New Shrimp Appears Overnight in my Tank?

sclaussen · 09/03/2010, 10:29 AM

I was pretty shocked when I woke up today and there was a new cleaner shrimp in my tank. My tank is pretty new, and I had one Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp last night - this new shrimp is about the same size - doesn't look like a baby - and appeared out of nowhere - I was/am totally shocked. This is a good learning experience - can someone provide me a plausible explanation that I can get my head around?

Thanks,
Shane

TripleT · 09/03/2010, 10:34 AM

It was hiding in rock, or... it isn't a shrimp. Just a moult. Have you seen it crawl around yet?

Chris27 · 09/03/2010, 10:36 AM

Did you just put some new rock in?

TripleT · 09/03/2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclaussen

can someone provide me a plausible explanation that I can get my head around?

Thanks,
Shane

What you think is a cleaner shrimp in your tank is really an advanced brain-eating race from outer space.

Mavrk · 09/03/2010, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripleT

It was hiding in rock, or... it isn't a shrimp. Just a moult. Have you seen it crawl around yet?

Haha... I think if it was a molt, then the post would have been ... Help, my cleaner shrimp is dead. We get that one a lot. But it could be.

Otherwise, it was a hitchhiker on a rock (nice freebee). I think the molt sounds like the right answer to me now that I think about it.

Mavrk · 09/03/2010, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mavrk

Haha... I think if it was a molt, then the post would have been ... Help, my cleaner shrimp is dead. We get that one a lot. But it could be.

Otherwise, it was a hitchhiker on a rock (nice freebee). I think the molt sounds like the right answer to me now that I think about it.

Edit: just wanted to show what I meant by the molt threads.. this was posted today.
Moults are always good for a scare...

sclaussen · 09/03/2010, 12:45 PM

It is a molt - absolutely! My first. You know what is funny is that I also found my blue legged crab dead this morning - but then I see another blue legged crab in his shell (I only have one). So I concluded that the blue legged crab must have molted - but I didn't put two and two together and realize my shrimp had also molted - the "new guy" looked pretty real... I feel like such a newb! Thanks for the responses!

So - should I leave the molts for bottom feeders to clean - or should I immediately pull them out? How often do hermit crabs and cleaner shrimp molt?

Thanks,
Shane

charleneatkins · 09/03/2010, 02:40 PM

I remember my first molt, scarry and awesome at the same time

jefathome · 09/03/2010, 02:48 PM

How long did it take you to shed all your skin?

thebkramer · 09/03/2010, 02:50 PM

I leave my molts in

How often? .. honestly.. I never really figured it out lol

Mavrk · 09/03/2010, 03:07 PM

My first molt I used to play a joke on my wife. I showed her that the shrimp had died. She was sad because it is so colorful. Needless to say the joke was funnier to me than to her.

My molts always ended up on a powerhead, so I would end up removing them. But that is the only reason I did so.

Welcome to the fun of saltwater. And thanks for the laugh

TripleT · 09/03/2010, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclaussen

should I leave the molts for bottom feeders to clean - or should I immediately pull them out? How often do hermit crabs and cleaner shrimp molt?

Every 2-3 weeks for my cleaner shrimp.

I leave the old skeletons in the tank, and they disappear over a few days.

Saw a bristleworm munching on one last week.

09/03/2010, 10:29 AM	#1
sclaussen Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 88	New Shrimp Appears Overnight in my Tank? I was pretty shocked when I woke up today and there was a new cleaner shrimp in my tank. My tank is pretty new, and I had one Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp last night - this new shrimp is about the same size - doesn't look like a baby - and appeared out of nowhere - I was/am totally shocked. This is a good learning experience - can someone provide me a plausible explanation that I can get my head around? Thanks, Shane

09/03/2010, 02:48 PM	#9
jefathome Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Mission Viejo, CA Posts: 2,915	How long did it take you to shed all your skin? __________________ Without Geometry, life is pointless Current Tank Info: NEW 150g in-wall Solartube display; 60g 4x2ft frag tank; 3g work Pico.... all Reef tanks

09/03/2010, 02:50 PM	#10
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	I leave my molts in How often? .. honestly.. I never really figured it out lol __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

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09/03/2010, 10:34 AM	#2
TripleT Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,092	It was hiding in rock, or... it isn't a shrimp. Just a moult. Have you seen it crawl around yet?

09/03/2010, 10:36 AM	#3
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	Did you just put some new rock in?

09/03/2010, 12:45 PM	#7
sclaussen Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 88	It is a molt - absolutely! My first. You know what is funny is that I also found my blue legged crab dead this morning - but then I see another blue legged crab in his shell (I only have one). So I concluded that the blue legged crab must have molted - but I didn't put two and two together and realize my shrimp had also molted - the "new guy" looked pretty real... I feel like such a newb! Thanks for the responses! So - should I leave the molts for bottom feeders to clean - or should I immediately pull them out? How often do hermit crabs and cleaner shrimp molt? Thanks, Shane

09/03/2010, 02:40 PM	#8
charleneatkins Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: andover ct 06232 Posts: 1,819	I remember my first molt, scarry and awesome at the same time

09/03/2010, 03:07 PM	#11
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	My first molt I used to play a joke on my wife. I showed her that the shrimp had died. She was sad because it is so colorful. Needless to say the joke was funnier to me than to her. My molts always ended up on a powerhead, so I would end up removing them. But that is the only reason I did so. Welcome to the fun of saltwater. And thanks for the laugh