[Pineapple House]

Hello. I have a very large cleaner shrimp a long with 2 fire shrimp in my 80 gallon. Just 1 week ago, i noticed that the cleaner shrimp molted, and came out kinda deformed. His antenie is very bended, and curved on boh sides. It almost curves around 90 degrees. Is this normal? And will this go away at the next molt? If you have noticed, i am re- starting the tank next month(long story).
Here is some info on my tank:
is 7 months old. I have a reef tank with 150lbs LR, 50lbs CC, a 500 miricle wet/dry unit, a prizm skimmer, i have these fish:
1) Royal gramma
2) yellow eyed tang
3) blue tang
4) SS gobie
5) Blenny
6) 2 sunburst anthias
7) a clown
*i know, i know, too many fish(That's partly why i am re doing the tank)
Corals:
1) brain
2) sponge
3) Tube anemone
4) Finger leather
5) Hammar
6) shrooms
7) bubble coral
8) sea whip
9) some kind of gorgonian
10) kenya tree coral
11) Colt coral
12) torch
13) 2 frogspawns
14) fijji polyps
15) yellow polyps
16) GSP
17) what ever i have forogten
Inverts:
2 fire shrimp
1 cleaber shrimp
1 serpent star
2 emereld crabs
2 turbo snails
Whatever i have forgotten
Parims are:
Nitrate-30ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
Ammonia-0ppm
pH-8.2
Salinity-1.023
Calcium-450ppm
I have this lighting:
4, 65wt PC's(day light) 6500k JBJ system with reflector, ballast, and fans
4, 65wt PC's(Actinic) 20000k JBJ systme with reflector, ballast, and fans
1, 110wt VHO(day light) 6500k with reflector
Any ideas on this shrimp ?

TEST:

[Mikeman]

Hey this is Balor from reefcentral.... now that I think about it, can you tell me why your restarting?

If you change your sandbed... and do some other things...you really shouldn't have to.

The reason being, it shouldn't be hard to catch a fish or 2 and since your nitrates are only at 30 ppm. A couple of large waterchanges, and the addition of a refugium you should really be in business, without having to restart the tank.


and to your question....yes they should go away in the next molt.. I would maybe add some iodide for reefs(lugoul(sp)) to help the shrimp molt.

[Pineapple House]

The reason i am re-starting, is mostly the fact that i will be moving in a month, and that means to take everything out of the tank. Also, the DSB will need its own 6 months to settle in. So, i might as well just re-start the tank. I was hoping to have a SPS and clam tank, with a few softies. So, i guess re starting the tank would be easy, and in the mean time of 6 months, i could learn more about reef tanks and what they really need to live. When i first got this tank, i didnt know squat of anything, and trusted the LFS all the way, as i thought they were trying to help(Yeah right). They screwed me up, and cost the lives of 21 critters in my tank. So, with moving said, it might as well be easyer tjust restarting the tank. I am asking apex to hold a few things for me(gorgonian, shrimp, and a few other things). Anyway, i am glad that the shrimp will be back to normal. I'm glad to see you here mikeman .

Pineapple House

[Reefland]

Welcome to Reefland!

I have never experienced this myself but I believe, as Mikeman that the shrimp will be fine and it may be corrected with a couple of moltings. Is this the first time you noticed it has molted?

I hope you enjoy your stay,
Scott Z.

[Pineapple House]

Reefland(scott), just a little say about your site. IMO, it's a great(outstanding) site with lots of info. I know this will be very helpful for everyone who visits this, esspecielly these message boards. I have seen 100's of very awful sites(which i wont mention) with no usefull information what so ever. But this ones up top. Keep it up and always do your best with everything you do ! I know i'll be coming back...soon!

Now, coming back on topic, this is NOT the first time he has molted. He has molted about 10 times in the past 6 months. All were perfect molts. I recently lost my other cleaner shrimp, to a molting problem, which was all about adding too much iodide/iodine to the tank. I stoped adding the iodine and MANY other addtives, as i was over dosing way too much. I stoped about 1 months ago, and the cleaner shrimp just molted when i stoped adding most additives. Now, i add:
Bionic-Calcium buffering system #1, 20ml everyday
Bionic-Alk ajustment(pH) system #2, 20ml everyday
Which, i heard is a perfect amount. I'm glad to hear this will go back to normal after the next cuople of molts, as this is one of the few things that i am oing to keep.
Thanx guys!

[Reefland]

I think your on the right track by not adding all of the supplements. Sure they are important but most feel that the majority are replenished through water changes and/or not important enough to monitor. Typically we get a bit carried away with additives. I like the addition of B-Ionic and other calcium and alk buffers if required.

Keep us up-to-date!
Scott Z.

[CRE8NKOS]

You said that you were going to be taking the tank apart and that you were going to keep a few things.what about the corals that you are not planning on keeping,interested in selling them .e-mail me at ddddrgnfly@aol.com.

good luck,
roger

[Pineapple House]

CRE8NKOS, i might be interested. The LFS will give me half the money i spent, but in store credit. If you could do any better than that, i would be interested. I will e-mail you later about the prices.

Now, getting Back on Topic:
Here are the additives i was dosing before:
10ml of kent marines iodine(everyday)
20ml of kent marines Alk buffer(everyday)
10ml of Kent Marine stronium(sp)(everyother day)
10ml of Kent Marines coral vite(every week)
10ml of kent marines calcium(every week)
20ml of Bionic buffering system #1(everyday)
20ml of Bionic alk ajustment #2(everyday)
And one thing i forgot.
GEEEZ. As you can see, the LFS isnt always the best to trust when spending your hard earned money(TY golfish). i WILL REALLY be interested in selling any one of these(minus the bionic). They are all hardy used.
The shrimp seems to do fine, he is eating, and running around the tank.
Thanx guys. This place sure was helpful

[ReefDreamer]

From my experience the larger the cleaner shrimp gets the more apt it is to be kind of deformed,especially in its antenne and legs and such. I think the iodine is one of the reasons as it is suppose to help in the shedding. I think it can be easily overdosed too though so be careful.