Amano shrimp exoskeleton or dead shrimp?

nquint1

Now if only this was my job...
Feb 26, 2007
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Baton Rouge
I woke up this morning to what I thought was an exoskeleton of an amano shrimp in my tank. Upon closer examination I noticed that it still had the antennae attached. There were no legs though. When I took it out it seemed to be kind of gel like. It was all one color (clear with a slight pink tint to it). My question is did my bolivian rams eat the shrimp? This is the first time I've experienced a shrimp molting, and I don't know if the antennae molt with the rest of the shell. Also, last night was the first night the shrimps spent in the tank. I bought 3 of them and could only find one this morning, but I realize they could just be hiding under the driftwood.
 
here's a pic of one of my bamboo's shells:

DSC00268.jpg
 
I'd be willing to bet it's just the exoskeleton. They do have a slight pinkish tint to them. I've had 2 for 3 years now (amanos that is), had a third, but it was eaten by a T. maculipinnis (firemouth relative). The others have been with paradise fish, bolivian rams, and now L. dorsigera.

They're neat shrimp, aren't they?

Eric
 
It was just the exoskeleton! I just counted all three of them on the driftwood! Thank goodness. Those guys are expensive.
 
Mine have disappeared for months at a time when I've had more aggressive fish in with them. Then, when I switch fish around between tanks and move in more passive fish, they're out and about all the time. The exoskeletons scare me nearly every time...until I take a closer look at them. Someone in my tank eats them, so I leave them in there these days.

Eric
 
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