Amano shrimp turning white/pink

[Hobbit]

Parameters:

10 gallon, 79*
pH 6.6
Ammonia and nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 50-100
GH: 150
KH: 40-80

I lost an amano in my 10 gallon grow-out tank yesterday. It was very pink looking, like a cooked cocktail shrimp. Today another amano is turning pale and opaque. I think this could be a bacterial infection... but could it also be a nutrient deficiency? Anyone seen this before?

I’ve had these shrimp since January and this is the first issue I’ve seen with them.

Unfortunately I had a similar problem with cherry shrimp in this same tank before I got the amanos. The tank was shrimp-free for at least a month between the two, and I was hoping any infection would have died without a host, but maybe not.

Other info: A week ago I treated this tank with paracleanse trying to save a quarantining honey gourami.

 

[Jungle Fan]

I hope this article might shed some light on this for you:

https://www.aquariumnexus.com/freshwater-shrimp-diseases-parasites-remedies/

[Colu]

It could be getting burned from resting on the heater

[Jungle Fan]

Sounds more like bacterial infection to me.

[Colu]

6 hours ago, Jungle Fan said:

Sounds more like bacterial infection

I don't have much experience with shrimp disease

Edited April 22, 2021 by Colu

[Hobbit]

Thanks @Colu. The shrimp seem pretty good about flinching away from the heater when it turns on, so I don’t expect that’s what’s going on here. But thanks for the idea!

That article you linked to @Jungle Fan was helpful—it sounds like muscular necrosis is the cause of the body turning opaque, and that can be caused by bacteria or poor water conditions. Maybe a combination in my case (with the low hardness and pH).

The article also recommends large water changes and even tearing down the tank in the case of known bacterial infections. Since this tank is pretty stable I rarely change water, and perhaps that’s let the bacteria from the first infection build up in the water column over time.

I’ll change most of the water, bring up the buffer/pH, and see if the last shrimp survives. If not, I don’t think I’ll be adding any more shrimp to this tank. I hate to totally tear down a cycled tank, so I’ll save it for fish and snails. I’ve just got to find someone else to eat the hair algae...