Peppermint shrimp molting?

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HappyHooligan

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Apr 26, 2009
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Minnesota
I added 2 Pepp. shrimp about a week and a half ago.
I read that they frequently will molt, and hide out for awhile soon after being added to a tank and that the shell can appear normal, leading people to believe the shrimp had died.

3 days ago I found what I hope to be just the shell but the eyes were intact, it was bright red in color, looked like it still had contents in the GI tract...I pulled it out and tried to see if was split but can't really tell. I wrapped it and put it in the freezer. Is there a sure fire to if it's the actual shrimp?
I do PWCs pretty regularly so I don't monitor iodine or cal.
 
If you are doing frequent PWC`s then you have enough iodine in there. Only thing I can suggest is cut the shrimp open. On my shrimp molts the eyes look pretty real.
 
Yes. I think you want to return the exoskeleton to the tank. The shrimp will eat it over the next couple days because it still has a lot of nutrients in there that they need to recover.

I'm a freshwater guy, and maybe that isn't as necessary in a salt tank where calcium is abundant, but I bet they'll still make better use of it than you will.
 
Yes. I think you want to return the exoskeleton to the tank. The shrimp will eat it over the next couple days because it still has a lot of nutrients in there that they need to recover.

I'm a freshwater guy, and maybe that isn't as necessary in a salt tank where calcium is abundant, but I bet they'll still make better use of it than you will.


No need to return the shell to the tank. It won't hurt if it's in there, but the shrimp doesn't need it. Crabs and worms might pick at it, but that's about it.
 
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