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View Full Version : Second Fire Shrimp Appeared Last Night?

jenl623
05/06/2010, 08:52 AM
This is REALLY weird. I've had my 29G biocube up since December - and put a single fire shrimp in in the beginning of March. Thing is huge - body is 4" long. Woke up this morning and thought I was seeing things - but there are now TWO huge fire shrimps!!!! I spend at least an hour every day staring at the tank and there was no "baby" shrimp running around in there from what I could see. I got a new piece of coral yesterday at the LFS, but there was definately no three inch fire shrimp on it. From what I've been reading - shrimp have to mate, lay eggs, which become larvae, etc. Does anyone have a theory about this? Could the thing have been under a rock growing for three months????? I only had the one shrimp - no other breeds in there. Wouldn't my clowns/crabs have eaten the eggs?? Don't get it!!!
jimid
05/06/2010, 08:57 AM
Possibly a molt?
amkelly802
05/06/2010, 08:59 AM
Quite possibly a molt, cant really think of any other reason
Cannon7
05/06/2010, 09:03 AM
Are they both alive?
Mopar Reefer
05/06/2010, 09:19 AM
Odds are it is a molt as was stated earlier. Pick up the "new" shrimp and if it doesnt move or collapses when you pick it up, it's a molt. How long have you had you FS? Most will molt once every few 3-6 months in the begining stages of life and as the grow older they molt less, atleast that has been my experience.
jenl623
05/06/2010, 09:28 AM
Hence why I'm writing on "New to the Hobby". It IS a molt - it was clinging to the rock and the antennae were waving around - but that was the current. Just poked it to make sure. Thank you! I should just leave it in right? for the scavengers?
Mopar Reefer
05/06/2010, 10:00 AM
Hence why I'm writing on "New to the Hobby". It IS a molt - it was clinging to the rock and the antennae were waving around - but that was the current. Just poked it to make sure. Thank you! I should just leave it in right? for the scavengers?

I wasn't making fun of you or attacking you b/c you were new, we all have been there and I'm no different. I would take it out and toss it, my serpent stafish will eat the molts of my peppermint shirmp, so I guess it depends on your clean up crew in your tank.
jenl623
05/06/2010, 11:56 AM
No offense taken!!!!! I would have thought the thing was alive for days most likely. Love this forum - thanks again!
ROB2005
05/06/2010, 01:22 PM
Another case of "fooled by the molt" :D. The joys of having a reef tank....priceless!!