Ghost Shrimp Dead After Eating Romaine Lettuce

I purchased a golden mystery snail and 5 ghost shrimp from my LPS 3 days ago for my cycled 3.5 gallon heated, filtered live planted tank.

Everything was great until I blanched some romaine lettuce and stuck it in on a new never before used bamboo skewer. Within 30 minutes I noticed ghost shrimp starting to become inactive and turn upside down. The snail didn't eat any lettuce because he was off doing snail things. I removed the lettuce and moved everyone to a container with fresh water while I did an emergency 100% water change.

I lost 2 shrimp, but the other 3 seem to be doing okay. The snail acts like nothing happened.

This was terrible, but I'd like to learn from it. What on Earth went wrong?

 

That's so sad! Was the lettuce organic?

 

organic foods are often treated with copper sulphate as a fungicide.

 

That's so sad! Was the lettuce organic?

Yes, it was organic. And I watched a few different How To videos on YouTube to try to make sure I was doing everything properly. I haven't had ghost shrimp before, only bettas.

organic foods are often treated with copper sulphate as a fungicide.

Maybe that was the issue then. I cleaned the leaves thoroughly, but maybe that cannot wash all of that residue off? I'm a bit afraid to feed them blanched veggies now. Is it safer to supplement with other foods, or was this a freak occurance?

 

I haven't had any issues.
But I rarely feed veggies to anything in the tank.
Personally I just break apart bottom feeder tablets and drop them in.

 

Go with nonorganic veggies then?? Wash them off like normal and slice them up, never had issues with cucumber, zucchini, or other veggies that were nonorganic - shrimp, plecos, snails, no issue.

 

I'd be more suspicious of something leeching out of the bamboo - there's literally millions of chinese people who've put up Weibo (chinese instagram) photos and comments about nasty stuff coming out of their chopsticks, which are made with the same stuff as the skewers, and in the same factories. It's interesting reading, if you read Mandarin - I've heard mostly about it on BBC radio, of all places.

 

I'd be more suspicious of something leeching out of the bamboo - there's literally millions of chinese people who've put up Weibo (chinese instagram) photos and comments about nasty stuff coming out of their chopsticks, which are made with the same stuff as the skewers, and in the same factories. It's interesting reading, if you read Mandarin - I've heard mostly about it on BBC radio, of all places.

I was also wondering about the skewer but didn't say anything. I used to use an aquarium magnet cleaner to hold the lettuce in place when I had a fish that would eat it. Non-organic actually, back then, and I'd only rinse and spin it. I never had any problems at that point, but I didn't have shrimp.

 

So, after a quick clean- no products used, just the cloth I always use to clean my tank and a 100% water change I put the surviving shrimp and snail back in the tank. They seemed completely fine for several hours. Then all of a sudden, they were all on their sides again. I quickly took them all out of the tank and put them in a container where all but one "revived."

I just tested all water perameters with my API kit- everything tests normal. This is so weird. I have no idea what to do?

I just did another 100% water change. Scrubbed tank and decorations really well. I also rinsed filter in tap water (I know I risked losing beneficial bacteria there... but I didn't think I should rinse it in poss. toxic tank water). The 2 remaining shrimp and snail seem to be fine again.

Anything else that I can do to try to keep the rest of 'em alive?

I was also wondering about the skewer but didn't say anything. I used to use an aquarium magnet cleaner to hold the lettuce in place when I had a fish that would eat it. Non-organic actually, back then, and I'd only rinse and spin it. I never had any problems at that point, but I didn't have shrimp.

Omg... good to know! I don't think I'll be using chopsticks anymore. Salad doesn't sound too appetizing either.

 

Are you really shaking the bottles? I know the nitrate you really have to shake it to make it work.

 

M

Yes, it was organic. And I watched a few different How To videos on YouTube to try to make sure I was doing everything properly. I haven't had ghost shrimp before, only bettas.



Maybe that was the issue then. I cleaned the leaves thoroughly, but maybe that cannot wash all of that residue off? I'm a bit afraid to feed them blanched veggies now. Is it safer to supplement with other foods, or was this a freak occurance?

Maybe you should soak the lettuce in some dechlorinated water for a bit before feeding? Beg has always worked fine for me, I usually go for snap frozen stuff tho. I assumed you blanched the veg in unconditioned water maybe "somehow" that managed to soak into the lettuce and make it toxic?

 

Are you really shaking the bottles? I know the nitrate you really have to shake it to make it work.

Yes. I already did a 100% water change about 8 hours before testing... very little chance of much of anything of interest showing up for ammonia/ nitrites/ nitrates I think. I was concerned about PH but that was at 7.6 which is okay. I also tested Nitrites, which were at 0ppm.

I also unplugged my tank heater last night- it was keeping the tank at about 86 degrees which I read is a bit too warm for ghost shrimp. The remaining 2 are fine this morning and so is the snail.