Missing/Dead Shrimp

[gmpolan]

So two weeks ago i purchased a cleaner shrimp and a peppermint shrimp to add to my collection. I dripped accilmated them for close to an hour and then cut em loose. They appeared to be fine esp the peppermint as he was always visible in one of the holes but never saw ever saw the cleaner again. So this morning i wake up and i see what appears to be an exo skeleton of the peppermint shrimp and i am still yet to see the cleaner. I think i read somewhere that they shed there exo skeletons but this looked like he was completey dead. Any thoughts?

Params:
Ph 8.4
Nitrate: 0
Nitrites: 20
Calcium: 410
Ammonia: 0
Salinity: 1.26
Temp: 79 - 81

Lights are on for 8 hours a day on timers and fellow inmates include
Gold Rim Tang
Pair of clowns
Royal Gamma
3-4 red leg crabs
3-4 blue leg crabs
1 unknown crab ( black legs with green stripes)
1 what appears to be red scarlet crab (size of a ping pong ball)

Food:
Brine flakes
Frozen shrimp
Pellets

Thanks...

 

[stacy22]

Also hope your salinity is 1.026 instead of 1.26????

I have had shrimp "go missing" and then reappear weeks/months later.

 

[gmpolan]

Thanks guys, you both are correct.

Update: Nitrates are 20
Nitrites are 0
Salinity is 1.026

 

[gmpolan]

FYI, the tank has been up and running for about two months plus and there is very little coraline or even algae on the glass for that matter because 12 or so turbo snails i got keep it pretty clean.

 

[hackman72]

I would bet that your shrimp molted. It looks like a hollow, translucent shrimp. And, if you have hermits and nothing is eating it. It's a molt. Don't give up on the other shrimp just yet either. They tend to reappear sometimes.

 

[ichthyoid]

1 unknown crab ( black legs with green stripes)
1 what appears to be red scarlet crab (size of a ping pong ball)

Is this the 'unknown crab'?

 

[gmpolan]

Naw, it is real similar to the red or blue legged crabs appearance wise but his legs have a black with yellow/green tint lines on them. He was in my previous cube and never appeared to cause any issues....

 

[ichthyoid]

If your nitrates are at 20ppm, and you have only had your tank up for a couple of months, that tells me you are either feeding too much food and/or not doing large enough water changes. You should be changing at least 25% per month. Smaller, more frequent, changes are better than one big one IMO (5+% per week, for example).

 

[gmpolan]

In that case, ill prob do a water change (perhaps 25%) but liveaquaria notes that average paramaters in regards to a reef tanks for nitrates are .25 ppm so i figured it was ok...although the suggested is less than .1

 

[ichthyoid]

gmpolan;424088 wrote: In that case, ill prob do a water change (perhaps 25%) but liveaquaria notes that average paramaters in regards to a reef tanks for nitrates are .25 ppm so i figured it was ok...although the suggested is less than .1

Above, you said nitrates were "20" (I assume ppm). Just so we are on the same page, is yours 20 or 0.20? The first number would be high, the second would be great!

 

[gmpolan]

i used the API test kit and it was noted as 20 so i guess then mine is high...

 

[ichthyoid]

Are you using a good quality skimmer? These are one of the main/easiest ways to export nutrients and keep nitrates low. I personally don't like to see nitrates above 10ppm on fish only systems, and less than 2-3 on a reef. Water changes can be used to 'dilute' your nitrates down, then evaluate your feeding and skimming to control it, as needed.

 

[gmpolan]

running a octo recirc 110 so ill cut down on the feeding although its not much and its every other day..but thanks everyone for the input and ill make sure to update on the shrimp status...