Petshrimp.com Discussion Forum

I saw what appeared to be a pair of cherries mating on Friday night - belly to belly, lined up a bit off from parallel. Later however, the one that had been in its back (which I presumed to be the female) was STILL in that position, and its limbs were twitching weakly. There was a molt nearby. I figured I'd give it some more time, but late that night it was dead and others had been picking at the corpse.

All other shrimp in the tank seem fine - the only unusual thing I've noticed is that the largest female is perhaps a bit paler than usual. I had done a water change about 3 days previously, and I had fed more than usual this past week in response to the fact that of the saddled fems, 2 of the saddles were rather "puny."

That female might have been weakened and about to die right after the molt anyway. Males don't care if the female is in any condition to mate at all, they'll go after her anyway and try to mate.

I just wonder what was wrong that she(?) died. The others all seem fine. After being in the hobby this long, I know "things happen," but it was quite a disappointment.

Sometimes it's just very difficult to figure out why a death occured, especially when all the other animals in the tank are behaving just fine. If we had a way of examining the shrimp postmortem as we do with heart attack or stroke victims who "suddenly" die, we would probably know more, but we just can't and just have to make sure that the population as a whole is healthy and doing well and (as harsh as it sounds) not worry too much about the individual shrimp.

, but we just can't and just have to make sure that the population as a whole is healthy and doing well and (as harsh as it sounds) not worry too much about the individual shrimp.

I am slowly learning that to be the case. But, I still get upset and as lampeye mentioned disappointed