[nanonewbie]

I think my coral banded shrimp is dead, it was fine this morning when I went to work and now it is laying motionless on the sand on its side, and it looked like a hermit crab was attacking it? Maybe just cleaning it? do they lay still for that, does that even happen? I'm so confused, I am very new to all this, I'm not quite sure what I am doing, but everything else in the tank seems fine - in fact all my corals/mushrooms have almost doubled in size! Do I need to get another cleaner shrimp? any ideas, advice, suggestions, etc would be very much appreciated!

Thanks!

[saltwaterdave]

Are you sure it did'nt molt? When they grow they will shed their skin something like a snake or spider does. I usually left the shells in the tank and let the clean-up crew do it's job.
David

[nanonewbie]

I don't think that is what happened - although I haven't seen that ever to know what it looks like - but it looks like the whole shrimp, tentacles, claws and all...looks like more than just a shell! If that is what happened - would it look like a complete shrimp left over? Where is my shrimp then? do they go into hiding?

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by nanonewbie

I don't think that is what happened - although I haven't seen that ever to know what it looks like - but it looks like the whole shrimp, tentacles, claws and all...looks like more than just a shell! If that is what happened - would it look like a complete shrimp left over? Where is my shrimp then? do they go into hiding?

In the nutshell yes, what's left behind will look like the whole shrimp and when I first time saw it I freaked as well .
And yes on your second question,the new shell have to harden and shrimp usually goes into hiding untill it does. Look for it in a couple of days and it should be out and about, providing that molt were successful and your shrimp isn't dead but I think its fine

[nanonewbie]

So if I haven't seen it in like a week, then it's probably dead? If so, should I remove it? I have a 12 gallon Nan-reef, would it be good to get another shrimp if this one is dead, and would a perppermint be better?

But if I do see it - do I need to worry about removing the leftover shell?

Sorry for the 20 questions - I just don't know much about Shrimp, I want to make sure I do the right thing! Whatever it may be.

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by nanonewbie

So if I haven't seen it in like a week, then it's probably dead? If so, should I remove it? I have a 12 gallon Nan-reef, would it be good to get another shrimp if this one is dead, and would a perppermint be better?

But if I do see it - do I need to worry about removing the leftover shell?

Sorry for the 20 questions - I just don't know much about Shrimp, I want to make sure I do the right thing! Whatever it may be.

I used to remove leftover exoskeleton but you can leave it in there if you wish,if you see your hermits going after it they'll probably clean it up for you.
I'm not sure about what shrimp is best for a nano tank and personally I don't like any of them as they are polyp eaters primarily and very well adopted to do so.I'm talking about the peppermints, Lysmata sp. shrimps and I have not kept a shrimp in years
Some people swear that they do not touch anything but I know that this is what they eat in Natural setting primarily from reading about them.
FWIW,I would try to remove those remains and inspect it closely just to assure myself that the shrimp isn't dead

[Northman_with_reef]

Hi!

I don't think your shrimp is dead, after they molt they are pretty shy and they hide because their shell is soft.

I remember my old CB shrimp... he was kinda evil, he would try to attack my purple tang and he was extremly territorial.

Good luck!
-Thomas

[nanonewbie]

ok it's been three days since I pulled my cbs out of my tank - still no sign of him...still hiding? or dead?

[Northman_with_reef]

Check all nooks and crannies...

I still think he's hiding, but its possible he might be dead.
If your getting paranoid(like I usually am...) lift up some of the LR you think he might be hiding in(dont lift it out of the water) and check.
Do you suspect any predators might have killed him?
Is there anything else in the tank that might be a threat to him?

-Thomas