inari

I'm having some problems with my ghost shrimps. I bought 6 of them about 2 months ago, when i found one completely eaten and his exoskeleton left i figured he died of some random cause. That was about a week or two aftewards. Today I found one that looked well like he was to be eaten, What is cause this. I don't have pictures but I hope that this description will work.

It was shrivled up partly, had red lines along the segements in the tail, and was also white. I didn't see an exoskeleton on him. what is going on is it that they aren't getting enough calcium or something. please help thanx

~Inari

0morrokh

Shrimp molt their exoskeleton periodically. The shrimp keep growing but the hard "shell" can't keep growing with them, so they shed it and form a new one. However, during this time they are "naked" and make an easy meal if a fish stumbles across them. So it is possible that a shrimp got eaten after molting.
What other fish are with the shrimp?

inari

I have 5 cories (3 speckled, pandas), an albino bristlenose pleco, bamboo shrimp,oto, and Inari my betta.* I had first thought that is what happened is Inari had himself a nice little snack, but when i found the corpse of a recently dead one i started to wonder if that was the case.* Any other ideas.* (FYI: I know bettas to tend to eat shrimp but something that large?)

thanx

~Inari

If you want to talk to me about it now, or some evening let me know with a PM and send me your screen name and I'll send you mine I have all three messangers so don't worry about that.

inari

so what no one has any ideas? My ghost shrimp are dropping like flies I"m still wondering y any suggestions??

~Inari

wolfman21

Put a couple seashells in the tank. This will provide them with the necessary calcium carbonate that they need to replace their exoskeletons. If this doesn't work, keep the shells in there, but add some iodine to the water. This will help if the calcium carbonate doesn't work. Make sure there are plenty of hiding spaces in the tank, this will give them places to hide after they have molted and are vulnerable.

inari

I've given up on ghosts lol I keep bamboo shrimp and my most recent one has been thriving and harrassing my other fish lol anyway anyway thanks

~inari

wolfman21

Good luck with the bamboo shrimp, hopefully they will be better for you.

tan.b

just seen this thread. good luck with the bamboos. might seem daft but are you sure the ghosts are dead and it wasnt just the exoskeletons you found. my shrimp disappear for days sometimes weeks at a time and i assume they're dead, only to discover them happily wandering about!
tan