Cleaner Shrimp Molting Issues?

HumanIMDB · 09/24/2006, 06:46 PM

I think my cleaner shrimp is having some difficulties molting?

It has molted several times since I got it without issue.

Yesterday I noticed that it was laying on the bottom of the tank with all of it's appendages out in front of it. I noticed an empty tail shell floating around but it looked like it was having difficulty getting out of the head and body portion of it's shell. Every once in a while it would "kick" with it's tail and try to move it's legs and later in the day it appeared to get mostly out of it's shell.

Today I cannot see any more of the shell from it's head and body but it's legs are still out in front of it and it's still laying on the bottom trying to move it's legs.

Just wondering if anyone else has had a shrimp do this and if so is there anything at all that I can do to help?

I'm hoping it will make it through this trial but the longer it lays on the bottom, the more I fear I will be attending a porcelain funeral.

Chaotic Reefer4u · 09/24/2006, 07:52 PM

wait it out and see what happens, good luck...

fsn77 · 09/24/2006, 08:31 PM

If it ends up dieing (surely hope it doesn't -- how is it that a single cleaner shrimp costs more than an entire shrimp dinner?), you may not even get a chance to attend the porcelain funeral. If you have any hermits, they'll be all over the poor guy as soon as he kicks the bucket.

I'm not sure what can be done to help, but as skiddish as our cleaner shrimp are when I attempt to touch them (opposed to them trying to climb on me by their own will), I'm not sure how cooperative it would be and the process might stress the poor guy out even more.

Best of luck...

HumanIMDB · 09/26/2006, 08:21 PM

Finally got a picture of it... (click for higher res.)

Pretend you don't see the cyano outbreak

As you may or may not see, this was the best picture I could get, it's legs appear malformed and are out in front. I can't see any more of the molted shell binding the legs, so I guess that's a positive. And the fact that it has made it this far is also a big plus.

Now I'm wondering if it's legs are malformed, will they come back normally the next time it molts?

It appears to be eating when I feed, it just isn't hanging out in the cleaning station like it used to.

At a loss as to what may have caused this or what to do about it; just waiting for it to make it through or perish.

bertoni · 09/26/2006, 08:28 PM

How often is it molting? What supplements are being added to the tank?

HumanIMDB · 09/26/2006, 08:35 PM

Seems to be fairly regularly, not sure if it's at a set interval, probably no more than once a month.

Only think going in the tank other than top up water and salt water during water changes is Purple Up twice a week.

bertoni · 09/26/2006, 08:37 PM

I'd ditch the Purple Up. It contains iodine, which might induce molting. Molting is hazardous and dangerous to the animals, even in the wild.

I'd go with a real calcium-alkalinity supplement like B-Ionic. This article might also help:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

HumanIMDB · 09/26/2006, 08:49 PM

Hrm...I thought the Iodine in Purple Up was supposed to be benifical to the shrimp...

bertoni · 09/26/2006, 09:34 PM

That piece of advice is fairly common, but I've never seen any reason to believe that it's appropriate for an aquarium.

saltwatersucker · 09/27/2006, 02:02 AM

Good luck with the little guy

saltwatersucker · 09/27/2006, 02:04 AM

how often should a cleaner shrimp molt???
and if you have one do you have to add thing to the water??
Thanks

hodsgod · 09/27/2006, 05:51 AM

I agree that I see no reason in adding purple up. If all your parameters are correct and your tank is well established, you will be sick of cleaning purple off the glass.

I do add iodine occasionaly because I have several hermit crabs, shrimps and soft corals. I do measure the iodine level though.

650-IS350 · 09/27/2006, 10:15 AM

He could still be waiting for his appendege's shell to harden.. ( vunrable but thats the risk of moulting. you could always try to scoup him up in a net and place him in a breeding net or breeder cage till he gets better.

techreef · 09/27/2006, 02:17 PM

the iodine levels in the tank should be sufficiently replenished with your regular water changes. Salt mix contains enough iodine to keep inverts molting properly. it does kinda sound like the iodine in your Purple Up rushed your little guy's molting schedule, and his body wasn't quite ready to ditch his last carapace at the time of his recent molt.

HumanIMDB · 09/27/2006, 03:32 PM

Ixnay ethay Urplepay Upway

Do you think it will recover? It seems to be standing better but it hasn't taken up it's normal position on the rock yet.

pony_killer · 09/27/2006, 04:09 PM

it looks fine to me, its funny this thread was brought up. saturday my cleaner shrimp "molted" during a water change and a thorough clean. all my equipment was turned off for about 2 1/2 hours so there was no water circulation. when i looked in the back of the tank, i noticed the shrimp just laying there in the sand motionless...thought to myself, there goes $20. after about 30 minutes he climbed up his rock and was moving about as usual, scared the bejesus out of me. but im guessing this is normal for our cleaner shrimps and therefor you shouldn't be worried. good luck.

