Scarlet Skunk, is it dead or molting?

bjavi84 · 04/15/2014, 01:53 PM

Hello Everyone,

I am new to Reef Central and am new to the hobby. I have a question. How will I know if my Scarlet Skunk shrimp is dead or molting? I just got him a few days ago, water levels are all great and all my other fish are alive but it seems to be frozen with his antennaes open like usual but not moving. He was doing just fine early this morning and then all of a sudden he froze and has not moved since. Would appreciate the help, thanks.

ReeferBill · 04/15/2014, 02:03 PM

If you can take it out it may just be his molt \ sheading skeleton to grow! You also need to add iodine to help them molt and rebuild their shells.

Cymonous · 04/15/2014, 02:05 PM

+1 on the molt, but I've never heard of the need to add iodine. I have a cleaner that molts in a regular basis and I just do weekly water changes.

webslinger · 04/15/2014, 02:09 PM

+1 on the weekly water changes. Mine usually comes out about a week after molting.

Felix T Cat · 04/15/2014, 02:10 PM

I have coral banded shrimp in both of my tanks and they molt all the time. It's always a waiting game after I happen to see the molt until I spot them again to know for sure.

bjavi84 · 04/15/2014, 02:24 PM

I know it's not the shedding, I have seen my Peppermint shrimp molt. This one is different, he just looks frozen on the sand bed with his antennaes up, I tried moving him and he barely does it not at all. What concerns me is that my peppermint shrimp and nassarius snail are trying to poke at him. Might he be dead?

Cymonous · 04/15/2014, 02:26 PM

Is he moving at all? Feelers moving? Underbelly movement? Anything? Or does it look like a statue?

bjavi84 · 04/15/2014, 02:26 PM

I really appreciate the help, I am new to this and would feel terrible if I lost a member of my aquarium.

bjavi84 · 04/15/2014, 02:27 PM

Looks like a statue

bjavi84 · 04/15/2014, 02:29 PM

Only thing that makes me think he's alive is that his antennaes are still up

Cymonous · 04/15/2014, 02:29 PM

Get a cup or container with some SW and get him into that. It may help you figure out if it is dead. I know molts are not always the same and can look like the real shrimp.

bjavi84 · 04/15/2014, 02:36 PM

I know it's not the molt because I saw him get into that position and he moved when I first touched him to see if it was ok, but now I am not getting any response.

Cymonous · 04/15/2014, 03:28 PM

Hate to say, but sometimes it just happens. I have lost a couple shrimp myself without cause, including a blood shrimp. I have a skunk cleaner now that is pretty social. How are your nitrates?

bjavi84 · 04/15/2014, 03:48 PM

My tests show it fine at 0, don't know what the problem could've been. My corals, peppermint shrimp and other fish look to be doing great.

bjavi84 · 04/15/2014, 03:52 PM

My 2 turbo snails and 2 nassarius snails are doing just fine as well, just bummed out. Really liked this shrimp.

JMorris271 · 04/15/2014, 05:27 PM

Doesn't sound like it croaked if the other shrimp and snails are fine unless it was something specific with that snail. I hope it's ok because it's your favorite one and just changing clothes..

ahmed_iAM · 04/16/2014, 10:36 PM

Dont add Iodine. I use to dose it and I had my inverts molting once or twice weekly. Only do it if you're using a really cheap salt that doesn't have many trace elements.

04/15/2014, 01:53 PM	#1
bjavi84 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 20	Scarlet Skunk, is it dead or molting? Hello Everyone, I am new to Reef Central and am new to the hobby. I have a question. How will I know if my Scarlet Skunk shrimp is dead or molting? I just got him a few days ago, water levels are all great and all my other fish are alive but it seems to be frozen with his antennaes open like usual but not moving. He was doing just fine early this morning and then all of a sudden he froze and has not moved since. Would appreciate the help, thanks.

04/15/2014, 02:03 PM	#2
ReeferBill Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,906	If you can take it out it may just be his molt \ sheading skeleton to grow! You also need to add iodine to help them molt and rebuild their shells. __________________ I never realized I had to be a Chemist and a Marine Biologist to maintain a Reef Aquarium!

04/15/2014, 02:05 PM	#3
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	+1 on the molt, but I've never heard of the need to add iodine. I have a cleaner that molts in a regular basis and I just do weekly water changes. __________________ 100 Gallon Long with 20L sump 10 Gallon Office Tank Current Tank Info: 2 False Percula Clowns, One Spot Foxface, Diamond Watchman Goby, Yellow Tail Damsel, Engineer Goby

04/15/2014, 02:26 PM	#7
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	Is he moving at all? Feelers moving? Underbelly movement? Anything? Or does it look like a statue? __________________ 100 Gallon Long with 20L sump 10 Gallon Office Tank Current Tank Info: 2 False Percula Clowns, One Spot Foxface, Diamond Watchman Goby, Yellow Tail Damsel, Engineer Goby

04/15/2014, 02:29 PM	#11
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	Get a cup or container with some SW and get him into that. It may help you figure out if it is dead. I know molts are not always the same and can look like the real shrimp. __________________ 100 Gallon Long with 20L sump 10 Gallon Office Tank Current Tank Info: 2 False Percula Clowns, One Spot Foxface, Diamond Watchman Goby, Yellow Tail Damsel, Engineer Goby

04/15/2014, 02:09 PM	#4
webslinger Friendly Neighborhood Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Lancaster, NY Posts: 307	+1 on the weekly water changes. Mine usually comes out about a week after molting.

04/15/2014, 02:10 PM	#5
Felix T Cat Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Honey Brook, PA Posts: 557	I have coral banded shrimp in both of my tanks and they molt all the time. It's always a waiting game after I happen to see the molt until I spot them again to know for sure.

04/15/2014, 02:24 PM	#6
bjavi84 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 20	I know it's not the shedding, I have seen my Peppermint shrimp molt. This one is different, he just looks frozen on the sand bed with his antennaes up, I tried moving him and he barely does it not at all. What concerns me is that my peppermint shrimp and nassarius snail are trying to poke at him. Might he be dead?

04/15/2014, 02:27 PM	#9
bjavi84 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 20	Looks like a statue

04/15/2014, 02:36 PM	#12
bjavi84 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 20	I know it's not the molt because I saw him get into that position and he moved when I first touched him to see if it was ok, but now I am not getting any response.

04/15/2014, 03:28 PM	#13
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	Hate to say, but sometimes it just happens. I have lost a couple shrimp myself without cause, including a blood shrimp. I have a skunk cleaner now that is pretty social. How are your nitrates? __________________ 100 Gallon Long with 20L sump 10 Gallon Office Tank Current Tank Info: 2 False Percula Clowns, One Spot Foxface, Diamond Watchman Goby, Yellow Tail Damsel, Engineer Goby

04/15/2014, 03:48 PM	#14
bjavi84 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 20	My tests show it fine at 0, don't know what the problem could've been. My corals, peppermint shrimp and other fish look to be doing great.

04/15/2014, 03:52 PM	#15
bjavi84 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 20	My 2 turbo snails and 2 nassarius snails are doing just fine as well, just bummed out. Really liked this shrimp.

04/15/2014, 05:27 PM	#16
JMorris271 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Foothills of SC Posts: 2,010	Doesn't sound like it croaked if the other shrimp and snails are fine unless it was something specific with that snail. I hope it's ok because it's your favorite one and just changing clothes..

04/16/2014, 10:36 PM	#17
ahmed_iAM Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 419	Dont add Iodine. I use to dose it and I had my inverts molting once or twice weekly. Only do it if you're using a really cheap salt that doesn't have many trace elements.