Symptoms to Look For
Check if your shrimp are showing any of these symptoms. Symptoms are grouped by severity to help you assess the situation.
Early Warning
-
Shrimp appearing lethargic, not grazing
Visual: Staying still, not moving around tank
Moderate
-
Shrimp swimming erratically or 'darting'
Visual: Sudden frantic swimming, hitting glass
-
Shrimp clustered near water surface or filter outflow
Visual: Gasping behavior indicates low oxygen or toxins
-
Loss of color or cloudy/milky appearance
Visual: Normally vibrant shrimp looking pale or opaque
Severe
-
Shrimp found dead on tank bottom or filter intake
Visual: Motionless, may be pink/red or cloudy
-
Multiple deaths over a short period (hours to days)
Visual: Finding 2+ dead shrimp within 24-48 hours
Does this match what you see? If your shrimp are showing multiple severe symptoms, act immediately. Early symptoms give you more time to correct the issue.
Possible Causes
Causes are listed by likelihood. Start with the most common causes and work your way down.
Ammonia or Nitrite Spike
Toxic nitrogen compounds from fish waste, uneaten food, or dead organisms. Even small amounts are lethal to shrimp. Common in new or uncycled tanks.
Test water with API Master Test Kit or similar. Any reading above 0 ppm for ammonia or nitrite is dangerous.
Copper Exposure
Copper is extremely toxic to invertebrates, even in trace amounts. Sources include medications (ich treatments), copper pipes, cheap heaters, and some fertilizers.
Check if any medications, fertilizers, or new equipment was added. Test for copper if suspect - even 0.03 ppm can be lethal.
Chlorine/Chloramine in Water
Tap water contains chlorine or chloramine that kills shrimp instantly. Can occur from forgetting to dechlorinate during water changes.
Did you recently do a water change? Did you use dechlorinator? Chloramine requires specific treatment - not all dechlorinators handle it.
TDS or Parameter Shock
Sudden changes in water parameters (TDS, pH, temperature) cause osmotic stress. Often occurs after large water changes or improper acclimation of new shrimp.
Test TDS before and after water changes. Changes greater than 20-30 ppm can cause stress. New shrimp should be drip acclimated for 1-2 hours.
Low GH / Mineral Deficiency
Insufficient calcium and magnesium for molting. Causes failed molts and eventually death, especially in soft water areas.
Test GH. Neocaridina need GH 6-12, Caridina need GH 4-6. Also check for white ring of death symptoms.
Disease or Bacterial Infection
Bacterial infections can spread through a colony, especially in stressed or weakened shrimp. Often secondary to poor water quality.
Look for pink/red discoloration, cloudy patches, lesions, or unusual spots. Infected shrimp are often lethargic.
Pesticide Contamination
Pesticides from plants, hands (bug spray, lotions), or household sprays. Extremely toxic to invertebrates.
Did you add new plants without quarantine? Touch tank after using products? Use bug spray near tank?
Old Age
Shrimp naturally live 1-2 years. If deaths are gradual and limited to larger/older individuals, it may be natural.
Are only large, mature shrimp dying? Are juveniles healthy? Natural deaths are gradual, not sudden mass die-offs.
Predation
Fish or other tank mates attacking and killing shrimp. Shrimplets are especially vulnerable.
Check for signs of injury on dead shrimp. Observe tank at night when predators may be more active.
Oxygen Depletion
Low oxygen from overstocking, high temperature, or poor circulation. More common in summer or heavily planted tanks at night.
Shrimp gasping near surface or filter outflow. Check temperature (high temps = less dissolved oxygen). Add airstone.
Solutions
Option 1: Immediate Emergency Response
Do not add medications unless you have identified a specific disease - many medications contain copper
- 1
Test water parameters immediately
Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and TDS. Write down all values. This is your first diagnostic step.
Do not skip this step - you cannot treat what you cannot measure
- 2
Remove dead shrimp
Dead shrimp decompose quickly and release ammonia. Remove all bodies immediately to prevent further water quality degradation.
- 3
If ammonia or nitrite > 0, do emergency water change
Change 25-30% of water with temperature-matched, dechlorinated water. Make sure new water TDS is within 20 ppm of tank water.
Do not change more than 30% at once - large changes cause additional stress
- 4
Add activated carbon
If you suspect toxins (copper, pesticides, medications), add fresh activated carbon to the filter. It will absorb many contaminants.
- 5
Increase aeration
Add an airstone or point filter output at surface to increase oxygen. Stressed shrimp need more oxygen.
Recommended Products
These are informational recommendations only. Not affiliated with any brands.
Option 2: Investigation and Root Cause Analysis
- 1
Review recent changes
Write down anything that changed in the last 1-2 weeks: water changes, new additions (plants, decor, fish), feeding changes, room changes (sprays, cleaners).
- 2
Check equipment
Inspect heater for damage (can leach metals), check filter is running properly, verify thermometer accuracy.
