Originally Posted by chipmaker
I have kept alllkinds of shrimp for many many years and have yet to add any iodine to anay tank., They all molt and grow and spawn just fine. I view adding iodine as yet another snake oil product thats used to make money in sales and in test kits. Water changes provide all the elements needed for shrimp to molt. As for calcium it helps them grow a new shell but it does nothing in terms of helping them shed the old one. There is definately a prpboem with that shimp if its taken this long and its certianly not caused by a lack of any elements. I have yet to have a shrimp take more than a short period of time. I can setup and watch my tanks until midnight, and get up at 5 am and there will be shed pieces all over, and they are just hanigng out allowing the new skelton to harden up. It has never taken long at all to have em molt.That goes for all the typical shrimp and crabs normally kept.
i wasnt suggesting adding iodine to the tank, i just know that some people add iodine to tanks thinking it will help with something; and in turn, it causes shrimps to molt irregularly. and iodine isnt just a product to just make money with no benefit, its used as an exremely effective dip for lots of corals.
