How often do.....

[gregzbobo]

shrimp molt? Mine just molted within the past day or two, and I've had him about 2 or 3 weeks now. Is molting this soon after I buy him a good sign? I also just got my calcium and alk tests today, 420 calcium, 8.6 alk, and about 8.4 ph. Ammonia zip, nitrites zip, nitrates about 10 or so. Oh, and about how long does it take for coralline to start growing/spreading throught my tank? ATM I only have 2 20 watt tubes over the tank, one being 10k, the other actinic, but will be upgrading when money permits to 4 95 watt VHO's, probably in january.

 

[bang guy]

Shrimp molt when they need to... not on a specific schedule.
Stress is the primary catalyst.
When a new shrimp is purchased and placed into a new tank they almost always molt the next day.
They also accumulate toxins like Iodine in their exoskeleton. once they reach a critical point the shrimp will molt to eject to poison.
They will also molt after releasing theur larvae. This is the only time they can accept sperm from other shrimp.

 

[gregzbobo]

When I bought the animal, the lfs said I was buying a female and they knew it was such because it had a blue patch along its back. The blue patch being eggs. Is this true?

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by gregzbobo
When I bought the animal, the lfs said I was buying a female and they knew it was such because it had a blue patch along its back. The blue patch being eggs. Is this true?
ROFL... I gotta chuckle at that one. I can say will 100% certainty that they were right. All Cleaner shrimp are hermaphrodites and contain both male and female --- organs. You should get another and have a pair. They will release a cloud of larvae about every month and feed your fish & corals.

 

[gregzbobo]

Actually, its a coral banded and I have read that they will fight if they are the same ---. But since you say they are hermaphrodites, how can that be?

 

[jcsurfn]

What is it when shrimp molt?

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by gregzbobo
Actually, its a coral banded and I have read that they will fight if they are the same ---. But since you say they are hermaphrodites, how can that be?
Ahhh Greg, you may have caught me..... I made the bad assumption that you had a cleaner of some type. My bad!
I do not know enough about CB to know if they are hermaphrodites. I think so, but I could very easily be wrong. I will do some research for you and find out as penance for giving info I know nothing about.
Sorry! I'll get back to you.
Guy

 

[bang guy]

Just a follow up.
It appears that I was wrong. Coral Banded do not appear to be hermaphroditic and indeed do have distinct Male and Female counterparts.

 

[jferrier]

Well the dark spot in many aquatic animals is a sign that they are pregnant, but I'm not sure about the cbs. My roomates cbs has been in his tank for over a year know and has always had a dark spot in the abdomen area.