opaque ghost shrimp

[smilla4]

I have 3 ghost shrimp. One is clear, two are opaque. The one that is clear was in a container for observation and was added later.

I am wondering if there was a period where I didn't dose enough iodine for the two opaque ones prior to adding the third shrimp. I must be currently adding enough iodine because the clear one must be moulting regularly (I am assuming as he stays clear).

Now I'm kinda worried about the opaque ones. I'm wondering if they'll be able to molt or if their shell is too thick? They seem a little stiffer and slower than the clear one. But I think they're all around the same age. I bought them at the same time and they were very small. So it wouldn't be old age.

Can ghost shrimp get "stuck" like this (unable to molt because their shell gets too thick from lack of molting)?

Update:
Or perhaps the gH is too high for them at 14deg...?

 

[tastybrains]

Every ghost shrimp I've had that has become opaque without molting has died within a few weeks (moreover, I've had shrimp that were still opaque after molting ... so I guess that's not always the cause). Like you, I have not noticed any correlation to age with this phenomenon. In my experience, the shrimp are simply going to have a high turnover rate, no matter what you do.

 

[smilla4]

That's weird. (That they were opaque after molting).

Wish I knew the reason for the current ones. It used to be that every single ghost shrimp I put in my tank died. They all looked like they had been cooked. One survived after I cut back on the amount of amquel I was using. A couple of times when I skipped water changes (I add iodine w/the weekly water changes), I noticed she started turning a little opaque so I added some iodine to the water and she cleared up again. She'll also skip moulting when she's carrying eggs and start becoming opaque. But after she dropped her eggs she'd molt and go back to being clear again. Once the moult shell was so thick I thought she had died!

The guys that are opaque are actually currently in a bucket with some snails, plants and driftwood. Th gH is higher than the tank. And some of the snails have white crust on their shells (yuck!). I haven't tested the other water parameters because I don't like sticking my hands in there. I've seen a few strange creatures in there, though not recently.

I have no idea why I'm so fascinated by all of this...

BTW I like your quote. :- )