As someone who’s kept shrimp for years, I know exactly how heartbreaking it is to wake up and find your beloved shrimp turning white and dying. It’s especially frustrating when you’ve done everything “right” but still lose your little aquatic friends. Let me share what I’ve learned about this common problem and how to prevent it.
Quick Answer
Shrimp turning white and dying usually happens due to
- Copper poisoning from rocks or decorations
- Failed molting process
- Sudden water parameter changes
- Stress from poor tank conditions
- Disease or bacterial infections
- Natural causes like old age
Common Causes and Solutions
1. Copper Poisoning: The Silent Killer
This is actually more common than you’d think! I learned this the hard way when I had what looked like “safe” green rocks in my tank. Here’s what you need to know:
- Test your tank water for copper, not just tap water
- Remove any suspicious green rocks or decorations
- Copper levels should always be 0 ppm
- Even trace amounts can be lethal to shrimp
2. The Molting Problem
Sometimes what looks like death might just be molting However, problematic molting can lead to death. Watch for
- The “white ring of death” – a white band between head and body
- Difficulty shedding old shell
- Lethargy during molting process
Prevention Tips:
- Maintain stable GH/KH levels
- Provide calcium-rich foods
- Avoid large water changes that trigger premature molting
3. Water Parameter Problems
Shrimp are super sensitive to water conditions. Here’s what your parameters should look like:
Ideal Shrimp Tank Parameters:- Ammonia: 0 ppm- Nitrite: 0 ppm- Nitrate: 0-5 ppm- pH: 7.0-7.5- KH: 4-6- GH: 6-8- Temperature: 70-76°F4. Tank Setup Issues
Your tank setup matters more than you might think:
- Use sponge filters instead of strong filters
- Provide plenty of hiding spots
- Add live plants like java moss
- Don’t overstock – shrimp need space!
Prevention Tips That Actually Work
-
Quarantine New Shrimp
- Keep them separate for 2-3 weeks
- Monitor for signs of illness
- Gradually acclimate them
-
Water Changes Done Right
- Do small changes (10-15%) weekly
- Drip acclimate new water
- Match temperature exactly
-
Proper Diet
- Varied diet including vegetables
- Special shrimp food with minerals
- Don’t overfeed!
What to Do If Your Shrimp Start Turning White
- Test water parameters immediately
- Remove any suspicious decorations
- Do a small water change (15%)
- Add Indian almond leaves if possible
- Separate affected shrimp if you can
My Personal Experience
I once lost half my shrimp colony because of a green rock I thought was safe. It devastated me! But after removing it and doing water changes, my remaining shrimp recovered. Now I test everything that goes in my tank first.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using untested decorations
- Sudden large water changes
- Mixing different water sources
- Overcrowding the tank
- Using copper-based medications
When to Start Over
Sometimes you gotta cut your losses. If you’ve tried everything and shrimp keep dying:
- Break down the tank
- Sterilize everything
- Start fresh with new substrate
- Cycle tank properly
- Try again with lessons learned
Remember, even experienced shrimp keepers make mistakes. The key is learning from them and doing better next time. Keep trying, and you’ll get it right!
Would you like me to explain more about any of these points in detail? I’ve got tons more specific tips that might help!
WHAT DID YA FILL ‘ER UP WITH?
Consider the water source that you used to fill up your tank. Depending on the city you live in, municipal tap water can vary widely.
Many areas treat their water with chlorine, and sometimes chloramine, which is important to disinfect for human consumption, but is not safe for shrimp. Chlorine can usually be “gassed off” by letting it aerate for 24 hours. But chloramine (the combination of chlorine and ammonia) must be removed by using a dechlorinator that specifically states it can remove both of these toxic compounds. Well water can also contain heavy metals (iron, copper, bacteria, pesticides).
To find out if there are harmful compounds in your water you may use a testing kit, or you can contact your local supplier or the EPA’s Website.
If all of this seems a hassle or you just want to be extra-careful; your safest bet is to use a Reverse-Osmosis Filter. This unit must be installed, but will remove all possible impurities (many local fish stores also sell pre-filtered RO Water).
This is obvious to long-time fish/shrimp keepers, but it is especially important for shrimp. Obviously you must make sure your planted tank is fully-cycled, but even once it is, don’t rush into buying shrimp! Biofilm is an important food and nutrient source for shrimp, and needs some time to build up. Shrimp appreciate a well-established tank, with algae and biofilm to munch on. You should add bacteria supplements to help this process along.
