mari.harutunian July 23, 2017 Share July 23, 2017 I've seen isopod parasites on shrimp before so idk how I could've missed it long enough for it to kill my shrimp. I even pointed out a batch of peppermint shrimp that had some to a lfs. He was one of the best things in my tank :/ I saw him last night acting weird but I just thought he was grabbing at some mysis or something. Found him this morning wedged under a rock. Examinierte him and found one side of his shell was brown and the tissue underneath gone. And eggs all along the body. Does anyone know if these isopods can get to fish? Seahorses? Should I not get another cleaner anytime soon? Should I treat? Eggs means there's multiple parasites that have a food source.. I wonder if they're eating the mysis I feed. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 23, 2017 Author Share July 23, 2017 Oh and this is my ammonia... it's been max 9 hrs since the shrimp died. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WheresTheReef July 23, 2017 Share July 23, 2017 Without knowing the exact parasite I wouldn't jump to any actions. Watch your livestock closely for any change in behavior or visual marks on their body. Whatever the parasite is it likes shrimp so I wouldn't get one for a while in hopes it starves out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 23, 2017 Author Share July 23, 2017 Without knowing the exact parasite I wouldn't jump to any actions. Watch your livestock closely for any change in behavior or visual marks on their body. Whatever the parasite is it likes shrimp so I wouldn't get one for a while in hopes it starves out.I didn't know there were multiple types. I'll keep an eye on the fish. Fingers crossed thanks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar July 23, 2017 Share July 23, 2017 Does anyone know if these isopods can get to fish? Seahorses? Should I not get another cleaner anytime soon? Should I treat? Eggs means there's multiple parasites that have a food source.. I wonder if they're eating the mysis I feed. I wouldn't do anything until you know more about what kind of isopod it is, and whether "shrimp isopods" can latch onto fish. It's prudent to assume that there are more in the tank, but you may find that each isopod is a fused male & female. I know the isopods common to peppermint shrimp are like that. Also, those eggs might be the shrimp's eggs...that's where they carry them. Finally, a generalization. Parasites often have specialized mouth parts and can only feed on certain hosts, eating certain parts of the host (often blood or tissue fluids), in certain ways. I'm skeptical that this isopod can prey on dead mysid shrimp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar July 23, 2017 Share July 23, 2017 Oh, I forgot to add that I would be more concerned about your ammonia level. The shrimp is small and recently dead, with no signs of decomposition. I doubt there's been enough decay to cause an ammonia spike. I would continue to monitor it very closely and take steps to return it to zero soon if it doesn't settle down on its own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 23, 2017 Author Share July 23, 2017 I wouldn't do anything until you know more about what kind of isopod it is, and whether "shrimp isopods" can latch onto fish. It's prudent to assume that there are more in the tank, but you may find that each isopod is a fused male & female. I know the isopods common to peppermint shrimp are like that. Also, those eggs might be the shrimp's eggs...that's where they carry them. Finally, a generalization. Parasites often have specialized mouth parts and can only feed on certain hosts, eating certain parts of the host (often blood or tissue fluids), in certain ways. I'm skeptical that this isopod can prey on dead mysid shrimp. There is only one shrimp in my tank that I've had for 6 months. Thanks for the info. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 23, 2017 Author Share July 23, 2017 Oh, I forgot to add that I would be more concerned about your ammonia level. The shrimp is small and recently dead, with no signs of decomposition. I doubt there's been enough decay to cause an ammonia spike. I would continue to monitor it very closely and take steps to return it to zero soon if it doesn't settle down on its own. It could've been dead longer. I was very busy the last few days and it could've been blown around by the powerheads and I thought it was alive. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k July 24, 2017 Share July 24, 2017 a tiny shrimp wont cause an ammonia spike. you have other issues causing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 24, 2017 Author Share July 24, 2017 a tiny shrimp wont cause an ammonia spike. you have other issues causing it. In a 36 gallon tank? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOSKN5 July 24, 2017 Share July 24, 2017 In an established 36 gallon tank.. I agree.. a shrimp won't cause ammonia spike... Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 24, 2017 Author Share July 24, 2017 In an established 36 gallon tank.. I agree.. a shrimp won't cause ammonia spike... Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Do dying mangroves give off ammonia?? Have some that aren't doing well. Otherwise I guess it's the seahorses and their feeding regimen- 2 cubes of mysis a day. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOSKN5 July 24, 2017 Share July 24, 2017 Dying mangroves wouldn't be the cause either... if you have enough live rock that is established you should not see ammonia... Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k July 25, 2017 Share July 25, 2017 I'd say that 2 cubes of mysis/day is a bit excessive. Do you hand feed each with a pipette/baster or do you disperse 2 cubes into the water column and hope it all gets eaten? