# What happened to my ghost shrimp



## GoldFishCrappers (May 6, 2012)

I had 5 ghost shrimp that died after molting. Why?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Any fish in the tank? shrimp molting makes easy prey.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Did they all molt at the same time?


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## GoldFishCrappers (May 6, 2012)

yes I did have a few fish.

They did all molt around the same time.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

What kind of fish?SHrimp are a natural food source for many fish types.


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## GoldFishCrappers (May 6, 2012)

I have 4 Neon tetra and 3 black skirt tetra. When I got the shrimp I got larger ones so they couldn't get eaten as easily, and when they died there bodies were still there and in tact.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Shrimp need places to hide because if they don't have a place to get away from the fish even fish too small to eat them whole sometimes pick at them until they die of stress.

Shrimp are sensitive to water quality and will often die before fish if there are any problems. They are also sensitive to many medications used for fish.

It seems a bit odd to me that they all molted at the same time. I'm guessing they are new to the tank. Shrimp quite often molt soon after being put in a new tank. It could be that the change in water conditions was too sudden for them and they died of shock.

1)Is the tank a new setup? 
2)Have you ever used medication in it?
3)Have you tested for ammonia and nitrites?
4)How long did you have the shrimp?
5)Did all the shrimp die?
6)Did they die all at the same time or over a couple of days?

Sorry about all the questions, just trying to pinpoint the problem.


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## GoldFishCrappers (May 6, 2012)

The tank was about a year old. I have not tested for nitrite and nitrate but I have had fish in it for almost a year. All the shrimp died over three or four days, after a week of them doing fine. I didn't have any caves for them to hide in so they could have been picked on.


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