Without seeing the amanos actually go after the fish, it's hard to say.

I wont say they didn't kill the fish... but I also wont say they did... not until you see it for yourself. Some amanos can/do after living fish. It's uncommon, but it happens.

 

What I have noticed, shrimp, as well as other fish will prey on tank mates if there isn't enough food. Scavengers like amano's and such prefer opportunity plus they graze constantly so without over feeding I would strive to make sure there is more food accessible to them wherever they like to feed. Adjust your water parameters accordingly to compensate for the extra waste and you should do fine.

I'm sure it's just basic fish keeping but that's what I have noticed. This is obviously different depending on the species of fish of course. Hunger will bring out the beast in anything.

 

Amano shrimp can strip a phish carcase to the bone in an evening.
Maybe phish died and amano are just cleaning up?

Amano shrimp will also tag team on small snails to extract them frim their shells.

 

Thanks for the reply’s.

I would like to think that they were just scavenging rather than attacking although I am still unsure why 4 fish have died in a week since being put in the tank. It is a very well cycled tank with lots of live plants so the extra waste of the added fish which are very small, shouldn’t have been an issue. This also gives lots of grazing for the shrimp on top of pellets that are dropped in regularly to supplement their diet. So don’t think they’re starving.

I have been medicating the tank (with shrimp safe product) since Thursday in the hope that illnesses that may be causing it will be dealt with.

 

Sometimes fish just die. Usual suspect to me is store just got them day or day before so they just went through big transfer shock. Then you come along day after or even same day and snatch them up and take them home and put them through another transfer shock.

If fish is weak enough almost any invertebrate will become a opportunistic predator and take advantage of it.

A big healthy Amano is a formidable adversary to small weakened fish.

 

I think that may be the case.

The largest amano shrimp is huge. It's had the nickname of 'the beast' for a while although that changed to 'the monster' after seeing him drag the body away :icon_eek:

 

FWIW, a friend of mine reported that she had Amanos that harassed and killed her otto's.

 

WOW!
Someone I spoke to today said that they don't normally keep fish that are smaller than the shrimp in the same tank, as they may become pray, but an otto isn't exactly a nano fish!

 

WOW!

Someone I spoke to today said that they don't normally keep fish that are smaller than the shrimp in the same tank, as they may become pray, but an otto isn't exactly a nano fish!

Yeah, and I’ve asked around, apparently amanos getting aggressive is fairly common.


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IMHO this is mostly an urban legend. Fish die. Fact. Newly bought fish die especially frequently. Another fact. Otos also tend to die easily for many. One more fact. Amanos do like to eat dead (and dying, or otherwise impaired) fish. This is also a fact. And then someone sees amano carrying away a fish body - "killer amano" legend is born...

 

According to her, she watched the shrimp actively swim after the fish and the Otto was trying to get away from them. [emoji2373]


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There's a video or two on Youtube of amanos going after living fish... and I've seen it in person... again though, I wouldn't say it's the norm.

 

Some Shrimp are Aggressive

I also have personally seen ghost shrimp (cheap feeder kind) attack my betta. Not at all what I was expecting when I tried introducing them.... Thought it would go the other way... I thought he was getting fin rot, until I saw him swimming all over with a shrimp on him. Removed the shrimp and he's looking better than new.

 

I also have personally seen ghost shrimp (cheap feeder kind) attack my betta. Not at all what I was expecting when I tried introducing them.... Thought it would go the other way... I thought he was getting fin rot, until I saw him swimming all over with a shrimp on him. Removed the shrimp and he's looking better than new.

Ghost shrimp are mean... Fearless too.

 

Been lucky I guess. My 4 amanos, betta, and 2 otos are doing great together. The only time the amanos attack anything is when the nerite shell gets algae growing on it, saw 2 of them cleaning the shell up nice and pretty.

 

I've seen amanos and cherries go after sick fish. No experience with them attacking healthy ones, but like any creature, some are more agressive than others. I think larger numbers of shrimp increase the risk of "bold" behavior though. I have an amano in with little ember tetras and its been fine for probably 6+ months.

 

Thats a true statement. My betta leaves the amanos alone, when there were cherries in there he didnt bug them much either. Tried putting in the brown emeralds and he did not like them one bit. Chased them all over the tank, had to swap them out with a quickness. Soon as the browns were out he was back to normal. Funny little critters.

 

I usually supplement the shrimps diets with pellets but I think I am going to make sure I add more protein to their diet. I already give the fish daphnia, brine shrimp or blood worms once or twice a week so will make a point of adding it to different parts of the tank so the shrimp can get to it as well.

 

Thats a good idea. I noticed once the algae was under control that the amanos were far more adventurouse and would spend much more time out and about during the day and were very active during feeding time. Now they will come out when I feed the betta and OTOs and share in the food (betta pellets, blood worms, algae wafers, and repashy greens).

 

Be careful giving shrimp too much protein... it can cause molting problems. Once a week in small amounts is okay though.


I've kept/have amanos in community tanks without any issues of any going after healthy/living (even if sick) fish. I have seen amanos eat cherries, but never seen them attack a *living* cherry... so could never be sure if they found a dead shrimp (in my case... most likely scenario...) or went after a living one.


Heck, the most aggression I've seen between shrimp and fish was when a juvie cherry was eating a piece of food, a kuhli loach came and stole the food and the shrimp attacked the face of the kuhli! Kuhli didn't care one bit and just continued eating... and then after a split second, shrimp gave up and wandered off to find food elsewhere...