Where you buy your freshwater shrimp is going to be a big determinant in their survival. Imported shrimp are going to have a harder time adapting than locally bred shrimp. Many shrimp are sourced overseas- be careful of this. When this happens, they are usually coming from a wild or farmed habitat. They are used to these water parameters and conditions. Then, they are caught, bagged, shipped very far, spend many days/weeks in bags, and then finally arrive at your home or store. By the time they arrive in the United States, they are much more likely to be stressed or sick, which often leads to their demise.
Imported shrimp are more likely to come with or develop usually-rare diseases, like parasites or fungal infections.
Shrimp Infected with Vorticella Parasite
This is why choosing or from reputable online sellers with good reviews (such as Buce Plant Shrimp Packs), or locally-bred shrimp close to where you live, is much more preferable. When you do this, you are able to ask the seller what parameters the shrimp are kept in (or it will be listed on the site), and you know they will go through much less stress, leading to better acclimation and less-to-no deaths. Of course, there is always a chance a shrimp is born with unlucky genes. Just like humans who get sick or are immune-compromised, the same happens with shrimp. If it is just one shrimp that perishes, it is not a huge concern.
Although shrimp are hardy, they do not like sudden changes. Acclimation should be a slow process. The best way to achieve this is by using the drip acclimation method:
1. Pour the shrimp, and the water they came in, into a container. 2. Set up a drip system, by using an airline hose from your tank to their container. 3. Slowly drip in your tank water, about two drops per second, or until half the water in the container is yours. 4. You can repeat this process for as long as you’d like. This way, they will not be shocked by their new temperature or parameters.
MOLTING PROBLEMS – “THE WHITE RING OF DEATH”
I know, that sounds a bit dramatic, but the phenomenon is real. Bad, or failed molts are usually linked to too large of water changes, a poor diet, or wrong parameters (GH, KH, PH). When shrimp are lacking the key elements of their parameters, they are unable to grow, and shed healthy exoskeletons. You may notice this in the early stage as the “white ring of death” which looks like a solid white band around the shrimp where the head meets the body. A healthy shrimp will split just at the top of it’s head, allowing it a clean break, or molt, out of its exoskeleton. When the ring appears, it makes doing this more difficult, and a shrimp may die in the process of trying to molt, because it can get stuck while trying to do so.
A normal shrimp molt
10 Most Common Reasons Why Shrimp Die!
FAQ
Do shrimp go white when they die?
2 – Dead shrimp turn pale pink. If you spot a lifeless shrimp that has turned a pale pink colour, then it has likely passed away. This is easier to see when you’re keeping blue, black or yellow cherry shrimps, but even red cherry shrimps quickly lose their colour after death and turn a pale shade of pink.
What causes the white ring of death in shrimp?
MOLTING PROBLEMS – “THE WHITE RING OF DEATH”
When shrimp are lacking the key elements of their parameters, they are unable to grow, and shed healthy exoskeletons.
Why did my shrimp suddenly die?
Insufficient maintenance – lack of water changes – Water contaminated with excessive decomposing organic matter is not suitable for shrimp.Jan 1, 2024
Why do shrimp die?
Any issues with the water your shrimp live in could cause fatalities. Shrimp need certain water parameters to stay happy and healthy. There are many things that could disturb this, which will cause them to struggle or even die. The acidity of the water (the PH) is the first parameter to check.
Why do shrimp turn white?
Some shrimp species can turn white from natural causes: As young shrimp molt and grow, their shells may temporarily appear white or translucent before hardening and taking on full color. Female shrimp carrying eggs may fade to white as their bodies divert pigmentation to develop the roe. Their color returns after releasing the larvae.
Why do shrimp have a white ring of death?
When shrimp are lacking the key elements of their parameters, they are unable to grow, and shed healthy exoskeletons. You may notice this in the early stage as the “white ring of death” which looks like a solid white band around the shrimp where the head meets the body.
Why do cherry shrimp die?
This is the most ideal reason for your shrimp to die, as any other reason indicates a threatening problem to your entire colony. The general lifespan of a cherry shrimp is between one and two years, so if they’ve been with you for that long, it could just be a sign of old age. Obviously, you can’t really avoid your shrimp dying from old age.
Do ghost shrimp turn white?
As long as your shrimp is not turning white, there shouldn’t be any cause for concern. Sometimes when they grow, Ghost Shrimp will change their color depending on the terrain and substrate in the tank. If your ground is brown or black it could happen that they turn darker.
How do you know if a shrimp is dead?
You may notice this in the early stage as the “white ring of death” which looks like a solid white band around the shrimp where the head meets the body. A healthy shrimp will split just at the top of it’s head, allowing it a clean break, or molt, out of its exoskeleton.