shrimp losing whiskers?

rookiegirl · 06/15/2008, 08:03 PM

Looking after a friend's tank and he has a skunk shrimp who is losing his whiskers. The tank is fairly new, up for a few months, just a handful of corals and the shrimp. I have looked my darndest to see if there is a nasty crab about but nothing that i can get my eyes on...thought it may be nipping at the whiskers? Is it normal for this to happen? Could it be a predator? I noticed two full length whiskers at the bottom of the tank and all of the remaining ones on the shrimp are very short, about one inch long. Any thoughts?

SCIFI_3D_zoo · 06/15/2008, 08:05 PM

It's a common thing and certainly nothing to worry about. They'll grow back. I thought it was fish that nip at them?

rookiegirl · 06/15/2008, 08:14 PM

Dunno, i was just guessing with the crab idea. There's not one fish in the tank yet.

Aquarist007 · 06/15/2008, 08:21 PM

I agree with sci fi or it could be a molt. Be prepared for that--some molts look the real deal and you think your shrimp is ready for a salad

06/15/2008, 08:03 PM	#1
rookiegirl Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Victoria, B.C. Posts: 248	shrimp losing whiskers? Looking after a friend's tank and he has a skunk shrimp who is losing his whiskers. The tank is fairly new, up for a few months, just a handful of corals and the shrimp. I have looked my darndest to see if there is a nasty crab about but nothing that i can get my eyes on...thought it may be nipping at the whiskers? Is it normal for this to happen? Could it be a predator? I noticed two full length whiskers at the bottom of the tank and all of the remaining ones on the shrimp are very short, about one inch long. Any thoughts?

06/15/2008, 08:21 PM	#4
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	I agree with sci fi or it could be a molt. Be prepared for that--some molts look the real deal and you think your shrimp is ready for a salad __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

06/15/2008, 08:05 PM	#2
SCIFI_3D_zoo Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sebring, Florida Posts: 1,072	It's a common thing and certainly nothing to worry about. They'll grow back. I thought it was fish that nip at them?

06/15/2008, 08:14 PM	#3
rookiegirl Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Victoria, B.C. Posts: 248	Dunno, i was just guessing with the crab idea. There's not one fish in the tank yet.