Unhealthy Looking Cleaner Shrimp

[Emy-lou23]

Hi,

I have recently purchased two cleaner shrimp for my marine tank, which has been set up for about two weeks. The water was tested and the guy at the aquatics centre said it was good to go and recommended I put the two shrimps in the tank.

However, 4 days later, one of the shrimps is looking very unhealthy and is not really moving around very much. His antenna's are looking a bit curled up (usually they are lovely and straight). He has been very shy and not moving around since I got him and likes to hide a lot.

I did some water tests and everything was ok so I am at a loss as to what is wrong.

This morning he seemed to be looking a bit better, but I am worried! Can anyone offer any advice?

Thanks.

[reefhead728]

Can you post a pic? he might be molting i think cleaner shrimp molt.

[leebca]

WELCOME TO REEFLAND!

I moved your post from the fish forum to the reef forum. In the fish forum we focus on fish. Perhaps you'll get more responses from those in the reef forum.

Thanks for posting!

[Doodaa]

Your poor shrimp may be hurting from an ammonia or nitrite spike. If your tank has only been set up for 2 weeks, you don't have enough bacteria to process ammonia into nitrite and other bacteria to process nitrite into nitrates.

Have your or are you testing for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates? Is the shrimp the only life form you have in the tank? Do you have rocks or sand in there?

[Emy-lou23]

Thanks for the replies.

He is still doing ok. I found an empty shell so I think the theory about the molt might be right.

I have done all the tests and the water is fine. I have got just the one shrimp but lots of live rock. I have followed all the advice from the staff in the aquatics shop, so hopefully he will pick up soon.

[Parrothead]

Please test the water and post the results, also let us know what size tank you have, how much live rock, are you running a skimmer, basically we all need more details to help you.

Tanks,
Robert