Bizarre Behavior

[Meganpalmer81]

So I've actually read someone with a similar issue, but I didn't really understand if they got it resolved.

I have had my shrimp for over a year and a half now. I recently moved my shrimp into a new big tank, that had been properly cycled. I bought new shrimp and added them several weeks after the old group were added. That was maybe 4 months ago.

About 1-2 months ago, I started noticing shrimp laying on their sides and flaying about. I immediately began water changes, with RO water, and testing. All of my testing seems fine. No ammonia, nitrites/nitrates, good PH and specific gravity, etc.

I thought they were dead but when I went to remove them, they were still alive and swam off before falling on their sides again. So, I quarantined them. Surprisingly, the shrimp that went sideways mostly recovered. All but one that did indeed die. I still have them in a small separate tank because I still don't know what the problem is. Most are upright again, one is still on its side. It seemed like the issue had resolved itself, but I just saw a sideways shrimp in the big tank. What could I possibly be doing wrong?

The only thing I noticed about my water is the hardness is very high, no chlorine though. However, like I said below I did use RO water.

I am at a loss. I heard some people suggest molting.... but that just doesn't seem right. Most people said that they would die if on their sides, but it's been months now and I have only lost one. Still, I don't like the looks of it. They do not look healthy on their sides.

Help?

[Bennifgot2]

I think there is problem in your water

[Bluemonk]

I had a poisoning scenario. Took all shrimp out that was doing the leg spasm on their backs. Put them in a mason jar with fresh-made half marine salt water they came back alive and alert.

I think my cleaning lady might have sprayed a little bit of vinegar while cleaning the mirror behind my shrimp tank. I’ve reminded her to always just towel wipe with vinegar but I guess she started spraying vinegar instead.

There must be some contaminants in your tank poisoning them

[JennyPenny]

Any updates?
If your shrimp are still alive and you haven’t done anything yet, I would mix up a gallon of distilled water with marine salt (at half ocean salinity) and immediately transfer all shrimps with a net. I think there is a contaminant in the water that is poisoning them. If they have not improved, I don’t think they will in their current conditions. If you are careful, you can probably clean the tank out and reuse it but I would recommend replacing substrate and any porous decor.