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 25, 2017 Author Share July 25, 2017 I'd say that 2 cubes of mysis/day is a bit excessive. Do you hand feed each with a pipette/baster or do you disperse 2 cubes into the water column and hope it all gets eaten?Disperse unfortunately. For seahorses they're pretty aggressive. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 25, 2017 Author Share July 25, 2017 Here's my ammonia and nitrite this morning. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstarta78 July 25, 2017 Share July 25, 2017 You still have traces ammonia in your water column which should have been converted to NO3. if you don't mind me asking, how old is this tank? Maybe the biological filter hasn't established yet?!?! If I only looked at the last picture, I'd say your tank is still cycling, which could be a reason (possibly) why the shrimp died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 25, 2017 Author Share July 25, 2017 You still have traces ammonia in your water column which should have been converted to NO3. if you don't mind me asking, how old is this tank? Maybe the biological filter hasn't established yet?!?! If I only looked at the last picture, I'd say your tank is still cycling, which could be a reason (possibly) why the shrimp died. 8 months old. Could be a mini cycle caused by the shrimps death. But the shrimp obviously died of a parasite. You can't see it, but I can see the small eggs laid all over it and the very trademark isopod injury. Can't be the shrimps own eggs because I only have one shrimp and I've had it for 6 months. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstarta78 July 25, 2017 Share July 25, 2017 8 months is enough time to cycle and establish a decent biological filter. It's such a small little shrimp. And I am not saying you are wrong, It's just little odd that a shrimp that size would cause a mini cycle. I am little surprised to see NH3 in an 8 month old tank. You'd think your biological filter would be established enough by now. btw, would you know what kind of pods those were? Did you add them? How are your other inhabitants? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 25, 2017 Author Share July 25, 2017 8 months is enough time to cycle and establish a decent biological filter. It's such a small little shrimp. And I am not saying you are wrong, It's just little odd that a shrimp that size would cause a mini cycle. I am little surprised to see NH3 in an 8 month old tank. You'd think your biological filter would be established enough by now. btw, would you know what kind of pods those were? Did you add them? How are your other inhabitants? The other inhabitants are doing fine. Don't seem to be breathing hard and no visible parasites. Isopods are predatory pods that can attach to fish and shrimp. They probably came on a coral or my peppermint shrimp way back when I had him- gave him away. What if the bioload was already at its max? Because I am a little overstocked because I was planning on just holding the seahorses until I got a second tank and that never happened. I have a pair of clowns, small bicolor blenny, sixline wrasse, and the seahorse pair. I only risked the seahorse because the others are so small right now. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar July 25, 2017 Share July 25, 2017 I would cut back your feeding and see how the ammonia responds. You just have to make sure the seahorses get enough to eat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 25, 2017 Author Share July 25, 2017 I would cut back your feeding and see how the ammonia responds. You just have to make sure the seahorses get enough to eat. I've cut back to one feeding since the thread started and they do well. But I've actually decided just to sell the seahorses. They are a pain on vacation and I think my tank just can't handle them and their feedings. I'm having considerable green slime and green hair algae problems too. The green slime was irritating before I got them. Now it's just indestructible and I got gha. Not many people are looking for seahorses so I'll probably have them for a while yet. Thanks for the advice! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami July 25, 2017 Share July 25, 2017 Try testing some tap or RO/DI water with your ammonia test kit just to see the color that you get. When you get down this low in ammonia, it's hard for me to tell if you're at zero or slightly above. That's why I'm not nuts about this test. Getting an understanding of what zero looks like can help you interpret the colors better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari.harutunian July 25, 2017 Author Share July 25, 2017 Try testing some tap or RO/DI water with your ammonia test kit just to see the color that you get. When you get down this low in ammonia, it's hard for me to tell if you're at zero or slightly above. That's why I'm not nuts about this test. Getting an understanding of what zero looks like can help you interpret the colors better. Already did. It was light yellow and unclouded. So there is at least more than zero ammonia in my tank. One thing that could be contributing: apparently the green algae on my rocks is diatoms. Probably choking all the pores.... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k July 26, 2017 Share July 26, 2017 diatoms choking rock pores, mini-cycles, undocumented isopods killing shrimps..... these seem like youre grasping for a solution rather than the fact that you didn't let the tank cycle properly on initial statrt-up and added lots of fish and corals rapidly and now you're paying the price months later. Slow down, don't add anything else to the tank, and focus all your energy on getting your water chemistry dialed in. I'd also recommend that you get a better test kit for ammonia, like Salifert. Those AP tests aren't very accurate or reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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