HELP! Lethargic / slow snails, crabs, shrimp

[ReefAddict]

Anyone have a similar experience or issue with this? Specs of the tank are below along with early pics in the gallery:

 

I set up a JBJ Nano beginning of Jan. with cured LR and LS from an LFS and let it cycle for the past four weeks. Everything from ammonia to PH to phosphates test 0 - <2 on the color scale. Salinity is between 1.22 to 1.24 depending on evaporation. I have an RO/DI unit to mix salt water and top off with fresh. I also started to alternate about 10-20 drops of Seachem Calcium Complete and Seachem Carbonate 2 - 3 times a week. I have been doing 15% water changes once a week over the past two weeks. I do use a poly phosphate sponge, charcoal, the stock bio balls / ceramic tubes, Purigen sponge, and air stone under the ceramics.

 

There are lots of micro creatures doing great on the LR with star fish, caulerpa plants, white bugs, and sea monkeys everywhere. Water is relatively clear also, so I thought it seemed ready for the cleanup crew...

 

Now that the tank is cycled, I bought 2 conch snails, 3 scarlet hermit crabs, 3 turbo snails, and 1 skunk shrimp. I acclimated them gradually in the usual technique over the course of an hour before dropping them in.

 

Since adding a week ago, all the snails are very lethargic when moving around, but they do seem to be eating. The scarlet crabs however, are VERY lethargic and barely eating at all. Very different from how they acted in the LFS. The shrimp just malted last night and has been hiding behind some rock every since arriving. I have not seen them eat any of the algae at all yet.

 

I been doing 15% water changes once a week over the past two weeks, but it doesn't seem to be helping much.

 

Any suggestions, experience with this situation?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

E

[darwin604]

Snails - being snails, will almost always be slow, shrimp dont normally eat algae and do hide after molting since they take a while to get their hard exosceleton back, as for the crabs, lots of speices are nocturnal or enjoy sitting around - at your LFS they were probably in a different environment or more crowded so they were scurrying around.

 

Whats the temp set at??

 

d.

[ReefAddict]

Thanks for the reply. I figured that for the snails, but the shrimp and scarlet crabs do seem a bit more lethargic than what I've seen at the LFS and read from other posts on this board. I've been checking at night to see if they're out and eating (there's a blue moonlight), but nada. Still hiding in the general same spot as before.

 

The temp is set to 78-79F.

 

I'm stumped.

 

E

[darwin604]

Some speicies will hide for up to a couple weeks when you first introduce them into your tank. What exact kind of shrimp is it?? As for the crabs, they tend to find a spot in the tank and hang out until their hungry enough to go find some food . . keep in mind, for most of the animals in your aquarium, it is in their best interest to expend as little energy as possible while going about their daily chores. It sounds like your tank conditions are in good order, so just keep an eye on them for a week or two and see how they do.

 

d.