2 molts in one week???

salty420

salty420

this fish was coming on to me
Mar 8, 2007
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Sugar Grove, IL
So I got a skunk cleaner shrimp about 2 weeks ago... since he's molted twice! The molts have been pretty much back to back. Should I be concerned at all? He's grown tremendously in these molts, he's now at least a half size bigger than when I got him. I want to be happy about it, that the tank must be doing well if he's growing so much but I don't want him to over do it! How often do these guys typically molt?
 
not sure if its good or bad, but I had a tiger shrimp molt within hours of entering my tank. guess he really liked his new home!

Thought you should know you weren't alone in the confused about molting club :)
 
Germanman said:
its not the best thing really....means something has drastically changed each time. what are ur water parameters and also how is the color of the shrimp? faded in any way?
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just tested water tonight but this is how the readings have been since my cycle was complete almost 2 months ago
pH 8.2
amm 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20ish ppm (that test is on a dipstick tho)

I make sure to change 10% weekly, I have high nitrates in my FW tank even after 50% water changes... I know the higher nitrates are not so great on the inverts but I can't seem to get them down... I don't know if I should believe the dipstick anyhow.

The color on the shrimp is great, nice red stripe on it's back. The only things I know about molting comes from land hermies and with them I know they can delay molts until the conditions are right... have no idea if this is true for SW shrimpys tho. Was planning on getting a fire shrimp tomorrow but don't want to spend the $$$ if something is not right.
 
salty420 said:
just tested water tonight but this is how the readings have been since my cycle was complete almost 2 months ago
pH 8.2
amm 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20ish ppm (that test is on a dipstick tho)

I make sure to change 10% weekly, I have high nitrates in my FW tank even after 50% water changes... I know the higher nitrates are not so great on the inverts but I can't seem to get them down... I don't know if I should believe the dipstick anyhow.

The color on the shrimp is great, nice red stripe on it's back. The only things I know about molting comes from land hermies and with them I know they can delay molts until the conditions are right... have no idea if this is true for SW shrimpys tho. Was planning on getting a fire shrimp tomorrow but don't want to spend the $$$ if something is not right.
Click to expand...

If you use tap water test that as well, it could be the source of your high nitrates if the dip stick test is correct.
 
ya I need to get phos and calcium tests too so I plan on getting the reef kit that has all 3. Just bought an RO unit on eBay last night so hopefully that will help with the trates. The shrimp is doing great, he actually came out from behind the LR this morning to eat! That's a first for him he always is in the back... I was hoping he was just hanging out in the back because of the molting, I would really like to see more of him! Didn't get the fire shrimp yet, but as long as the skunk continues to look great I think I will get it soon enough!
 
scarlet skunk cleaners are IMHO the prettiest. mine molted twice in two weeks as well. 2nd was just last night. dip-stick tests don't show any changes. a full liquid set is in the near future.
they don't do much but stay stationed in 1 spot, but they do dance around a bit and of course the "impress your friends trick" of sticking your hand in to get cleaned is a good reason itself to have one. :D
i love my scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp. i think i might even name him... hrm... :)
 
I named mine Little Al. I am a big Alabama football fan and he has somewhat of a crimson and white stripes so I felt it was a good name. Alabama's mascot is Big Al the elephant so it made good sense to me.
 
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