# Shrimp Can't Shed!! Dying Fast!!



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

My shrimp can't shed their exoskeletons. I think that is what is killing them all.

I've lost my bamboo shrimp, about 4 Black Diamond Shrimp and probably close to 10 RCS in about 1-2 weeks. Nothing else in the tank is affected. All fish, frogs and nerite snails are fine! When the shrimp die, they don't look like they have been killed, (eg: no missing legs or body parts.)

I noticed that one or two of the shrimp who died had large spaces/cracks in their shells - one currently dying shrimp has that now - and it's been a while since I've seen any shed exoskeletons on the gravel. I used to see 2-3 a week! 

Nothing in the tanks has changed. The Ammonia and Nitrite are at 0ppm, Nitrate is at 20-30ppm. I tested the pH last week and it was 7.8 and then tested later in the week and it was about 7.2 - 7.4, the gdH was at about 11 and the kH was at 22 (or vice versa, I can't remember...) All I know is that when I compared them - the gdH and kH - to the chart, they were all in the healthy range for keeping shrimp.

What is going on?! I stopped feeding the FLUVAL shrimp bites a few weeks ago because of the copper in them, but there is still a lot of food in the tank for them to eat. Why can't they shed? It breaks my heart to see them with damaged shells and dying! The snails are fine, so it can't be a hardness/calcium issue.... I don't get it!!! 

Is there a disease that can cause shrimp to stop shedding? The Black Diamonds are fairly new... maybe 3-4 weeks old. But they seem to be doing better than the RCS. Only 3 or 4 of them have died, where maybe 10 or so of the RCS have died, and more are not looking well. (Mostly females from what I can tell.)

Thanks in advance!!

*I am also posting this in the FW Disease section, as I need as many answers as fast as possible.*


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I don't know enough about shrimp to help, but we have a new sponser that is the shrimp farm. There is also petshrimp.com that might be able to help you to.


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## TheShrimpFarm.com (Apr 28, 2011)

holly12, can you post a picture of the shrimp?

Also one thing that caught my attention in your post is this:


> but there is still a lot of food in the tank for them to eat


How long has the food been in there? Is it not getting mold on it?


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

No, there is no mold on the food. I do a good vac' once a week, so any old food gets removed.

Aquarium Gallery - RCS with cracked shell Here is the pic that I had posted a while ago. Not all of them have died with cracked shells, but a few have, so I thought it was worth mentioning.


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## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

I hope you can find out what's wrong with your little shrimp guys soon!

That's something that I've never run across before, so I can't really help any, sorry


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## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

I bet when u vac ur tank u screw up ur water. IMO shrimp should have a substrate that never gets cleaned, like eco complete.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Hmm... never thought of that. Do you mean the toxic gas pockets that can form in undisturbed gravel? Or are you thinking more of stirring up old food and stuff?


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

I remember this from before I left on vacation. Lack of molting is a very good indicator of a lack of calcium. However, I'm not completely convinced that this is even a molting issue.

By chance have you looked into the Veggie sticks with calcium from Ken's fish yet? Suppliment with using blanched zucchini? Or...you can even make your own calcium enriched feed?

The pH is on the high side for BD shrimp. But if you are saying it swings, then there could be other underlying issues.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I do put in some zucchini every once in a while for the Otos, shrimp and snails.

I'm not sure if the pH really swings per say, it's just that I was having trouble getting a reading with my test kit, so I compared it to strip tests and they were all different.


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## angelsdice159 (Jul 2, 2011)

hello.. U should look in to: (reef iodide raises iodide non-toxic.. It helps whit the molt stages. Hope this helps


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks! I'll check it out.


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