? So far I have pulled out two shrimp that look cooked. What is going on? I never had this problem in my 5 gal with a Male Betta. Just in this 10 gal tank. Any insite? BTW- It's a 10 gal tank with 3 Tetra's and a Molly.

A few notes - crustacean chitin generally contains the reddish carotenoid pigment astaxanthin, the molecules of which are typically bound to darker protein chains. As aficionados of edible "shellfish" should well know, the structural deterioration characterizing the death of its possessor compels this protein to denature, freeing otherwise concealed astaxanthin tints.

Where any of the shrimp at any point opaque? Whence did you obtain them?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The shrimp were always clear/foggy in color, like they are supposed to look.

I put 10 in my 10 gal tank about a month ago.

 

[Veneer]

I put 10 in my 10 gal tank about a month ago.

Whence did you obtain them?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

A month ago.

 

[Veneer]

A month ago.

whence
adv.
From where; from what place: Whence came this traveler?
From what origin or source: Whence comes this splendid feast?

(http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=whence)

Practically all ghost shrimp sold in North America are wild-caught; thus, typically having passed from poor wholesale facilities to retailers (and hence to personal aquaria), most specimens are highly stressed and may thereby succumb to shifts in what would otherwise be inconsequential environmental particulars.

Then again, truly brackish species are sometimes sold in lieu of freshwater Palaemonetes spp.

 

[krap101]

ive had 2 types of ghost shrimp. it seems the kind without the red spots survived longer

 

[greenmaji]

Veneer....I do realise that whence is not middle engilsh but its close...I wouldnt expect someone to pack a dictionary or use a dictionary site for advise but...I can see were it might be in your vocabulary and not alot of the readers.... Just a though..

 

[jersysman]

I quite agree GM.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I am not an idiot. It doesn't really matter where I got them from (a simple Where did you purchase them would be sufficient, not trying to give someone a vocabulary lesson). I purchased the three batches from three different stores.

 

[Big C]

In dealing with certain work related issues, a coach suggested to get detached from the situation, focus in the information and not the way it was delivered, and if the information was apropriate IGNORE the rest!!! It has been working for me, in that particular case.

Of course some times you feel like . The good news is: you're normal.

Now the important stuff here is your g. shrimp... and mine. I got 5 several weeks ago, 1 went missing, 3 died and turned red as you described. I saw the diamond tetras having a go at one of them while they were still alive... not pretty!

Only one has survived and it is doing quite well. I'm a little concerned now that I read this thread because it just molted.