Dead Cleaner Shrimp

[Quinn]

I woke up this morning to a dead cleaner shrimp, the largest of my four. My levels are all good, and everything else in the tank looks great. However I haven't been directly feeding the shrimp, I've just been letting them eat whatever they happen to find/catch. The one that died was the one that was always carrying eggs. Does anyone have any ideas as to why it might have died?

[Canadian Man]

Are you sure it's not it's moult?

Usually when something like that dies the worm's and critter's will make short work of it's remains.

[Quinn]

Definently not a molt, unfortunately. I've seen them before and they're quite pale, only hints of the red and yellow. This one is bright, has the black eyes (now cloudy), and my clownfish have been picking at it all day. I've never seen them eat a molt. This was the most active of the shrimp and I am positive it is actually it.

[Beverly]

Quinn,

What types of fish do you have with your shrimp?

My spotted hawkfish ate the peppermint shrimp from my 42 shortly after I added them :evil: I suspect he also did in the pair of cleaners we also had had for quite awhile. My guess is that he started to harrass them and they took up staying near the powerhead, but he eventually got both of them one night :cry:

Someone else suggested that my yellow coris wrasse might go after shrimp too.

[Quinn]

Two clownfish, one tang, one blenny. I'm quite careful to research my livestock and I'm quite certain that none of these fish typically attack shrimp. Also, these fish sleep at night and since the death occured at night, I don't feel it could have been them. I have seen the larger of the two clownfish chase the shrimps away from one particular corner of the tank on occasion, but the aggression never went any further.

[EmilyB]

Mine eventually went down to a dominant pair....I don't know. Perhaps there is inter-shrimp aggression... :confused:

[Aquattro]

Sometimes shrimp just die.... :rolleyes:

[Canadian Man]

Sometimes shrimp just die.... :rolleyes:

You mentioned that it was the largest one Quinn. Maybe it was the oldest?

[Dorkel Marine 1]

Definetly a Miscarriage! :lol:

[Jack]

I bought two and one died on me. Don't know why.