Flared carapace?

[libertybelle]

I’ve seen this shrimp in my tank for a while but haven’t been able to catch a picture of her. This is the largest and presumably oldest shrimp in my tank and she acts totally normal. She eats ravenously, even standing up to the amanos for her spot at the food!

She has not always looked like this but for perhaps the last month she’s had what looks like an incomplete or flared carapace.

Is this a normal development in old shrimp? A problem with her previous molting? Genetic defect?

Just curious if anyone has seen this in their populations.

Honestly the flaring looks so dramatic I’ve been expecting to lose her for a while; but she’s been like this for quite some time without apparent issue.

 

[Autumnsky]

That looks tough. It seems maybe an injury right after molting pulled it out like that???

If she didn't always look like that it would seem not genetic. Time might tell if any others have this as a condition rather than a one of a kind happening. Maybe the next time she molts it will be less pronounced or all corrected. Often it takes a few molts for things to return to normal, say in the loss of an appendage anyhow.

Not ever seen something like that before. Maybe someone else has first hand knowledge / experience of this.

 

[libertybelle]

She’s still hanging in there. I don’t think she’s molted yet but still acting perfectly normal despite the bizarre carapace.

Interestingly I just noticed that the other side appears normal. I’m not sure if that’s because she has molted and it has improved or if I just didn’t notice before that the issue was asymmetrical. Either way it supports your idea of injury or molting issue.

I can’t say for sure but it almost looks less flared now and more just like its incomplete. Maybe she has molted and it’s a little better? If so that’s quite a relief, as I wasn’t sure she’d be able to molt properly with her old shell so damaged.

 

[Autumnsky]

Yes, maybe a molt, and then better the next time.

I'd make sure there's good mineral content in the food to optimize the next molt.

 

[libertybelle]

I’ve added a bunch of new foods from a couple sampler packs and mineral junkie and shrimp king mineral are now in the rotation along with shrimp fit and bacter ae. I figure variety is a good way to make sure all their bases are covered nutritionally

 

[Autumnsky]

Loooove the sampler packs!!!

 

[libertybelle]

Well unfortunately she didn’t make it to her next molt… Can’t say I’m surprised, the damage did look pretty severe.

It does however continue the worrying pattern of me losing at least one shrimp every time I do a water change though, despite parameters that as far as tests can show are nearly identical.