2 Shrimp just up and died ??

lunatik, thanks! What is Alk/dkh ??

 

Alkalinity and DKH are basicly the same thing. Before you go and buy all types of testers, do some research so you'll understand what everything is. Good luck, Luna.

 

Maybe you changed the salinity of your water too quckly when doing the water change/top off!
Shrimp really are opportunistic feeders and will feed on living things in and on your rock as well as capture foods fed by you, so I don't think starvation is the problem.
Excess ammonia nitrites or very high nitrates over 20ppm will effect them, if not kill them.
The medication is another big factor that may have led to their demise, if in fact, they are actually dead!!!!...as mentioned earlier, they do molt/shed their old smaller exoskeleton giving the appearance of a dead shrimp/crab etc.!

 

Tap water bad

HI,
My guess is your tap water was adding some metal to the water column, many houses have metal pipes hotwater heaters, plumbing fixtures that are metal.
Most inverts are very sensative to certain metals it may take weeks or months to reach a lethal dose.
Even many of the pumps we use can leach metal.
Rio's and others have had a track record of heavy metal problems as they fail.
Many of the elements in our home water is toxic be it flouride, colamine, and metals. when you treat the water you just change some of the chemicals into another chemical so it will not suffocate fish this is ok for freshwater but many saltwater species are sensative.
I tried tap water too gave it up after huge algae blooms and slow invert death.
Doug

psps beings your new to this be sure to use GFI type outlets in your home, I bought extension cords at lowes that are GFI, I have been shocked a few times and it can kill you due to salt bridges on lights, heaters , electrical outlets.
Its so gradual a process you don't realize ther's a short till it bits...here's an example
http://www.onsitesafety.com/core/me...Mbhn0?id=1721&c=429988&h=9d4ae303fcdf8bcd713f

 

Thanks everyone for all of the great information and for taking the time to answer all of my n00b questions!

Ordering a RO/DI filter tomorrow and reading up on test kits here in the forums.