What is this thing!?

[Vix1987]

Hi
I’m wondering if anyone has found anything similar or might have an explanation as to why this is in my tank. I’ve attached a couple of pictures of what looks like a dead shrimp , however I’ve never introduced shrimp to this tank, and the shrimp I do have are ghost shrimp so completely different colour.
I’m really hoping it’s not some form of parasite a fish has passed because if it is that will freak me out if I find a live one.
Food wise I feed this tank a mixture of bloodworm, blackworm, cut up king prawns and pellets

 

[demetredanio]

are you sure its not molt from your shrimp or maybe a shrimp came in with your plants and you didn't notice?

 

[Sb092]

Hi
I’m wondering if anyone has found anything similar or might have an explanation as to why this is in my tank. I’ve attached a couple of pictures of what looks like a dead shrimp , however I’ve never introduced shrimp to this tank, and the shrimp I do have are ghost shrimp so completely different colour.
I’m really hoping it’s not some form of parasite a fish has passed because if it is that will freak me out if I find a live one.
Food wise I feed this tank a mixture of bloodworm, blackworm, cut up king prawns and pellets

It could be the exoskeleton of one of your ghost shrimp. They shed every so often.

 

[Vix1987]

are you sure its not molt from your shrimp or maybe a shrimp came in with your plants and you didn't notice?

I’ve got 0 shrimp in there so that’s why I’m scratching my head the plants I bought recently I didn’t see anything on them... and the cichlids in there love prawns but I found this by chance , they wouldn’t touch it

 

[demetredanio]

you said you have ghost shrimp?

 

[Vix1987]

It could be the exoskeleton of one of your ghost shrimp. They shed every so often.

It’s defo not exoskeleton this thing is still intact ha ha .... Zero shrimp in this particular tank too

 

[demetredanio]

this is weird, did you buy any substrate for it recently? Maybe it was a shrimp that got into the subsrate?

 

[Vix1987]

you said you have ghost shrimp?

Hi - yes in another tank - I have 4 tanks,

I.e i know it’s not one of the ghost shrimp shells is why I referenced that I have them, or nothing has got stuck in the cleaning syphone

this is weird, did you buy any substrate for it recently? Maybe it was a shrimp that got into the subsrate?

No ... that’s what’s so strange everything in there is long standing, only thing newish I put in was Java fern but didn’t see anything on it

 

[demetredanio]

have you ever fed them brine shrimp, thats sort of what it looks like?

 

[Vix1987]

The only other thing I thought it might be was an intact thing in one of the frozen foods but I’d have seen it when I defrosted it... and the fish would have definitely eaten it

 

[Broggy]

I doubt it, that thing is way to big for that

have you ever fed them brine shrimp, thats sort of what it looks like?

could it be a scud?

 

[MacZ]

It's an Amphipod. Some kind of crustacean, likely a Gammarus.

 

[demetredanio]

It's an Amphipod. Some kind of crustacean, likely a Gammarus.

but how would it have gotten in there?

 

[Vix1987]

It's an Amphipod. Some kind of crustacean, likely a Gammarus.

Should I be concerned? How did it get in there

 

[MacZ]

With live or frozen food. They can also be found as food and some manufacturers have freeze dried gammarus in their assortment.

 

[Vix1987]

I doubt it, that thing is way to big for that

could it be a scud?

What is a scud?

 

[MacZ]

What is a scud?

Other name for Amphipod.

 

[Vix1987]

I doubt it, that thing is way to big for that

could it be a scud?

I’ve just googled that and it does look like one

Other name for Amphipod.

Thanks - do they just hitchhike in on plants I’m assuming , I’ll do some research to see if I need to check for more

With live or frozen food. They can also be found as food and some manufacturers have freeze dried gammarus in their assortment.

If I did miss this one on defrosting the fish didn’t like the look of it .... I feed with a spatula so that’s why I ruled out food