My Shrimp Has Vanished

[pixelpefekt]

Hi all.

I've had my shrimp for only a few weeks. I noticed on Friday night that it had shed it's skin (if that's the correct term). I had read that I should expect it to go into hiding for a while till the new skin/shell hardened up. On Saturday morning though, it was still going around doing it's usual thing - eating algae like it's 5 minutes to closing time at the all you can eat buffet.

Later that day I added some Neon Tetra and 3 more Amano shrimp to keep the little guy company. After that point in time I never managed to see more than 3 shrimp at any one time. After 4 days I decided to go looking for it to make sure it was still there and well. I carefully removed ornaments, coconut cave, plants, looked inside the power filter but nothing. It was gone without a trace!

How could this be?

 

[schooly20]

is it possible that he might have become food?

 

[RedeyesUK]

I bought six shrimps some time ago, now I only have one left. I never have found any bodies - they all just seem to have disappeared.

Best bet is that they are being eaten by tankmates - what else do you have in the tank?

 

[Gremily]

I lost a shrimp a little while ago, I'd had it for a few months but then it just dissapeared. I noticed a glowlight tetra eating a little white bit around the same time so it could have died and then eaten.
Most shrimps are also supposed to be very good escape artists so it could have escaped your tank?

 

[pixelpefekt]

Escape artists?! - I didn't know they'd come out of the water. There have been times when the lid has been left off a while after cleaning so I guess that's possible.

Eaten - I don't think it would have been eaten - surely not the whole thing... but who knows. It shares a tank with small peaceful fish: Zebra Danios / Neon Tetras / Guppies (Is it Guppies or Guppys? )

 

[squiggle 2000]

hi we have several shrimps they dissapear and we find the in our internal and external filters so we always check the water for them when we clean the filters out there are usually 20 to 30 in there so that might be an idea

 

[ALEXF]

its possible that they became food. I added 4 yamato shrimp yesterday, and as the first one floated to the aqaurium floor it was snagged and i was like.... well there went 2.50 thankfully i saw the other 3 today and were kind of hidingish but still out where i could see them.

 

[pixelpefekt]

Mystery solved

Found the wee fella about 20 feet away in the next room! Unfortunately it had died. I guess it must have escaped and made it's way across the room before running out of steam in the corner of the next room.

Sad result but at least it answered the question.