cleaner shrimp

[renaldz]

hi,
i have had my cleaner shrimp for roughly 1 week now and he is doing great! this morning i turned the lighton to see it laying on the ground not moving!! so i got my net and fished him out. only to find that after taking hm out it was only it skin/shell!! I never knew that they shed their skin? is this normal??
thanks
renaldz

 

[amstar15]

yes this is normal. shrimp such as cleaners, banded ect "shed" their skin or molt so that they can grow larger. in molting they loose their exoskelton so that they can grow bigger

 

[renaldz]

okay then thanks very much

 

[steelhealr]

agree...they molt...if you leave the molt in the tank, someone will eat it and it is supposed to be good for them. SH

 

[renaldz]

ohh rite well i never knew that! what will eat it though? i mean next time i wil leave it in for a little bit longer n see what happens.
renaldz

 

[amstar15]

other crabs (clean-up crew) some fish may pick at it, and get small pieces to eat. the actual shrimp may even eat some of its own exoskelton that they had just shed. its perfectly normal and a good sign

 

[renaldz]

oh rite thanks very much i wil watch for that next time!