Dissapearing Shrimp

[GooGirl]

I recently got two Ghost, or Grass, Shrimp. I had them for a while, then they started hiding and I forgot about them. At that time I had one in each tank.

Yesterday, I remembered I had them and searched both of my tanks for them, but they were both missing! I couldn't find any skeletons or anything! Could they have already disintegrated? They couldn't be hiding in the 10g because there are hardly any decorations and I looked through the whole thing. The second tank could still have one because it has lots of large rocks that it could be hiding under.

I'll search more today, because I didn't have any time yesterday, but what happened? Where are they?

Thanks!

 

[OrangeCones]

Is there anything else in the tanks? Lots of fish, snails, etc. will prey on shrimp when they molt, and all could have eaten a dead one.

 

[GooGirl]

I have 5 small 1-2 inch mollies, a 2-inch betta, and 2 1-inch danios. I also have a zebra nerite snail. The shrimp were each about an inch long, could any one of these guys eaten them? Or would they be to big?

 

[FreshyFresh]

An inch long is a pretty big ghost shrimp (other name is glass shrimp AFAIK).

I do have some that are close to that size. My LFS sells them for like $0.06/ea, and they are tiny, so I usually get them by the dozen or so for my tanks. Usually half are gone in a few weeks.

It's said that they don't live that long. I've got a few that have to be 3-4 months old.

My fish generally ignore them, but will pick them apart if they're dead. Other shrimp will eat the deceased as well. Cannibals I tell ya.

 

[Thyra]

I have never had any shrimp, but I would think both mollies and your betta would and could eat them.

 

[GooGirl]

I just found one dead. It was still intact, but just curled up and stiff. When I grabbed it, part of the exo skeleton fell off! Creepy...

 

[FreshyFresh]

The ones I've had cloud up and turn white when they expire. Then the shrimp cocktail brigade begins.

 

[GooGirl]

His eyes were so big and black... And the body was indeed all white, not the usual clear.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Yeah, their eyes are pretty cool. They glow if you shine a light at them in the dark.

 

[GooGirl]

Ooh, cool!

 

[exhumed07]

I've never come across dead shrimp in my tanks. my fish eat them before i can find them dead. and luckily they breed fast enough and i've got enough hiding spaces that i've always got more to replace the ones that happen to die or get eaten. i see my apistos pecking at my christmas moss pretty regularly. guessing they are eating baby shrimp.