BorgDrone Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 Hi all, I was just wondering how long does the skunk cleaner shrimp live on average? Mine must have die apparently some time this morning because I notice it did not move during nightly feeding time. Normally it would move up during feeding time or clinging upside down below the rock. Just a while ago, I found it laying flat slump on the sand, nothing moved and antanae not moving and just wilted. Do you guys think it die naturally or something else caused it? I only had it for about 8 months. It didn't look like it was eaten or attacked when I scooped it out. I haven't add anything into my little tank for about 6 months now. Only thing wierd was I found a shy green little crab hiding in the rock hole 2 months ago about the size of a penny. I've been feeding everything with flakes. What I did different this week was feeding a little bit of the frozen "Brine Shrimp Plus" twice this week. I bought it about 6 months ago, so I thought I should get rid of it before it expire. Does it expire? I don't see expiration date on it. Could this be the culprit killing the shrimp? My nemo is fine so far. What should I do next? Thanx. Link to comment
matt the fiddler Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 ok did you acclimate it 2-3 hours when you got it? it's death now could be a result of that... or stress cause by a tank imbalance swing in the last few weeks. they can live years- i have a friend who is clocking over 4 years on his cleaner... i doubt the food aging would have been a problem- the shrimp would not eat it if not edible.. some times they just die...... if you are worried about the food- get some flake or cyclopeeze. your clownfish will eat that alive.... on the shrimp... has he been molting? how big was he? where are your parameters now, and where have they peaked in the last few months.. oh and please say false perc, clown fish, just not nemo.. [i named mine krusty to combat my visitors calling it nemo] saying "My nemo is fine" has negative tendencies- ties you in with the 1,000s of wrongful clownfish deaths due to ignorance, as well as people attached to the hobby as a gimmick forma cartoon... . and i know for your stuff and long term residence here i have seen you are not in that group :-). speaking of which- you can tell them apart -true and false percs.. 95% of the time by their eyes.. Link to comment
BorgDrone Posted May 26, 2004 Author Share Posted May 26, 2004 Hey Matt, Wow. At least 4 years huh? Thanx for the reply. I didn't just get the shrimp just now, I got it like 8 months ago. I think I acclimated it for about 1 hour I tink (my usual habit) ...too long ago to remember. Hrm. I didn't pay attention but I think it was about 2 times a month at least? He was about 2 inches long (from head to toe not including antanae). When I bought him, he was about 1.5 inch. My clownfish seems to host with it or something...it always hang around the shrimp whereever it goes even though the shrimp got snappy sometimes. Water salinity seems normal. My hammer coral split in it last month. I plan to get my water tested tomorrow after work. I haven't introduce anything much other then scheduled water changes and water topping since the past 6 months. Oh wait, the turbo snail ate up all the algae and I think it ran out and die last month, and I replaced it with a smaller one 5 days later. About the name calling...thanx for the tip. I didn't think people care. About identification, they told me to count the dorsal fins spine, but I can never count it so I gave up. Mine has pitch black eyes...so it's false right? Link to comment
MrKrispy Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 I thought on average they live about 2 years, but that is what I learned years ago. probably wrong. Do you does anything beside calcium/buffers/food? Probably just got old. I wouldn't worry too much unless your water tests come back bad... Link to comment
danimal Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 I thought that my skunk cleaner died the first time it molted. then i realized it just shed its skin. Link to comment
gabbeyshell Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 just had one die recently due to salinity off due to my hydrometer invest in a refractometer!!! Link to comment
Travis Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 I just lost my cleaner shrimp also. The culpret was a rock crab. It also killed a snail and a peperment shrimp, GRR!!!! Any ways, if that crab is yellow and looks spikey or fuzzy, that's the problem. They eat corals and crustations. try to get it out. I got mine out by staying up late, waiting for it to come out, and snagging it w/ a net, you realy have to be fast... Link to comment
matt the fiddler Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 yea- if your temp or salinity changed drastically over the last month.. [even fo ranhour if the air failed to turn on/ some one left a window open] , etc. it could just be dying now. cleaners are very picky about their enviroment.. your tank sounds stable though.. mabye just an early death- or mabye cancer? lol in the mean time- double check your salinity guage to make sure it is reading corectly... -watch for predators IE mantis/ crabs.... Link to comment
matt the fiddler Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 oh yea. their eyes. not the auctuall eyes.. the flesh surrounding the eyeball. [no eyelids] let me find a link... based on what i haev heard many reputable people say.. you either do this this- or you cut them open to check out breed. Link to comment
MountainM Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 Matt the fiddler... you tell percs and false perc apart by there dorsal fin... I think Link to comment
matt the fiddler Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 i have heard from many that that is a somewhat flawed method.... not sure from who.... let me do an article search- and get back to you guys Link to comment
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