- 3
Test source water
Test your tap/RO water for ammonia, pH, TDS. Some tap water seasonally contains ammonia or chloramine changes.
- 4
Observe surviving shrimp
Watch for symptoms: erratic swimming, lethargy, color loss, not eating. Document what you see.
Prevention Tips
Follow these practices to help prevent this problem from occurring in the future.
- Always fully cycle your tank before adding shrimp - ammonia and nitrite must read 0 ppm consistently
- Use a dechlorinator that handles both chlorine AND chloramine (like Seachem Prime)
- Test your water weekly and log parameters to spot trends before they become problems
- Never add medications to a shrimp tank without verifying they are invertebrate-safe
- Quarantine new plants for 2-4 weeks or treat with alum dip to remove pesticides
- Keep water change size to 10-15% weekly rather than large infrequent changes
- Match new water temperature and TDS to tank water before adding
- Wash hands thoroughly before putting them in the tank
- Never use copper-based medications or fertilizers in shrimp tanks
Track These Parameters with ShrimpKeeper
Get alerts when your parameters drift out of range, see historical trends, and catch problems before they become emergencies.
Download FreeShrimp deaths can be incredibly frustrating because shrimp often die without obvious symptoms. Unlike fish that may show distress behaviors, shrimp can appear fine one moment and be dead the next. This is because shrimp are extremely sensitive to water quality changes and toxins. The most common cause of sudden shrimp deaths in established tanks is a water quality event - ammonia spike from overfeeding, nitrite spike from filter issues, or toxin introduction. In new tanks, the cause is almost always an incomplete nitrogen cycle. When investigating shrimp deaths, think like a detective. What changed? Even small changes matter: a new plant could have pesticides, a water change could have introduced chloramine, touching the tank after using hand lotion could transfer chemicals. The pattern of deaths provides clues: - Sudden mass die-off (many deaths in hours): Usually toxin exposure (copper, chlorine, pesticides) - Deaths after water change: TDS shock, chlorine, or temperature mismatch - Gradual deaths over days: Water quality decline, disease, or parameter drift - Only shrimplets dying: Predation, filter intake, or starvation - Only berried females dying: Stress-related, possibly from water changes Prevention is always better than treatment. Stable, consistent water parameters are the key to a healthy shrimp colony. Weekly testing, proper cycling, and careful water change procedures will prevent most shrimp deaths.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shrimp rarely die for 'no reason' - they are extremely sensitive to water quality changes that may not be obvious. The most common causes are ammonia/nitrite spikes, copper exposure from medications or tap water, chlorine from water changes, or TDS shock. Always test your water parameters first. If tests show zeros, investigate recent changes: new plants (pesticides), medications, fertilizers, or anything that touched the tank water.
Unfortunately, by the time a shrimp shows obvious signs of dying (lethargy, laying on side, not moving), it's often too late for that individual. Focus on saving the rest of the colony by immediately testing water, doing a small water change if parameters are off, and removing any dead shrimp. The best 'treatment' is fixing the underlying cause to prevent more deaths.
Sudden mass die-offs are almost always caused by acute toxin exposure. The most common culprits are: copper (from medications, fertilizers, or old pipes), chlorine/chloramine (from un-dechlorinated water change), pesticides (from new plants or household sprays), or severe ammonia spike (from dead fish or overfeeding). Check for anything new added to the tank or done to it in the past 24-48 hours.
Shrimplet deaths are often caused by: filter intake (use a sponge pre-filter), predation from fish or other tank mates, starvation (not enough biofilm in new tanks), or they may simply be more sensitive to marginal water quality that adults can tolerate. Ensure your tank is well-established with plenty of biofilm and hiding places.
Copper poisoning typically causes rapid death with minimal warning signs. Shrimp may dart around erratically, then become lethargic and die within hours. If you've recently used any medication, fertilizer, or equipment with copper, this is likely the cause. Use activated carbon to absorb remaining copper and large water changes over several days. Test with a copper test kit if available - even 0.03 ppm is lethal to shrimp.
It depends on your test results. If ammonia or nitrite is elevated, yes - do a 25-30% water change with properly prepared water. However, if parameters are fine, a water change could cause additional stress. Never do a large water change (more than 30%) during a crisis as the parameter swing can kill more shrimp. Always match temperature and TDS of new water to tank water.
This can happen from disease introduction (new shrimp carrying pathogens), parameter shock (new shrimp stressed from shipping then hit with different parameters), or contamination (new shrimp transported in treated water containing copper or other chemicals). Always quarantine new shrimp for 2-4 weeks, drip acclimate for 1-2 hours, and inspect for signs of disease before adding to your main tank.
Track Your Parameters with ShrimpKeeper
Most shrimp problems stem from parameter issues. Track your water quality, get alerts when things drift, and prevent problems before they happen.