Cleaner Shrimp molted and is now missing....

[newfound77951]

my shrimp molted probably 5 days ago....I saw the molted shell and that night could see one of his antennae sticking out of a hole in the LR (in the back of the tank so couldn't get a good look). I know they hide for a few days after molting but I haven't seen anything since.....is this normal or should i be worried yet? I've had the shrimp about a month and this is the first time it's molted since I've had him. He was eating well and acting perfectly normal before, even would clean my hands if they were in the tank. this is a regular skunk cleaner shrimp.

 

[roka64]

Yeah, that seems to be typical behavior. They hide to give their new exoskeletons time to harden, so they don't get eaten.

 

[newfound77951]

So how long should I wait before I get really worried??

 

[roka64]

You can't see his antennas sticking out, anywhere? How big was he?

 

[melosu58]

Yeah, that seems to be typical behavior. They hide to give their new exoskeletons time to harden, so they don't get eaten.

This is true. Mine hide all the time when they shed anywhere from 3-5 days

 

[newfound77951]

I can't see him at all...it's been a loooong time now, almost a week.

:-(

He's not huge for a shrimp but it's a 10g tank....not too many hiding spots.

I have a tiny hitchhiker crab that I can't catch, he didn't even go near the shrimp before, but i wonder if he got him once he'd molted. either that or the wrasse, who also ignored the shrimp previously.

I'm sad. Cleaner shrimp are so cool.

 

[melosu58]

Yes if it`s been a week then most likely he`s gone. Sorry.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Sorry newfound. Could be a number of things that happened.