Look, I know how frustrating it is when your shrimp keep dying despite your best efforts. Trust me, I’ve been there! After years of keeping shrimp and helping other aquarists troubleshoot their shrimp deaths, I’ve compiled this comprehensive guide to help you figure out what’s going wrong and how to fix it.
Let’s dive straight into the most common causes and their solutions:
Quick Action Steps If Your Shrimp Are Dying Right Now:
- Don’t panic and make sudden changes
- Test your water parameters immediately
- Check for any recent changes in your tank
- Remove dead shrimp if you suspect disease
- Look for signs of stress in remaining shrimp
Water Parameter Problems (The #1 Killer!)
Wrong Water Parameters
Hey this is probably the most common reason your shrimp are dying! Here’s what you need to maintain
- pH: 6.5-8.0
- Ammonia: 0 ppm
- Nitrite: 0 ppm
- Nitrate: <20 ppm
- Temperature: 72-84°F (22-29°C)
The Dreaded Uncycled Tank
I can’t tell ya how many times I’ve seen newbies add shrimp to an uncycled tank! Your tank needs beneficial bacteria to break down waste. Without it, toxic ammonia builds up and kills your shrimp.
Solution Cycle your tank for at least 4-6 weeks before adding shrimp, Use a bacteria supplement to speed things up
Water Change Mistakes
Too Much, Too Fast
Y’all need to be super careful with water changes! Shrimp are mega sensitive to sudden changes. Here’s what to avoid:
- Don’t change more than 20% at once
- Never use hot tap water
- Don’t forget to match temperatures
- Always drip acclimate new water
Pro tip: Stick to 10% weekly changes or 20% bi-weekly changes.
Chemical Culprits
Copper: The Silent Killer
Copper is TOXIC to shrimp, even in tiny amounts! Watch out for:
- Copper pipes leaching into tap water
- Plant fertilizers containing copper
- Fish medications with copper
- New plants treated with copper-based pesticides
Other Chemical Nasties
- Chlorine/chloramine in tap water
- Air fresheners near the tank
- Soap residue on hands
- Cleaning products
Feeding Issues
Overfeeding
Too much food = rotting food = ammonia spike = dead shrimp. Simple as that!
Solution: Only feed what they can eat in 2 hours. Remove uneaten food.
Underfeeding
Especially important for baby shrimp! They need:
- Plenty of biofilm
- Powder foods
- Regular small feedings
New Shrimp Problems
Poor Acclimation
Listen up! This is super important:
- Never “plop and drop”
- Drip acclimate for at least 1-2 hours
- Match temperature AND parameters
- Keep lights low during acclimation
Travel Stress
Sometimes shrimp die from shipping stress. To minimize this:
- Buy from local sellers when possible
- Choose younger shrimp (they’re hardier)
- Avoid extreme weather shipping
- Check seller reviews
Disease & Parasites
Keep an eye out for:
- Vorticella (white fuzz near mouth)
- Scutariella (white spikes near eyes)
- Muscular Necrosis (milky white body)
- Planaria (tiny flatworms)
If you spot these: Quarantine affected shrimp immediately!
Maintenance Mistakes
Cleaning Too Much
Believe it or not, a squeaky clean tank isn’t ideal for shrimp! They need:
- Some algae
- Biofilm
- Stable environment
Not Cleaning Enough
But don’t go too far the other way! Regular maintenance prevents:
- Waste buildup
- Parameter swings
- Disease outbreaks
The Bottom Line
Look, keeping shrimp alive isn’t rocket science, but it does require attention to detail. Start with these basics:
- Cycle your tank properly
- Test water parameters regularly
- Make changes slowly
- Feed appropriately
- Keep things stable
Remember, we all make mistakes when starting out. The key is learning from them and making adjustments. Keep at it, and you’ll have a thriving shrimp colony in no time!
Got questions about your specific situation? Drop ’em in the comments below!
#Shrimp #AquariumCare #ShrimpKeeping #AquascapingTips
ACCIDENTS HAPPEN – BE CAREFUL!
Make sure to quarantine your aquatic plants!
Many people don’t realize how susceptible shrimp are to toxins. For example, if you purchase a plant from a fish store, many times the plants will be treated with a pesticide to kill snails. These treatments often contain copper which, as we know, is deadly to shrimp. If you suspect this may be the case, you can quarantine your new plants in clean water for an amount of time, to watch them for snails, and also to make sure if a pesticide is used, it will dissipate.
