[T+Z-Tank]

Fairly new to owning fish and noticed while I was walking past my tank tonight I noticed the tail end of a cherry shrimp lying on the floor of my tank. Pretty sure it wasn’t there less than a few hours before. Not sure what could have happened to it. We have 6 cherry barbs, one of which seems to chase the others lately. I had 6 cherry shrimp and a few yellow rabbit snails in there. As of late have only been able to count 5 shrimp and tonight coming across the remains of on. Is the cherry barb the problem?

 

[sm1ke]

Was it a white, almost translucent piece that you saw? Or did it have the same colour as your shrimp? If it was white, it was likely just part of a molt. Shrimp molt (shed their exoskeletons) as they grow, and right after they molt they tend to go into hiding until they redevelop their exoskeletons.

That said, aside from otocinclus, any fish can eat/target/harass shrimp to the point that they die. Some are a little less likely than others, but it can still happen. Even if you had no issues for years, it can happen overnight.

 

[T+Z-Tank]

Was it a white, almost translucent piece that you saw? Or did it have the same colour as your shrimp? If it was white, it was likely just part of a molt. Shrimp molt (shed their exoskeletons) as they grow, and right after they molt they tend to go into hiding until they redevelop their exoskeletons.

That said, aside from otocinclus, any fish can eat/target/harass shrimp to the point that they die. Some are a little less likely than others, but it can still happen. Even if you had no issues for years, it can happen overnight.

pictured above, it was bright red and even had what looked like “shrimp meat” for lack of a better term

 

[sm1ke]

Yikes. Yeah looks like it died and was picked apart by the time you saw it. It may have died on its own, or one of the fish may have killed it. You'd have to continue to monitor the tank to know for sure.

 

[deeda]

I agree with @sm1ke but it doesn't explain why it was on the floor out of the tank. Do you have any pets roaming your house?

 

[T+Z-Tank]

I agree with @sm1ke but it doesn't explain why it was on the floor out of the tank. Do you have any pets roaming your house?

Sorry no it was on the floor of the tank, the picture was from after it was taken out

 

[Zoidburg]

It's hard to say why the shrimp died without more info.... but fish can indeed cause stress to shrimp.

 

[Brian1989]

I think he got ate