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I take them out so the 7 year old doesn't freak at the site of a dead shrimp, or hermit crab, or whatever. She about lost it the first time a hermit molted. I have sexy shrimp and those little things are hard to get out because they fall apart easily.
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Running my first 25 Gallon reef tank, not fully stocked...born on May 23, 2008!
Only one shrimp here...
Someday I'll see him do it from the beginning...
I just missed him shedding his exoskeleton ...by seconds.
Molting..
Has anyone else seen this happen..as it happens?
It is amazing....
also, should exoskeleton fragments be removed from tank? I remove what I can but I do see chunks here and there...mainly crabby stuff.
Thanx
I have never seen the actual molting process, but I never have taken out the exoskeleton. Luna
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9YR OLD 90G/55g custom sump/refug Mag18 Aquac 180skimmer 692w MH AC jr,yel&kole tang,midas&convict blenny,B&G chromies,Blk/yel fin chromie blackcap,nemo,neon goby,6line; Blastomussa Merleti,Acan ,BUBBLE,Torch,LTA, Acropora(2) Moon, assort zoas, yel& G star polyps, P&B ricordia, montiporas, cup&candy corals, xenias,B/G mush,flower ane(2), cherry red mussa, dusters,cleaning crew..
Ever wonder process shrimp goes about doing this???
Is it something like just pulling off a t-shirt?
Molt always so intact, just can't figure it out...
Would love to see a vid of it going on....
Ask! - and you will receive...
Came to me to check Youtube this AM....
Found vid of a lobster moulting, which I am sure is same process as shrimp. But large enough to see what is going on...
Appears to spend some time squirming around in shell, getting everything nice and loose. Then when it is, pops out all at once thru opening right in back of head...like upper neck area.
Wowser...guess that question is answered....pretty cool to watch!
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AG "125," AquaC EV 180, 30 gal sump, "SCWD", 80 lbs LR, CoralSeaLife "Moonlite" Hood, PFO 250W HQI Mini-Pendant (SPS HQI 14000k bulb)
12 Gallon NanoCube - 24w stock PC 50/50 light
"...nothing good ever happens fast in a reef tank, only bad things happen fast..."
- MIKE PALLETTA -
Found vid of a lobster moulting, which I am sure is same process as shrimp. But large enough to see what is going on...
Appears to spend some time squirming around in shell, getting everything nice and loose. Then when it is, pops out all at once thru opening right in back of head...like upper neck area.
Wowser...guess that question is answered....pretty cool to watch!
that is cool....it places them in such a vulnerable position during that time. Perfect time for a pred. to come and get them, esp in wild.
I always left mine in the tank when I had shrimp, but there were time that it looked so gross I had to take them out. Never saw anything eat them, but they were always gone in a day so I assumed something did!
wow i never thought i would see a lobster shed.. i guess i underestimated you tube lol. i have a flame halk fish who bit off one of the arms of my coral bandid shrimp so i would watch him everyday to see if it finaly would grow back and amazingly i saw it.
I have never removed the Molted shells from my crabs, lobster and shrimp I heard that they break down and return calcium and nutrients to the system. I don't think they would cause any harm to the system and they always break down pretty quickly.
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120 Gal Reef Tank Born 12/06 160+ Lbs of Live Rock 80 Lbs Live Sand 25 Gal Sump with fuge 15 lbs of Live Rock (2) 250w 20K MH and (4) 65w CF Atinics (6) Moonlights Aqua C EV Skimmer (4) Hydor Korillia # 3s (1) yellow chromis (1) green coris wrasse (1) True Percula
