losing my inverts :(

[Broodingwolf]

Ok, I am trying to figure out what's going wrong...

From what I've read, usually if something is going bad in the tank, your snails will drop first. Other then the occasional astrea that falls over and I don't see it until its too late to turn him over, I haven't had any snails die. And by occasional I mean 1 or 2.

The tank has been going for about 2 months. Has established LR from another tank so no cure. 20 gallon tank. Parameters have always been since day 1 0 ammonia, nitrate ~5ppm, nitite 0ppm, temp around 80-84 but usually 80-82 and ph sitting at 8.2 Salinity has been an issue for me, for some reason the tank always reads at just barely 1.020 -- I'm not sure why this is. I do a approx 5g water change weekly.

I've got 1 clarkii, 1 chromis. A few shrooms, a LTA and a colt coral.

I get a peppermint shrimp... 1 week later dead
hmm ok that's odd... maybe it was a bad acclimation or what not...

I do drip acclimation for a long time when I introduce anything, so I'm not sure that it would be caused by that.

Ok, lets try again... mithrax crab... 1 week later dead...

Buy 2 more pep shrimp.. 1 week later dead...

Today I noticed a dead hermit crab who had climbed out of his shell.... I'm worried!!


Like I said no snails dying, corals doing fine, fish seem fine, active swimmers, good eaters. Anenome also doing fine, eating well, no bleaching.

Any ideas? Am I just having rotten luck?

[Detritivore]

do you add iodine?...ive heard that shrimp need iodine or else they'll die when they shed their skin...

[Broodingwolf]

Yeah I dose marine trace and reef plus weekly. Plus, I dunno, would lack of iodine kill them in a week?

[tnn1567]

I would try to keep your temperature between 76 -79 degree. I used to have my temperature between 82 and 84 and notice that my shirmp died a week later.

What you can do is get some small cheap fans at Target or Wal-Mart and have it cool your tank down.

Another reason things may be dying is your tank has not mature. Two months is such a short period or time to put anything in your tank.

Since you have such a small tank, anything that dies in your tank can create an ammonia spike. Water changes are good!

[Broodingwolf]

Ok I will try that! LIke i said the tank has been at really stable parameters for a few months so I went ahead and started adding stuff. I bet you are right about the temperature. I'll work on adding a fan. Has anyone else had any other experience with this?

[leheath]

I wouldn't worry too much about the temperature - I have my tank at 81-83, and I have tons of happy, healthy invertebrates. However, shrimp in particular are very sensitive to salinity. My best guess is your salinity is too low...it should be 1.024-1.026. What are you measuring it with? If it is a hydrometer, they are notoriously inaccurate, so your salinity may be even lower than you think. You might try taking some water to a good LFS and asking them to check, or buy a refractometer, then you will be sure of your reading.

Hope this helps...good luck! :)

[Broodingwolf]

You know what, that's a really good idea, I am using a hydrometer, I'll take a sample to the LFS on tuesday...

I can't figure out why its reading so low on the salinity... I bet you are right. I have some sort of cheap hydrometer...

wow.. just saw your occupation, forensic scientist.. wild man!!

[leheath]

I think my $35 refractometer was an excellent purchase (on sale at Drs. F&F) - I never have to worry about my salinity levels being off.

Actually...that would be wild woman! :D

[Broodingwolf]

hee! wild woman, hmm doesn't sound right.. wild ...dudette? Hrm. I was just looking at the 35 dollar one on the doc's site, thanks for the suggestion.

[leheath]

Wild dudette works! :D

I have been very happy with the one from the Drs...

BTW, what kind of animals do you rescue?

[Broodingwolf]

Well right now I've just been in the monetary donation form, and of course my 2 dogs I adopted, both ex-strays.. once I move into a place where its all my own, ie no landlords (this june, woohoo!) I'm hoping to do some sort of foster work.. maybe cats... just *something* to help out.

[leheath]

Cool...My 3 dogs were all rescued in some way...I know what you mean about getting rid of landlords....it is great! So much less to worry about. If I didn't have one really dominant dog, I would do foster work, but I think she would beat all the fosters up! :)

[Broodingwolf]

that's actually what I"m worried about as well. but I will see what any rescue group thinks I can do for help. ^_^