Sickly Cleaner Shrimp?

rmarc005 · #1 04/09/2006, 02:49 PM

My husband pointed out the other day that our Cleaner Shrimp does not look right. He seems to have developed these black spots on him and is hiding in the same place every day. He seems to have lost a leg to. I don't think he is molting. This coincides with a blackening sponge. Any ideas?

Ti · #2 04/09/2006, 03:35 PM

it's a type of infection, there is no known cause or cure.

rmarc005 · #3 04/09/2006, 04:49 PM

Wow, really? Will he get better on his own or will he die? Is there a name for this infection?

josetexe · #4 04/09/2006, 05:16 PM

my die 2 days ago and had the same black spots

mystikdragon7 · #5 04/09/2006, 07:37 PM

I can't remember the name for the black spots as well. I remember it is like ich, but for shrimps. Sadly, there is absolutly nothing you can do for him, the poor guy will die. Sorry. Luckily it doesn't spread to other things in your tank.

rmarc005 · #6 04/09/2006, 09:07 PM

Oh! How terrible! I am so sad. In your opinion do you think this shrimp sickness might be related to our sponges turning black too?

Kelmen · #7 04/10/2006, 04:30 AM

Too bad Dr Ron not around. Better remove the infected shrimp, worry it may spread to other shrimps

rmarc005 · #8 04/10/2006, 09:48 PM

Oh God, he's loosing legs now! We have no other shrimp for him to "infect" any suggestions on a painless method for euthinizing a shrimp? It this gets ugly I don't want him to suffer. Will we be able to get another one or will the tank remain inhabitable to shrimp now. This is not a good way to start a hobby.

ACBlinky · #9 04/10/2006, 10:51 PM

Put him into a small container of tank water and freeze him. People euthanize fish using this method, I'm sure it would work for a shrimp as well. Sorry you're losing the little guy, better luck with the next one.

foob · #10 04/11/2006, 12:18 AM

Just smash him with a rock/shoe/heavy object. Seriously.

Ti · #11 04/11/2006, 12:38 AM

Freeze it

pitt_prodigy · #12 04/11/2006, 02:06 AM

Yep... freezer is the most humaine way. Shuts the body down quickly from what i have been told. Sorry to hear about your shrimp. Dont let this discourage you though... crazy freak things will happen... and believe me they happen to everyone if you've been in the hobby long enough. Best wishes on your next one... i have one myself and will now be monitoring him for any spotting from here on. Thanks for posting... before this i wasnt aware that shrimps had too many probs with illness. My biggest worry was that someday my zebra eel would get hungry when the cleaner was picking around his back teeth!

IslandCrow · #13 04/11/2006, 08:09 AM

Goodness, I've never been a shrimp before, but if I were going to die, I think I'd rather just have my head chopped off and have it over with instead of freezing to death. Short of giving him a lethal injection, I imagine anything will be at least somewhat painful. Of course, you could just throw him into a jar filled with vodka. . .at least he'll leave this world happy. . .hey, I think that could really work. It would just be a derivation of putting an alchohol soaked cotton ball in a jar to kill a butterfly.

rmarc005 · #14 04/11/2006, 09:14 PM

Wow, thanks everyone for your replies and sympathy. I laughed, I cried and I went "ughhhhh" all at the same time! I think I will give him one more day- it might have been crazy hopefullness or the fear of actually having to utilize any of your suggestions (except the vodka or course) but he may have looked a little perkier today. I may have insane luck because our seastart had a hole in his disk the size of a pencil eraser and he healed up!