How to Quarantine Your Aquatic Plants:
- Immerse your new plants in a bucket of clean water for at least 5 days.
- (Optional) Add Seachem Prime to the bucket of water. It will bind pesticides, preventing them from harming your shrimp. Seachem Prime is a water conditioner that detoxifies ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. It will also remove chlorine and chloramine.
- Perform full water changes every day till the end of the 5 days, adding Seachem Prime after each water change.
- After the 5-day quarantine, rinse the plants thoroughly with clean water.
- The plants are now ready to be added to your shrimp aquarium!
Another “doh!” moment can happen easily: using aerosols, such as hairspray, air freshener, insect repellent, or dog flea/tick treatments. These aerosols can enter the shrimp tank and quickly be absorbed by the water. So, be careful where you spray, and make sure your hands are completely clean before even coming near your shrimp tank.
It is, admittedly, one of the great joys of life to watch your little shrimp friends excitedly munch up a big pile of food. However, if you feed too often, or too much, this can lead to an excess of waste, fouling the water and raising the ammonia. This goes back to having a proper amount of biofilm/algae in the tank. If you have enough of those growing, you will only need to feed your shrimp sparingly.
As far as overpopulation; this is not always a problem. However, if your tank is too small, or your tank is not established for long enough, adding too many shrimp at one time can overload the bio-filtration, when the bacteria colony is not yet large enough to handle the incoming ammonia the shrimp produce.
WATER CHANGES – SMALL AND OFTEN
Going along with the theme of keeping things stable, try not to do sudden, large water changes. It is much better to do smaller, more frequent water changes, than large ones. You should slowly drip the new water into the aquarium. If you do too big of a water change too quickly, you may shock the shrimp into prematurely molting, leaving them more vulnerable, which can lead to the death of your shrimp.
10 Most Common Reasons Why Shrimp Die!
FAQ
Why are shrimp so hard to keep alive?
Shrimp are easier to keep than fish in many ways, but they are much more sensitive to changes in their water chemistry. Please note that they are very sensitive to copper and many other metals; excessive iron fertilization to achieve red plants or water supplements containing copper can result in swift death.
Why can’t I keep shrimp alive?
If the water is too cold or too warm the shrimp will die. By using small ice packs or even small amounts of frozen water in a bottle or container, you can keep the water in the bucket just right. Do not add ice directly to the water.
Should I remove dead shrimp from the tank?
Yes, dead shrimp should generally be removed from a tank, especially if the cause of death is unknown.
What is the ring of death in shrimp?
The “ring of death” in shrimp, also known as the “white ring of death”, is a symptom of a failed molt, where the shrimp’s exoskeleton breaks around its body instead of just at the neck. This prevents the shrimp from escaping its old shell, leading to stress and potential death.
Why is my shrimp dying?
Many other factors could play a role in their untimely demise, including the tank size, crowded conditions, improper feeding, toxic elements like ammonia and nitrites in water, and how fast you acclimatize imported shrimp. The good news is that there are simple measures you can take to minimize the risk of losing them.
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.
Why do ghost shrimp die?
Luckily, over the years, I learned why that was happening, and how to solve it. Ghost shrimp usually die due to inadequate water parameters, including pH, temperature, and ammonia. That is also likely to happen when heavy metals, such as copper and lead, were unintentionally introduced to the tank.
Why do shrimp die when molting?
Problems during molting are a common cause of shrimp deaths. Calcium Deficiency: Ensure your shrimp have access to enough calcium, which is vital for a successful molt. Insufficient calcium can lead to failed molts, where the shrimp cannot completely shed its old exoskeleton, often resulting in death.
How to prevent shrimp deaths?
Keeping up with regular tank maintenance is essential for preventing shrimp deaths. This includes: Water Changes: As mentioned earlier, perform regular water changes to maintain water quality. Consider the frequency and amount of water changed based on the tank’s bioload and the sensitivity of the shrimp species.
Why should you remove dead shrimp?
One significant reason to remove dead shrimp is to minimize the risk of diseases spreading among the remaining population. Shrimp can be susceptible to various illnesses, and a deceased shrimp can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria or parasites.