Missing Shrimp

[noobfish]

As of last week, my nano tank had 9 shrimp. 1 amano, 3 red cherry, 2 sunburst, 2 snowballs, 1 blue velvet.

For the past 3 days I have only seen the 2 sunburst, the blue, and one red. That leaves 2 reds, 2 snowballs, and the amano unaccounted for. The wood is hollow and I have seen them travel in and out in the past, but this just seems odd. This tank is in my office, so I see it for 10hrs a day. Pretty good chunk of time for them to consistently hide. And they used to constantly be fluttering from plant to plant. I've tested just this morning and got 0-0-3. Thought maybe if they were dead somewhere the ammonia would be up?

I'm really fighting the urge to pick up the wood and give it a good shake to see what's going on. Should I, or just leave it alone?

*Edit - Tankmates are 2 mystery snails.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

My shrimp become particularly active from 1800 onwards. Right now, I can see a fair number of them, scattered throughout the tank.
Mine are also very partial to algae wafers.
I can guarantee many will show themselves soon after I drop a wafer in.
Perhaps if you stop feeding them for a day or two and then drop in something you know they like..?

 

[noobfish]

My shrimp become particularly active from 1800 onwards. Right now, I can see a fair number of them, scattered throughout the tank.
Mine are also very partial to algae wafers.
I can guarantee many will show themselves soon after I drop a wafer in.
Perhaps if you stop feeding them for a day or two and then drop in something you know they like..?

I currently have been feeding Hikari Shrimp Cuisine (sinking pellets) about 3 times per week, which they used to like. Rarely do I see them eat any now, with the snails getting the majority.

I'll bring a wafer from home tomorrow to see what kind of head count I get from it.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I currently have been feeding Hikari Shrimp Cuisine (sinking pellets) about 3 times per week, which they used to like. Rarely do I see them eat any now, with the snails getting the majority.

I'll bring a wafer from home tomorrow to see what kind of head count I get from it.

I'm thinking that if they aren't going for the food you're giving them, then they're getting it from elsewhere.
Again, I'd recommend a fasting.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Shrimps are notoriously good at hiding for a long time.

If algae wafers are not bringing them out to feast on, a fast for a few days to a week is not a bad idea.

Failing that, shrimps LOVE mulberry leaves or in particular aramanth leaves.

Only to be used as treats, not everyday feeding really.

Something like these to give an idea -

Pardon our interruption...

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Myraan]

Shrimps are notoriously good at hiding for a long time.

this....

I added 9 yellow shrimp 6 or more months ago and didn't see any more than one or two at time for weeks or even months. Last month or two I usually count 7 or 8, one time 12 in total, goodness knows how many I have that are hiding. I see two berried females often enough that I suspect at least 4 females are breeding.

Of course I don't have a separate shrimp tank, so any survivors to adult shrimp size are miracles. Sometimes the fish are suspiciously enthusiastic about picking at the plants. I don't see the Apisto for hours at a time. I think she decided to claim the Limnophila bush as hers which I bet is where all the shrimplets try to hide.

 

[Essjay]

I have red cherry shrimps. The most I was able to count at any one time was about a dozen. Then I got some new shrimp food - I was using Hikari shrimp cuisine but after asking on here for recommendations I bought some Dennerle shrimp king food. This is in the form of sticks and when I drop a small piece in it is very quickly covered with shrimps. It's hard to count them when they are standing on top of each other but I now know I have at least 3 dozen.

 

[noobfish]

I only give a little food on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday so hopefully I'm not over feeding. I'll order and try some of the food recommendations above. I just want a decent count. I've only ever found one dead, a red the day after adding them to the tank. One of the snails was munching away on it, so now wondering if others have passed and been consumed.

I didn't get them so they could hide from me. I want entertained. Dance monkeys, dance!

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I only give a little food on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday so hopefully I'm not over feeding. I'll order and try some of the food recommendations above. I just want a decent count. I've only ever found one dead, a red the day after adding them to the tank. One of the snails was munching away on it, so now wondering if others have passed and been consumed.

I didn't get them so they could hide from me. I want entertained. Dance monkeys, dance!

No suggestion that you are overfeeding, but thinking that if they've cleared out most of what they're scoffing at the moment, they'll be more keen to feed when you eventually drop something in for them. They have very acute senses and will know that something is tasty in the tank and should come a-running/swimming/scuttling.