HumanIMDB · 10/03/2006, 04:41 PM

Sad news...the cleaner shrimp didn't make it. I found it this afternoon stuck on the filter intake.

I'll probably complete the move to the new tank (upgrading the substrate), let things settle down for a couple of weeks, and then add a new one along with the other new inhabitants.

This brings up a new question, when to add cleaner shrimp? Before, after, or at the same time as the rest of the inhabitants?

bertoni · 10/03/2006, 08:16 PM

As long as none of the fish you choose have a taste for shrimp, any time is fine. Otherwise, letting the shrimp settle in first is supposed to help in some cases.

Kurt03 · 10/03/2006, 09:55 PM

is there any chance that they can carry ich into a established tank? Should you still QT a new cleaner shrimp?

bertoni · 10/03/2006, 11:02 PM

You might get ich parasites on a cleaner shrimp. I tend to quarantine everything for that reason.

09/24/2006, 06:46 PM	#1
HumanIMDB Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,556	Cleaner Shrimp Molting Issues? I think my cleaner shrimp is having some difficulties molting? It has molted several times since I got it without issue. Yesterday I noticed that it was laying on the bottom of the tank with all of it's appendages out in front of it. I noticed an empty tail shell floating around but it looked like it was having difficulty getting out of the head and body portion of it's shell. Every once in a while it would "kick" with it's tail and try to move it's legs and later in the day it appeared to get mostly out of it's shell. Today I cannot see any more of the shell from it's head and body but it's legs are still out in front of it and it's still laying on the bottom trying to move it's legs. Just wondering if anyone else has had a shrimp do this and if so is there anything at all that I can do to help? I'm hoping it will make it through this trial but the longer it lays on the bottom, the more I fear I will be attending a porcelain funeral.

09/24/2006, 07:52 PM	#2
Chaotic Reefer4u ♥Acropora Aficionado♥ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hollister,Ca. Posts: 5,163	wait it out and see what happens, good luck... __________________ Live everyday as if it was your last, take time to smell the flowers, enjoy all things living, never take anything for granted, you just never know when your number might be up... Current Tank Info: * 90g. Reef Ready TruVu tank with 30g. Platinum Filtration Series Sump SpS Acro enthusiast *

09/26/2006, 08:28 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	How often is it molting? What supplements are being added to the tank? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

09/26/2006, 08:35 PM	#6
HumanIMDB Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,556	Seems to be fairly regularly, not sure if it's at a set interval, probably no more than once a month. Only think going in the tank other than top up water and salt water during water changes is Purple Up twice a week. __________________ Chris Rivers Will do computer support for frags. :) Click on the Red House to see our AGA92 Corner Reef Tank Build thread. Current Tank Info: 10 Gal (Aqualight 96W Quad 50/50, AquaClear Power Filter 70 with Chaeto lit by 6500K Bulb, AquaClear Power Head 20, 50w Tronic Heater), 92 Gal All-Glass Corner (Cycling)

09/26/2006, 08:37 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'd ditch the Purple Up. It contains iodine, which might induce molting. Molting is hazardous and dangerous to the animals, even in the wild. I'd go with a real calcium-alkalinity supplement like B-Ionic. This article might also help: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

09/24/2006, 08:31 PM	#3
fsn77 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SC Posts: 777	If it ends up dieing (surely hope it doesn't -- how is it that a single cleaner shrimp costs more than an entire shrimp dinner?), you may not even get a chance to attend the porcelain funeral. If you have any hermits, they'll be all over the poor guy as soon as he kicks the bucket. I'm not sure what can be done to help, but as skiddish as our cleaner shrimp are when I attempt to touch them (opposed to them trying to climb on me by their own will), I'm not sure how cooperative it would be and the process might stress the poor guy out even more. Best of luck...

09/26/2006, 08:21 PM	#4
HumanIMDB Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,556	Finally got a picture of it... (click for higher res.) Pretend you don't see the cyano outbreak As you may or may not see, this was the best picture I could get, it's legs appear malformed and are out in front. I can't see any more of the molted shell binding the legs, so I guess that's a positive. And the fact that it has made it this far is also a big plus. Now I'm wondering if it's legs are malformed, will they come back normally the next time it molts? It appears to be eating when I feed, it just isn't hanging out in the cleaning station like it used to. At a loss as to what may have caused this or what to do about it; just waiting for it to make it through or perish.

