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cleaner shrimp question=what happened |
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cleaner shrimp question=what happened |
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12-26-2002, 07:35 PM
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#1 |
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Council
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: NH
Posts: 270
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cleaner shrimp question=what happened
OK
I have had 2 cleaner shrimps in my tank for a while now. But today I was looking at the ttank,etc. and saw antennae poking out from some rocks on the bottom. After taking a closer look it appeared to be dead  But then I saw the 2 shrimp on the other side of the tank. So one didn't dye I reached in the tank and grabed the antennae, what I pulled out looked to be a empty body with the legs & antennae still attached. So where did it come from?? Do shrimp molt?? or was there a baby that went unnoticed and died?? Of course I called my wife in to take a look and now she's all excited and wants me to find out what happened and why? Any help on this matter would be great |
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12-26-2002, 07:44 PM
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#2 |
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Citizen
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: London, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 154
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Molt
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RAY'S REEF |
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12-26-2002, 08:32 PM
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#3 |
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Council
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: NH
Posts: 270
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Thats pretty much what i thought, But what got me was where it had antenae on it too. I didn't think that they would also shed them
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12-26-2002, 08:44 PM
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#4 |
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Just Moved In
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Slinger, WI
Posts: 24
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Kinda freaky, isn't it?
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12-26-2002, 09:40 PM
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#5 |
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Citizen
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Central California, USA
Posts: 185
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Remind me what eats a cleaner shrimp? Wrasse, dottyback, or what?
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12-27-2002, 05:58 PM
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#6 |
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Citizen
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: London, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 154
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Gave me a jolt when it first happened, (and even after) but that's indeed what happens. The shrimp sheds the whole exoskeleton, including the antennae.
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RAY'S REEF |
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12-27-2002, 06:06 PM
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#7 |
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Council
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: NH
Posts: 270
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It truley is freaky and I thank you all that have responed.
How offten do they molt?? |
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12-28-2002, 11:04 AM
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#8 |
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Just Moved In
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Slinger, WI
Posts: 24
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My best guess on how often is about once every three to four weeks, but time seems to pass by so quickly for me personally that I might be wrong.
Chris |
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12-30-2002, 04:46 PM
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#9 |
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Just Moved In
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 45
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A healthy cleaner shrimp should molt every 2-4 weeks. They molt because they are growing, and since their exoskeleton cannot stretch like human skin, it breaks. You should notice that after the shrimp molts, it goes into hiding for a few days to protect itself from predators because it's new "shell" takes a while to harden. Another cool thing about shrimps is that if one of it's legs gets caught, and the shrimp cannot free itself, it will actually rip it's leg right out of it's socket. The next molting, a new leg (or foot, or whatever) will have re-grown. Good luck! (if you put your finger in the water, the cleaner shrimp will sometimes swim up to it actually clean your finger!).
Terry |
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12-30-2002, 07:43 PM
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#10 |
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Just Moved In
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: NY
Posts: 7
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I have read that high calcium levels (plus plenty of detritus to eat) induces frequent moltings on crustaceans. Furthermore, it was recommended that the moltings be left alone because the previous owner will go back and eat it.
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