Molting question..

[NanoReefWanabe]

how frequently will a shrimp molt in a tank? lately my coral banded has been molting once every two weeks...this normal or a sign of stress?

CAL-420, ALK-12 dkh, MAG-1400, PH-8.0, Ammon-Nitrites-0, Nitrates<10, temp swing from 79* at night to 83 durin the day. SG is kept stable with ATO at 1.026 (refractometer),

i have been dosing with Randy's 2 part to raise and stabilize CAL nad ALK...my mag was at 1100 a month ago and is now back up to 1400(ELOS kit)

This morning i thought my shrimp was dead, the starfish was wrapped around him...i was like awe great...theni realized it was a molt...which got me thinking..either something is wrong or something is finally right...

[philter4]

The shrimp usually molt on a monthly cycle, timed with the full moon. In the wild, they may not molt every month, depending on how old and how much food. I had a problem a while back where one of my ghost shrimp (Stenopus pyrsonotus) shed in the middle of the cycle and his claws and antenna were deformed. He has shed again with this last full moon and he is back to normal. I would guess it is not normal to shed that often, but if it is young and you are feeding it a lot maybe it is OK.

[LeslieH]

One thing that influences how often they molt is how much they're eating so lots of food = frequent molting.

[NanoReefWanabe]

yeah he eats like a pig...catching what he can of the fish food...then snagging what ever his little filter arms can grab from the coral food, and then if that wasn't enough he goes for a little tour and steals food right from my mini carpet anemone and then down to the sand to steal food from my plate..

thanx for the inputs..i guess i have nothing to worry about concerning him then..now i just have to figure out how to feed my little 6 line some exlax..