Cleaner Shrimp

[MSunkin23]

So I am pretty sure I know the answer to this, I just want some feedback from someone else who has seen it.

In my nano I just got a cleaner shrimp a week ago, he usually is all over the place. today I noticed he is gone... as I search the tank I see his antenna sticking out from a small hole (not moving).

I am to assume he is molting, and I should leave him be. He is probably hiding in a hole because he has no exoskeleton, is this assumption correct ??

Thanks,
-Mike

 

[Deanos]

Correct, if it has just molted, its new exoskeleton hasn't hardened enough for it to feel comfortable.

 

[ryangrieder]

good job, even though you kinda knew the answer...it never hurts to ask. my mated pair of cleaners molt all the time, almost once a month lately and they are gone all day. they only stay on one flat rock they cleaned off for the babies and when they are not on that rock i know the next day ill see an exoskeleton stuck on my powerhead lol

 

[MSunkin23]

yeaaa

Sounds right, but I still havnt seen him; how quick does your shrimps molting take ?

He has been hiding down in a hole for about 4 days now.

-Mike

 

[pweissma]

Is it a skunk cleaner shrimp? My fire shrimp (also a cleaner shrimp) just molted Friday night and I've also had him for a week. The day before the molt he was slightly darker but still active. I only realize the color change in retrospect. At the time I thought it was the lighting. After the molt he hung back for a day but came out the next night. Last night he came out during the feeding.
I was surprised to see that the molt contained basically ALL the shrimps part's, even the antenna! It's possible that you are seeing the molted antenna and the shrimp is elsewhere.
I'm a noob and hope I'm wrong here but it's also possible that he's dead. Four days seems really long to me. I would bet that the non-moving antenna you see are either attached to the molt or a dead shrimp.

My fire shrimp is #2. The first fire shrimp died a little over a day after putting him in. To me he looked 100% healthy until he died, but then again, what do I know? I think it was either a weak shrimp or my bad on the acclimation. I got #2 from a different dealer.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Whenever my shrimps have molted it hasnt effected their behavior for that long- have you seen you hermits acting different? all piled up anywhere- if he passed away they would eat him pretty fast- I lost a fire shrimp and my cleaner got his tail and was eating it but the hermits took care of the body.

But on the molting and hiding- mine usually molted in the hours between me looking at it but the shrimp was back to being active by the time I looked at the tank again. I hate to sound like a grim reeper but your shrimp if only molting wouldnt hide for 4 days I dont believe. I would bet hes gone, sorry.