Molting Time Length

[Squado]

Just wondering, I've currently got a shrimp (not sure on specific name, couldnt find it) that recently shed his exoskeleton (found it floating in the water). Anyway, I was just wondering how long it takes them to gain their shell back. Hes been hiding for about a week now and there is no sign of him.

 

[MT79]

The shell is back to full strength in a couple days usually. Many shrimp, like fire shrimp, are just shy and prefer to remain out of site- especially when housed singly. I would look for it right after you feed the tank. Do you do regualr PWC's and are all your numbers good (PH, SG, etc.)?

 

[Squado]

My water parameters are: salinity is at 1.026, ammonia .25, nitrite 0, nitrate 0, and ph 8.0. I saw him once in the past two weeks when he was picking at my dying chocolate chip starfish. I cut back on the feeding to every other day due to algae problems (which have gone away), which is why I think he was picking at the starfish. He may have been "cleaning" him but im not sure, do you think this is normal?

 

[melosu58]

Ammonia is kind of high. PWC need to be done.

 

[tecwzrd]

If it’s your cleaner that molted it’s not that unusual to not see them for a week after molting, especially since you have 40 lbs of lr in your 29 gal tank. If it was the CBS that molted (should be easy to tell the difference from the molt) and you haven’t seen it by now then I’d be more worried about it not having survived.

Most shrimp will molt every 3-5 weeks on average until fully grown and then molt about every other month. As MT79 said certain shrimp like the cleaner, fire, & peppermints are more skittish after a molt then ones like the Coral Banded Shrimp.

Your .25 ppm nh3 does need to be addressed quickly if it’s not back to 0 by now. Either a pwc or at least a dose of Ammonia/Chloramine Remover to negate the toxicity. Was the spike caused by the dieing star? Have you removed it or has it been fully eaten by your clean up crew? If not I’d remove it to keep excess nh3 from building up further.

 

[MT79]

salinity is at 1.026, ammonia .25, nitrite 0, nitrate 0, and ph 8.0.

The ammonia will definitely cause issues- especially for all the invertebrates in your tank. Get that down fast. Your PH is also a little low, unless it was measured before or shortly after "lights on". I'd work on both of those issues.

 

[lando]

Most shrimp hide for a few days after molting, this is normal...Your NH3 reading is not. The only acceptable NH3 level is zero. As mentioned, PWC using good quality SW will help. I would cut back on feedings to once every three days until the problem is corrected. What size tank do you have, what tyep of filtration and current stocking list?