Sick Harlie Shrimp

[jgaszak1]

Evening from Wisconsin,

 

My pride and joy Wraith the Harlie Shrimp started developing a funny coloration over the past week. In addition, he is not showing his usual aggression towards eating starfish, which he usual drags to the shrimp cave and tears apart.

 

Background Information

 

I've had my harlie for about two years now.

Water conditions as of 7 pm CST 03/13/2007:

S.G. 1.022

Nitrate <20 ppm

Nitrite <0 ppm

pH ~ 8.2

 

I had Kent Marine calcium twice a week, Kent Essential Elements once a week. The tank is a JBJ 24 nano cube. I change 5 gallons every Saturday and test daily. The water conditions have stayed pretty constant for the last year.

 

I routinely feed him two starfish a month, mostly choc. chips, but sometimes blue linka when I can get them cheap. He does share space with one bumble bee shrimp, but I have never observed a problem between them.

 

The other tank inhabitants:

1 O. Clownfish

1 Purple Firefish

1 Yellow Clown Goby

1 Halloween Hermit Crab

Ricordia Coral

A few patches of star polyps

a few patches of mushrooms

A clam

 

Everything has been in the tank for at least six months, most stuff over a year.

 

Here are the pictures:

[Nyxis]

Out of curiosity how long can those things live for? First thing that popped into my head was old age but I can't find anything on their lifespan.

[SoCal Reefer]

shell disease? If thats the cse less light will do the trick

[05XRunner]

think you should bump up your salinty to .024-025

[Kirin1]

think you should bump up your salinty to .024-025

 

I agree. Higher SG means higher trace element concentration.