I have setup a tank 3 months ago 55 gal, with dirt/sand driftwood and plants. It run fine with 10 gambusia (breeding) 1 rescued pleco, and 1 crayfish I cached while fishing, two weeks ago I added 10 glass shrimp and 2 unknown minnows I netted in a place recommended by dirtduchx.

The crayfish molted several times and was very happy, he and the pleco had a love-hate relation always fighting and sharing food.

Yesterday evening when I came back from work found the crayfish upside-down not moving at all.. I netted it and left it in a bucket with some tank water all night just to find that the next morning he was beginning to decompose.

My water is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 20 nitrates PH 8.

I have several ideas on what could happened:

1. A fight with pleco (he was complete with no part missing when I found it dead)

2. Food poisoning, I have been feeding my gambusia with pellets and the pleco and the crayfish loved them, but today I saw that it has copper sulfate, Is this bad for Crayfish as for shrimp? Are my shrimp going to die? I also add some algae waflers and vegetables every other day.

3. Illness from shrimp? no one has died since I got them.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

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Fisherman...

How long have you been using that food? Id say that's probably exactly what happened, if it was a fight id think the cray would have won or atleast been missing an appendage, can you get your hands on a liquid copper test kit?

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10g- 3 variatus, 4 guppies, 1 blue mystery snail
40g Breeder- 6 danios, 5 swordtails, 1 Opaline Gourami
"I was born with nothin and I still got most of it left."- Seasick Steve.

Copper is deadly to invents, and I believe it is an accumulate poison for them as well. Sorry for your loss.

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Frontosa Fanatic

So I murdered him.... What a silly mistake.

He was a good Cray I loved him...

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Fisherman...