Iodine and amano shrimp molting

[chkltcow]

I've read that amano shrimp (and most other shrimp for that matter) need a trace amount of iodine in the water in order to help them with molting. I've seen people recommend Kent Marine Iodine before, but that stuff is expensive and only comes in BIG bottles, far bigger than I'd ever use for my 5 amano shrimp. Is the iodine you can buy in a drug store like CVS usable for that, or does it contain other things that would be harmful to the fish? The label on it says "Povidone-Iodine" solution, and from what I can gather from Google, Povidone is just a polymerized iodine solution with iodine and an inert chemical to prevent skin irritation and staining.... and is pretty much the standard for storebought iodine.

Considering how much cheaper this is than Kent stuff, would it work... or do I just need to shell out the extra money for the big bottle?

And while we're on the subject, can someone explain why shrimp need iodine to molt? How does it work, what does it do for the shrimp, etc?

 

[endparenthesis]

You can feed them cooked spinach... that has iodine in it.

 

[LittlePuff]

You can't use regular iodine, it needs to be for aquarium use. I don't think spinach has iodine, you must be thinking seaweed. Add one drop per 5gal. The bottle will last a very long time. If you have soft water, you may want to get a calcium supplement too (not pills) You can also feed them Hikari Crab Cuisine, it has extra calcium in it. They use the calcium to harden their shells.



Kim

 

[chkltcow]

We have soft water here, but the Onyx Sand substrate in this aquarium raises the hardness a bit. Out of the tap it's about 3 dGH.... with the Onyx it's about 7-8dGH I believe. That enough or is more required?

 

[endparenthesis]

I read somewhere the other day that people will feed shrimp spinach specifically to get some iodine in their systems, but I can't find it now. Oh well.

 

[LittlePuff]

I'd add calcium and feed them the Crab cuisine to be sure. It won't be very expensive, they will last a long time.


Kim

 

[chkltcow]

Well we've been doggie-sitting all weekend and haven't made it to Petsmart yet, where I was going to buy some of the crab cuisine you suggested. This morning I walked in and found a shrimp "eating" something white/clear. I figured out quickly that it was the exoskeleton and that he had just molted, and ran to the other room to get my camera, but by the time I got back he was done. I found 2 other exoskeletons this morning too..... so apparently they all went at the same time without any outside stimuli at all. That leaves 2 to still do their thing.

Edit: Actually, you know what... I take it back. There WAS outside stimuli. Yesterday I finally received my order from aquariumplants.com and did a LOT of planting in there. 3 tufts of dwarf hairgrass, a few pieces of hornwort, a crypt lutea and crypt wendtii, myriophyllum, alternanthera reineckii, and a few patches of java moss. You think that could have been what triggered the molting?

 

[chkltcow]

Okay, made it to Petsmart today. Despite the fact they molted own their own the other day, I bought a little container of "HBH Crab & Lobster Bites". They didn't have "Crab Cuisine".... if that's an actual brand of food. I made sure to look over the list of ingredients, and "Iodate" is on the list. I've only fed them one piece so far, and one of the shrimp grabbed it before it even hit the bottom.

This stuff okay?

 

[nino]

what happens if you don't give them iodine??

 

[LittlePuff]

Some of them will have problems molting. They will turn a milky color and die.

Kim

 

[Narayan]

Thats true. I had a cray that died due to moult death. Ive read that that was maybe due to the lack of iodine in their diet. So far Ive been advised to feed them spinnach or seaweed. I have yet to confirm that information.