# Ghost Shrimp crawling out of the tank



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

I was looking closely at my background and realized that 2 Ghost shrimp had somehow crawled out of the tank and got stuck between the background and the tank. I didn't realize I had to worry about the Shrimp sneaking out of the tank. Is this a normal occurrence? What can be done, I have covers on my tank but there are enough tiny cracks for them to get out, if they are determined. Why would they want to leave the tank? Thoughts, anyone?


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

I've never heard of ghosts trying to escape... I know many other inverts like to run away and you have to a tight-fitting lid on the tank.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

redchigh said:


> I've never heard of ghosts trying to escape... I know many other inverts like to run away and you have to a tight-fitting lid on the tank.


 
I feel bad that it happened. I can't imagine why they were trying to get out. I mean, what might they have been looking for? Not to mention the first gulp of air??? You would think they would have turned around and went back the other way. The strangest thing is that they sort of dry out pinkish and look EXACTLY like some of the shrimp food that I fee to the other fish. I couldn't feed them to the others though as they were pets. Just sad, and weird. Hope none of the others try to find a way out. Maybe looking through the glass at their crunchy friends would make them think twice?


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

If you've ever fed your shrimp 'river shrimp', I'm pretty sure those are ghosts.

Not sure why they tried to escape... All I can think of is that it's instinct when the water parameters are wrong or there isn't enough food.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Yeah, I don't know. I am compulsive about cleaning the tank and I check water parameters often but I also over feed on purpose to make sure the bottom fish and shrimp get enough to eat. I do have my tanks very very full most of the time too so... not a lot of space between water line and top of tank. I feel bad, I wish I knew what caused this. Maybe they felt threatened by other fish? I never noticed anyone bothering them. They would swim around right past the fish and not seem nervous at all. I did see fish go down to take a look at them but then swim away when the shrimp would rear up at them.


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## SomeDudeAtHome (Feb 19, 2011)

redchigh pretty much said what I was thinking with the water parameters but it could've also been being chased by a fish or something. Something that stressed it and made it want to get away. Sometimes shrimp do just crawl out though so I wouldn't be too worried. While researching shrimp almost everywhere I read said to make sure you had a tight fitting lid and all holes (around filter and heater) were covered because sometimes this happens. I've never had it happen but I do check around once in a while just in case.


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

can you check your water parameters?


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Just in case I put a piece of tape over the hole in the back BUT now I am worried that if they were trying to get away from a fish, they wouldn't be able to. Ugh! I could drive myself nuts worrying about such things, couldn't I? 

I think the water parameters are fine and the tank is well fed, though maybe too clean? Everything else seems so happy so... Not sure if I want to make any changes without knowing what cause it for sure. I guess for now, I will be on a wait and see plan.


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

I think testing your actual parameters would be better than wait'n'see...

Of course, ghost shrimp are normally sold as feeders anyway, so consider them less a pet and more of a snack.


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## alidawn15 (Jan 31, 2011)

I'm suddenly glad my background is taped to the back of the tank. Could the background have bubbled away from the back of the tank and created a way for them to get in? They're curious little creatures so there's always a chance it was nothing. I agree too though check your water to be safe. On an unrelated not my betta tried to kill mine in a rather unconventional way last night. He shook in the net and flipped the little guy off the side. I almost had to call in reinforcements lol. :shock:


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

redchigh said:


> I think testing your actual parameters would be better than wait'n'see...
> 
> Of course, ghost shrimp are normally sold as feeders anyway, so consider them less a pet and more of a snack.


 
I did check them and all is well. I check them often and also change water often. Today I did a 75% water change just in case. I usually do 60% every 4-5 days. I clean the gravel each time as well. At least the part that I can get to around the live plants. Right now they are pretty thick so... only gravel around the front and back corner is deep cleaned weekly. I know water parameters can change quickly but I check mine so often it would be hard to believe anything snuck by me in that area. 

The background was just curled the tiniest bit on the top corner so I suppose he could have just jumped out and fell right in the "wrong spot" or right spot depending on ones view. I just feel bad not knowing what happened as I can't easily prevent it from happening again.


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## SomeDudeAtHome (Feb 19, 2011)

sounds to me like it was a freak accident from what you've said. Funny thing (or not so funny) is that I came home from work about 20 minutes ago to find one of my ghost shrimp dead on the floor. Made it pretty far actually for an aquatic shrimp. I'm not sure how he could've even gotten out because everything is well covered. He must have gotten on a floating plant and snuck through somewhere. All my water tests out good too so I don't know. On a side note does anyone know the average lifespan of a ghost shrimp?


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

1-2 years is what I have read. Mine were under a year for sure but the ones that got out were large. Either way, I felt sad about it. I hate to think of anything suffering and I can't imagine that going that way was nice. Poor little darlings. For awhile there was breeding going on so I am guessing that the water parameters were just right for them.


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