Lost peppermint shrimp

[blptucson]

Hello, I've been hanging around for quite a while trying to absorb as much info as possible. About 3 months ago, after much reading here and elsewhere, I began a 10 gallon nano. (This is my first marine experience. I've kept freshwater for 25 years.) My setup is:

 

1. 15 pounds live rock from local source

2. 5 pounds live sand

3. Whisper HOB filter with media

4. Marineland Powerhead (I forget the number but it's rather strong)

5. 96 watt CF hood, which I run only briefly as I'm still fish only.

 

Anyway, I set up the tank and let it cycle for 2 weeks. Had only a mild amonia spike after 3rd day and it quickly settled in. After 3 weeks, added 2 peppermint shrimp. Waited 2 weeks. Added blood shrimp. Waited 2 weeks. Added two false percula. Ran that way for about a month. 2 days ago, 1 pep shrimp molted. Yesterday the fire shrimp did. Today the other pep shrimp did-- but he evidently died in the process. Was fine this AM then dead.

 

My question, was this possibly natural or is it necessarily due to tank conditions. Since the 3rd week, I've been at 0 for Am and Nitrite and Nitrate. PH is 8.2. My only real problem with the tank is temperature. It varies between 76-81 throughout the day (as does my house). Could this fluctuation have contributed? I run a small fan and have the aircon on in the house, but it's very hard to stay consistent. There is also a lot of evaporation-- I top off each AM and PM and stay very close to 1.022 SG.

 

Anyway, everyone else seems okay. I was planning to add my first corals this weekend, but don't want to do so until I know things are okay.

 

Thanks for any help!

 

-Brad

[Satchmo]

Hey Brad, congrats on the switch to salt. The temp could have played a part. I would try to get that more consistant before adding corals. You could add a fan to your canopy and that would help. A chiller is a good investment if you can't otherwise maintain stability.

 

The other thing that raises a red flag is that both shrimp died during or just after molting. May want to have your iodine levels checked, it's a trace element important in the molting process.

 

The other possibility is that nothing died at all. A molted skeleton looks an awful lot like a dead animal. And the shrimp will usually go into hiding for a few days to allow its new shell time to harden, leading you to think he's a goner.

 

One more suggestion for you... I would pull up your SG a bit. 1.022 is on the low side for reef inverts. I would shoot for 1.025.

[blptucson]

Hi, thanks! Actually just one shrimp died-- the other two were fine. It was definitely the shrimp-- not just his shell, alas. But so far all else is well. I finally got the fan positioned to where the temp is stable. Took a lot of experimenting. I will riase the SG (slowly) as you suggest.

Thanks!

-Brad

[Satchmo]

Oh OK. If the other two shrimp are OK and have successfully molted I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

Good to hear you got the temp stable. And the easiest way to slowly raise your salinity is to do your top offs with seawater until you have it where you want it. Good luck!

[blptucson]

Excellent suggestion. Thanks!