Floating Moult

[Roan Art]

One of my shrimp moulted and the moult is floating on top of the tank. Should I remove it or no? Should I remove crayfish moults?

Also, my daughter's crayfish (Cherax sp.) recently moulted and his pinchers came totally off. He has new ones growing. He looks like a big bug now. Is this normal? When my son's Hammer's Cobalt Blue (Procambarus sp.) moults, he keeps his pinchers.

Thanks!

 

[wataugachicken]

if it doesn't sink after a few days, or pops back up when you try to push it down, take it out. if it does sink, leave it. the shrimp and crawfish will eat it to get the minerals back.

 

[OrionGirl]

In other shrimp species, losing a claw or both claws during a molt can be a sign of problems, and it's not normal. I don't know about in crawfish, but I know in some marine species, it happens more in crustaceans that don't use their claws on crunchy stuff--the claws are normally used frequently, so they are harder, but the constant abuse of crunching things open softens them up. Without enough hard use, they are too hard and the animal can't molt out of them--and rather than die half molted, they rip the claws off. So--they normally re-grow, but you may want to add some crunchy food items to their diet to prevent a recurrance. And, as always, make sure they animal is able to get enough to eat with their limited foraging ability.

Iodine is said to be beneficial, albeit in small doses. There's little science to back this up, but lots of reliable people dose iodine for shrimp and crays with no problems. You also may want to supplement calcium in the water--adding empty snail shell, or cleaned sea shells, will work.