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View Full Version : Shrimp shedding problems!?


philter4
11/04/2007, 08:56 PM
When I collected this Ghost shrimp (Stonopus pyrsonotus) it was pretty beat up, missing all but one leg on his right side (not from collection, found him that way). After his first shed it was beautiful, all legs back and his antenna long and perfect. This month (only 2 weeks after last shed) his claws are smaller and his antenna are deformed, short and some even missing. I have atlantic scarlet ladies (Lysmata grabhami) with him and they didn't shed mid cycle.

Water paramaters are the same, Ph 8.2, no noticable ammonia or nitrite. Don't usually check nitrates but when I do they are below 20ppm. Use natural sea water for water changes so I don't dose or add many supplaments.

Any advise or experience?

Here is a photo, sorry about the quality, my digital camara is broke so I used my cell phone.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd31/philter4/ghostshrimp.jpg

mokeyz
11/07/2007, 10:09 AM
No expert here but it generally takes more than one molt to fully get back missing limbs.

Is the shrimp eating, moving around, normal stuff??

Marlene

philter4
11/07/2007, 10:58 AM
He has shed right after the full moon since I collected it, about 4 1/2 months ago. When I cought him his antenna were long and straight, but no walking legs on his right side. after the first shed all legs back, but took another shed for claw to catch up in size to left one. Now all legs are there, but claws are spindly and antenna are deformed or missing. The main concern is it shed in the middle of the cycle, normally all the shrimp shed within a week of each other, the scarlets didn't shed. It is feeding and acting normal during daylight hours, but it is a nocternal animal so not sure how it acted/acts after lights out.

lancer99
11/09/2007, 01:28 PM
I've read that iodine supplements will help shrimp to molt.

-R

mokeyz
11/14/2007, 12:19 PM
Yes, but it can force a molt which is not necessarily a good thing.