cleaner shrimp down!!! help!

wumengche · 06/04/2006, 05:06 PM

one of my 2 cleaner shrimp is lying on the sand up side down!! next to it is its back shell.. is he dead or??? if he is dead why did the shell peeled off? going on 2 hours now!
someone explain? thanks!!
*sob*

Danfish · 06/04/2006, 05:11 PM

I've never watched it happen personaly, but it may be molting.
The shrimp and crabs will peel off thier old exoskelliton sometimes so they can grow a fresher/larger one. Its how they grow in size (since thier exoskellitons are hard).

Keep an eye on him.
When mine molted he did it over night and hung upside down and just "crawled out" of the old shell (leaving it looking like a whole second cleaner shrimp)

wumengche · 06/04/2006, 05:28 PM

but its not moving AT ALL, seems like he died when he was trying to molt... anyone seen your cleaner shrimp molt before?

vadave · 06/04/2006, 05:36 PM

the first time my shrimp molted i pulled the skin out and told my wife he was dead. later on he came around a rock.

Teremei · 06/04/2006, 05:55 PM

Just wait a day and see what happens. Who knows I never actually see mine during the process. If he dies and you have alot of hermits and snails in your tank they'll clean em up once he's gone.

funman1 · 06/04/2006, 06:25 PM

Sounds like a molt..
If your iodine levels are too low they will die while trying to molt.

06/04/2006, 05:06 PM	#1
wumengche Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 38	cleaner shrimp down!!! help! one of my 2 cleaner shrimp is lying on the sand up side down!! next to it is its back shell.. is he dead or??? if he is dead why did the shell peeled off? going on 2 hours now! someone explain? thanks!! sob

06/04/2006, 06:25 PM	#6
funman1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 4,898	Sounds like a molt.. If your iodine levels are too low they will die while trying to molt. __________________ Professional Pyro: NO REALLY; I get PAID to blow stuff up!! ~Steve~ Current Tank Info: 12G NANO

06/04/2006, 05:11 PM	#2
Danfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 296	I've never watched it happen personaly, but it may be molting. The shrimp and crabs will peel off thier old exoskelliton sometimes so they can grow a fresher/larger one. Its how they grow in size (since thier exoskellitons are hard). Keep an eye on him. When mine molted he did it over night and hung upside down and just "crawled out" of the old shell (leaving it looking like a whole second cleaner shrimp)

06/04/2006, 05:28 PM	#3
wumengche Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 38	but its not moving AT ALL, seems like he died when he was trying to molt... anyone seen your cleaner shrimp molt before?

06/04/2006, 05:36 PM	#4
vadave Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: va Posts: 7	the first time my shrimp molted i pulled the skin out and told my wife he was dead. later on he came around a rock.

06/04/2006, 05:55 PM	#5
Teremei Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West Chicago (one hour west) Posts: 2,751	Just wait a day and see what happens. Who knows I never actually see mine during the process. If he dies and you have alot of hermits and snails in your tank they'll clean em up once he's gone.