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Partial molt

beanbag

By beanbag
in Shrimp Health & Care

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beanbag Shrimp Lover

beanbag

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Hello folks,

I have a Taiwan Bee shrimp that is a bit over a year old by now.  Today it had a partial molt where it got the head part off just fine but the tail segment is still on.  It seems to be loosely hanging on over its back, except for the tail fan part, where the shrimp tail fins are tucked in (scrunched together) from being pulled partially out of the shell.  Since it seems to be able to move and swim around just fine, I may leave it alone for now while it is still soft and vulnerable.  But at some point, should I "assist" in trying to get it off?  And maybe before the new shell gets deformed.  Otherwise, it will be like [graphic imagery warning] trying to poop with its pants on.

The water parameters and GH 5 TDS 100 and I feed the shrimp alternately Bacter AE, spinach, mulberry, Shrimp king pellet food (rotate between Complete, Mineral, Protein).  Does any of this need changing, e.g. higher or lower GH?  Or maybe this is just a symptom of a shrimp getting old?

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sdlTBfanUK Shrimp Master

sdlTBfanUK

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Hopefully it may sort itself out on its own. If it looks like you can get the old shell off fairly easily I would probably give it a go though whilst the shell is still fairly soft! 

Your GH looks perfect, the TDS on the low side but not to a point that would worry me too much, and obviously if you increase the TDS that will almost certainly increase the GH also!

I probably wouldn't worry too much if this is the one and only shrimp to have this problem but wait and see if it happens again before changing anything like parameters..

Simon

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  • 4 months later...
beanbag Shrimp Lover

beanbag

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Hello again,

This shrimp, and another red wine panda, both had this problem again.  But they are my oldest shrimps at about 1.5 years now.  The conditions and feeding are the same as before (my first post)  So far, the only other 1.5 year old shrimp hasn't had this problem yet, and none of the younger ones have either.  Maybe I should raise the GH by one point?

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sdlTBfanUK Shrimp Master

sdlTBfanUK

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If it worked out the last time without a problem I would try not to worry and just keep an eye on them for now!

I probably would raise the TDS a bit higher than 100, maybe 120 - 140 slowly for the future as 100 is on the low side, it may help alround.

Simon

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