09/26/2006, 08:49 PM	#8
HumanIMDB Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,556	Hrm...I thought the Iodine in Purple Up was supposed to be benifical to the shrimp... __________________ Chris Rivers Will do computer support for frags. :) Click on the Red House to see our AGA92 Corner Reef Tank Build thread. Current Tank Info: 10 Gal (Aqualight 96W Quad 50/50, AquaClear Power Filter 70 with Chaeto lit by 6500K Bulb, AquaClear Power Head 20, 50w Tronic Heater), 92 Gal All-Glass Corner (Cycling)

09/26/2006, 09:34 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That piece of advice is fairly common, but I've never seen any reason to believe that it's appropriate for an aquarium. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

09/27/2006, 02:02 AM	#10
saltwatersucker Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sacramento Posts: 116	Good luck with the little guy

09/27/2006, 02:04 AM	#11
saltwatersucker Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sacramento Posts: 116	how often should a cleaner shrimp molt??? and if you have one do you have to add thing to the water?? Thanks

09/27/2006, 05:51 AM	#12
hodsgod Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Yokohama, Japan Posts: 155	I agree that I see no reason in adding purple up. If all your parameters are correct and your tank is well established, you will be sick of cleaning purple off the glass. I do add iodine occasionaly because I have several hermit crabs, shrimps and soft corals. I do measure the iodine level though.

09/27/2006, 10:15 AM	#13
650-IS350 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 14,555	He could still be waiting for his appendege's shell to harden.. ( vunrable but thats the risk of moulting. you could always try to scoup him up in a net and place him in a breeding net or breeder cage till he gets better. __________________ * RETIRED FROM REEFING * Just enjoying the box of water from afar

09/27/2006, 02:17 PM	#14
techreef Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Montclair, NJ Posts: 1,046	the iodine levels in the tank should be sufficiently replenished with your regular water changes. Salt mix contains enough iodine to keep inverts molting properly. it does kinda sound like the iodine in your Purple Up rushed your little guy's molting schedule, and his body wasn't quite ready to ditch his last carapace at the time of his recent molt.

09/27/2006, 03:32 PM	#15
HumanIMDB Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,556	Ixnay ethay Urplepay Upway Do you think it will recover? It seems to be standing better but it hasn't taken up it's normal position on the rock yet. __________________ Chris Rivers Will do computer support for frags. :) Click on the Red House to see our AGA92 Corner Reef Tank Build thread. Current Tank Info: 10 Gal (Aqualight 96W Quad 50/50, AquaClear Power Filter 70 with Chaeto lit by 6500K Bulb, AquaClear Power Head 20, 50w Tronic Heater), 92 Gal All-Glass Corner (Cycling)

09/27/2006, 04:09 PM	#16
pony_killer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Houston Posts: 322	it looks fine to me, its funny this thread was brought up. saturday my cleaner shrimp "molted" during a water change and a thorough clean. all my equipment was turned off for about 2 1/2 hours so there was no water circulation. when i looked in the back of the tank, i noticed the shrimp just laying there in the sand motionless...thought to myself, there goes $20. after about 30 minutes he climbed up his rock and was moving about as usual, scared the bejesus out of me. but im guessing this is normal for our cleaner shrimps and therefor you shouldn't be worried. good luck.

10/03/2006, 04:41 PM	#17
HumanIMDB Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,556	Sad news...the cleaner shrimp didn't make it. I found it this afternoon stuck on the filter intake. I'll probably complete the move to the new tank (upgrading the substrate), let things settle down for a couple of weeks, and then add a new one along with the other new inhabitants. This brings up a new question, when to add cleaner shrimp? Before, after, or at the same time as the rest of the inhabitants? __________________ Chris Rivers Will do computer support for frags. :) Click on the Red House to see our AGA92 Corner Reef Tank Build thread. Current Tank Info: 10 Gal (Aqualight 96W Quad 50/50, AquaClear Power Filter 70 with Chaeto lit by 6500K Bulb, AquaClear Power Head 20, 50w Tronic Heater), 92 Gal All-Glass Corner (Cycling)

10/03/2006, 08:16 PM	#18
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	As long as none of the fish you choose have a taste for shrimp, any time is fine. Otherwise, letting the shrimp settle in first is supposed to help in some cases. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/03/2006, 09:55 PM	#19
Kurt03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,602	is there any chance that they can carry ich into a established tank? Should you still QT a new cleaner shrimp?

10/03/2006, 11:02 PM	#20
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You might get ich parasites on a cleaner shrimp. I tend to quarantine everything for that reason. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni