# Why have all of my Amano shrimp died?



## hudsonpd

I recently purchased 5 Amano shrimp 2 weeks ago from Maidenhead Aquatics.  2 died within 24 hours, 1 died after a week and the other 2 have died within the last day or so.

Water quality is good, its a heavily planted tank with an attempted carpet (although the algae is stopping this) and a fair bit of algae for them to eat and I doubt my maintenance is that good to mean that there isn't food pickings in the substrate!

Any ideas or theories why this has happened? (before I buy another 5!)


----------



## George Farmer

Do have CO2 injection?

What are your other water parameters?

Have you recently added any medications/algaecides, especially containing copper?

Do you add a liquid carbon product?


----------



## hudsonpd

Water parameters are about 6.5-7.0 ph and slightly soft

There is very little trace of nitrates or nitrites.

There is co2 injection with the drop checker at lime green most of the time although since the amazon sword went mad, distributions hasnt been great and it's tended towards blue again! I do have a flow problem I need to fix when I can work out the better solution!

There is no extra additives other than tmc nutrient supplement.

Paul


----------



## Radik

1st. happened to me once... I had too much Co2 I mean really a lot. Drop checker can not get any more yellow and PH test  using test kit was on lowest scale possible. Fishes were fine no sign if distress but Shrimps wont survive that.

2nd. if they have nothing to hold on to and you have bumpy ride home they get some sort of shock and die.


----------



## Matt Warner

It could of just been that they werent healthy when you bought them maybe.


----------



## AverageWhiteBloke

Is this the first time you have kept shrimp? Apologies in advance if I'm stating the obvious but are they definitely dead? When I first got some they molted their skeletons which look very similar to the shrimp. I saw the skeletons and they went missing I guess until their new shell hardens. Bought some more and they all turned up again. If this is not the case do you have and sized fish that may have took a fancy to them?


----------



## Matt Warner

That's a very good point. Sometimes I don't see my shrimp for up to a week and then they just turn up out of nowhere! Then I find their shells on the bottom of the tank. Also I have found that they are much more active when the lights go out and then hide away in the day.


----------



## Matt Warner

That's a very good point. Sometimes I don't see my shrimp for up to a week and then they just turn up out of nowhere! Then I find their shells on the bottom of the tank. Also I have found that they are much more active when the lights go out and then hide away in the day.


----------



## hudsonpd

Thanks for all of your replies. 

No they are definately dead as the removed ones had legs and things still on them. They were a very good size so can't possibly have been eaten; unless they were bullied to death by my Apisto Agassizi, but I doubt that very much.

I do use plant food (TMC) could that have caused it? I've been dosing daily lately and changing 40-50% water changes every week.

I was led to believe they are normally quite hardy so was quite disappointed to lose 5 good sized shrimp so quickly!


----------



## ghostsword

I've noticed that too much co2 kill the shrimp, especially if at the shop they are on a non co2 tank.


---
- .


----------