 

[noobfish]

No suggestion that you are overfeeding, but thinking that if they've cleared out most of what they're scoffing at the moment, they'll be more keen to feed when you eventually drop something in for them. They have very acute senses and will know that something is tasty in the tank and should come a-running/swimming/scuttling.

And DANCING!

 

[Essjay]

This is the thread where I asked for advice on shrimp food

Shrimp food

I'm looking for a better quality shrimps food, that is better than Hikari shrimp food. Most of the food in reviews are US based, but Dennerle crops up as a European good quality brand. But which one? Shrimp King Complete or one of the others in the range? I have red cherry shrimps (Neocaridina...

www.fishforums.net

 

[noobfish]

I have red cherry shrimps. The most I was able to count at any one time was about a dozen. Then I got some new shrimp food - I was using Hikari shrimp cuisine but after asking on here for recommendations I bought some Dennerle shrimp king food. This is in the form of sticks and when I drop a small piece in it is very quickly covered with shrimps. It's hard to count them when they are standing on top of each other but I now know I have at least 3 dozen.

Any particular "flavor" you recommend? I also see they have a sample variety pack?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I didn't get them so they could hide from me. I want entertained. Dance monkeys, dance!

Bwaaaahhhhaahaha! I really needed that laugh, proper belly laugh! Thanks for that

Any sign of the missing troops?

I'd worry about escapees, they can be good at that, but I'd really doubt that many would choose to wander at the same time, unless water conditions were terrible, and I'm sure you'd know and have checked that by now. The lid on my shrimp tank is a terrible fit, and have only found one escapee in two years.

The remaining shrimp and snails could make short work of any that passed away, but again, would be odd to lose so many at once without seeing a cause.

Hopefully they're just hiding! They certainly are excellent at that. I added six amanos to my cherry shrimp tank months and months ago, and for a long time, I was convinced I only had three left. Could only ever count three at a time, even when I had to catch all the fish in there and ended up uprooting a ton of plant, I only saw the three. Then I fed them one day and was stunned to count four. Where had that one been hiding all that time?? Then only recently I fed them, and there were five! I counted them again and again, not really believing it, lol.

Now we know they didn't breed, lol. You've seen amanos, they're pretty big shrimp! But for months I couldn't get a proper headcount.
Crossing fingers that yours are just tucked away in the wood, and reappear soon!

 

[noobfish]

Bwaaaahhhhaahaha! I really needed that laugh, proper belly laugh! Thanks for that

Any sign of the missing troops?

I'd worry about escapees, they can be good at that, but I'd really doubt that many would choose to wander at the same time, unless water conditions were terrible, and I'm sure you'd know and have checked that by now. The lid on my shrimp tank is a terrible fit, and have only found one escapee in two years.

The remaining shrimp and snails could make short work of any that passed away, but again, would be odd to lose so many at once without seeing a cause.

Hopefully they're just hiding! They certainly are excellent at that. I added six amanos to my cherry shrimp tank months and months ago, and for a long time, I was convinced I only had three left. Could only ever count three at a time, even when I had to catch all the fish in there and ended up uprooting a ton of plant, I only saw the three. Then I fed them one day and was stunned to count four. Where had that one been hiding all that time?? Then only recently I fed them, and there were five! I counted them again and again, not really believing it, lol.

Now we know they didn't breed, lol. You've seen amanos, they're pretty big shrimp! But for months I couldn't get a proper headcount.
Crossing fingers that yours are just tucked away in the wood, and reappear soon!

I did a water change this morning and still just the 2 sunburst, 1 blue, and one red. I even picked up the driftwood, jostled it around and found nothing. Water conditions are good every time I check, nitrates never even go above 4 with my bi-weekly 50% water changes. Even stranger, the ones that are still around are the original stocking members (less the amano). The other reds and snowballs were added about 2.5 weeks ago. I did the same acclimation method both times. I'm at a loss.

Really a shame too, I was enjoying the distraction from work while watching them. But as it is, I'm not adding any more any time soon. Maybe in 4-6 months? Hopefully by then they'll up their own numbers and I won't have to!

 

[Essjay]

Any particular "flavor" you recommend?

This is the one I got

Shrimp King Complete Food - Pro Shrimp UK

Dennerle Shrimp King Complete Food Sticks for Shrimp, Crayfish, Crabs and Snails.

www.pro-shrimp.co.uk

My shrimps go mad for it in a way I never saw with Hikari shrimp cuisine. It says to use 5 mm per 20 shrimps so I break a piece off a stick when I feed them.