anememonemone
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
ok so we got the 16 gallon sw tank together, put the ls in and 3 lbs of lace rock in the hob filter. 5 days later we put in the 15 lb chuck of cured lr and within 6 hours the tank was really really clear. 2 days later we put in one emerald crab, one hermit crab, and one sandsifting starfish. there is some brown stuff on the sand which my lfs told me was ditritis *sp and that more critters would be good at eating it. so we put in 5 snails, 2 more hermit crabs, one porcelain crab, and one blood red fire shrimp. they are doing a fine job cleanin stuff up and things are looking really good. then the one hermit crab looked like his claws fell off. and the next day the blood red fire shrimp's whole body fell off. they both seem to be doing ok, the shrimp is hiding alot but they are alive and walking around and stuff.
is this called molting? and either way, why did it happen only a day or two after being put in my tank? are they still healthy? is something wrong with the water? the salinity is good and its at exactly 80 degrees. i took the shrimps old shell out but the little claws kinda disappeared or went under the sand or something, the tank was first setup on xmas day is it safe to put a percula clown or a fire goby in there yet, or should i wait a little longer? i really have no ammonia source in there cuz theres minimal waste and no feeding. how long is it ok for the critters to live in there with no real feeding?
is this called molting? and either way, why did it happen only a day or two after being put in my tank? are they still healthy? is something wrong with the water? the salinity is good and its at exactly 80 degrees. i took the shrimps old shell out but the little claws kinda disappeared or went under the sand or something, the tank was first setup on xmas day is it safe to put a percula clown or a fire goby in there yet, or should i wait a little longer? i really have no ammonia source in there cuz theres minimal waste and no feeding. how long is it ok for the critters to live in there with no real feeding?