Just wanted to let you all know that I noticed my largest ghost shrimp struggling to stay upright on the sand. She was trying to swim, but just stayed on her side on the ground. Needless to say, I became alarmed and suspected something was wrong with my water chemistry. I immediately did a water change. After that, she still seemed sluggish, though able to respond and swim away when I tried to touch her. I did not think she would survive the night.
All my fish seemed fine, but I figured a water change couldn't hurt.
This morning, Momma Shrimp was still alive and was carrying a new load of eggs! In addition, she molted and was eating her old skin. So the moral of the story is, if your ghost shrimp has trouble moving or staying upright, they may just be in the process of shedding their skin and/or laying eggs. It must have been quite a night, to go through both of those simultaneously!
Usually when my shrimp molt, they do it in hiding, so I don't get to see their struggles. I don't blame them for doing it in private, as the ordeal must leave them pretty vulnerable.
I bred this little lady (by accident) about a year ago, and her mother before her lived for over 2 1/2 years, so I must be doing something right! Pretty good for little guys that cost less than a dollar apiece, eh? I usually lose a few ghost shrimp here and there, but I would have been sad to lose this one, as she was the only baby that actually made it past the egg and larval stages.
All my fish seemed fine, but I figured a water change couldn't hurt.
This morning, Momma Shrimp was still alive and was carrying a new load of eggs! In addition, she molted and was eating her old skin. So the moral of the story is, if your ghost shrimp has trouble moving or staying upright, they may just be in the process of shedding their skin and/or laying eggs. It must have been quite a night, to go through both of those simultaneously!
Usually when my shrimp molt, they do it in hiding, so I don't get to see their struggles. I don't blame them for doing it in private, as the ordeal must leave them pretty vulnerable.
I bred this little lady (by accident) about a year ago, and her mother before her lived for over 2 1/2 years, so I must be doing something right! Pretty good for little guys that cost less than a dollar apiece, eh? I usually lose a few ghost shrimp here and there, but I would have been sad to lose this one, as she was the only baby that actually made it past the egg and larval stages.
