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Let's talk about molting


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How many times you read a topic about dying shrimp while or after molting? I think most of the time it has to do with water parameters but how come just some shrimp affected but not the others? is there other factors that can cause a shrimp to die during or after molting?

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Molts are when a shrimp casts off its shell in order to grow in size.In order  to molt there must be enough minerals in the water. Different type of shrimps are required a different parameters, however in general most people maintain from 4-6 dGH (there is also a relationship between your Ph and Gh as well).Shrimps are intaking minerals in the water more than their foods.

When the shell has hardened enough from minerals and the expanding of their body burst out of the old shell.

 

The rate of molting in juveniles is faster than the rate in adults.The adults shrimps take a much longer time to harden their shells than juveniles.

If your GH is too low makes molting easier, however it may cause issue with shell still remain soft and get stuck especially near the mouth area, causing death.

Now if too high of GH in water is actually bad for shrimp, it will cause the issue of their shell grows so well it's too hard to molt.

Also others factors you have to be aware as well. Let's say if temperature is low taking longer for eggs to be hatched but the shrimp is ready for molting then also would cause a problem.

 

Please make any correction if the above it's wrong..

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I heard contradicting view on minerals uptake, some said from food only, others said from both food and water. I believe the latter is true but I am not sure.

How about shrimp dying after molting? I mean the shell is completely out but the shrimp die after several hours or few days?

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So what about the clear horizontal line behind the head?  (You knew someone would start that. LOL)

Don't know. Tell me Soothing

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I heard contradicting view on minerals uptake, some said from food only, others said from both food and water. I believe the latter is true but I am not sure.

How about shrimp dying after molting? I mean the shell is completely out but the shrimp die after several hours or few days?

True that minerals are intake from both sources.

Shrimp dying after molting are too many variables. some likes

1. lack of calcium to develope new shell fast enough which vulnerable to bacteria infections.

2. Stress

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So what about the clear horizontal line behind the head?  (You knew someone would start that. LOL)

Hi Soothing

I would love to see you make a thread on Neos. Never have any experience with Neos and like to learn more before keeping them.

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Lots and lots and lots of info on Neos. :)

 

Abut the line behind head- some people believe it is because of too much protein.  Too much growth before ready to molt.

 

Others believe the minerals are a little off.  Mostly needing more magnesium.

I do want to learn lots on Neos from you ! Come on Soothing ....share with us!

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Really not much to share that isn't out there- and to be honest, my techniques won't work for everyone.  My best advice is that a Shrimper in the US has to listen to and read opinions on shrimping, then draw your own judgements from that according to what works for you.

 

As an example, I've had very good breeding between 300-400 TDS.  This year I decided to do differently and drop to 150-200TDS.  Also I pulled all my heaters and am letting the environment change at will.  Are these good ideas?  Yes and no.  They work for some shrimpers, and not for other shrimpers.  Heck, this may not work at all for me- but, I'm always experimenting and trying new things to increase my knowledge and husbandry. :)

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Really not much to share that isn't out there- and to be honest, my techniques won't work for everyone.  My best advice is that a Shrimper in the US has to listen to and read opinions on shrimping, then draw your own judgements from that according to what works for you.

 

As an example, I've had very good breeding between 300-400 TDS.  This year I decided to do differently and drop to 150-200TDS.  Also I pulled all my heaters and am letting the environment change at will.  Are these good ideas?  Yes and no.  They work for some shrimpers, and not for other shrimpers.  Heck, this may not work at all for me- but, I'm always experimenting and trying new things to increase my knowledge and husbandry. :)

I know most of people do not use heater. I have not dare to do it yet, My shrimps are berried very good and i thought i would have some lower grade to put them in separate tank to test without heater but i have not seen one that i am willing to test yet ! LOL........ There you go......That is my special technique to have a good offspring. Telling my shrimps if they are not making the grade then they will be guinea pigs for experimental! LOL

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In my case the heater made my temp unstable. . It stays within a degree without. ..

Derek

How is the heater made temp unstable?

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Maybe you have a bad heater or the watts are not enough for your tank water volume.

It's pretty common for the cheaper heaters to not be accurate with their temperature dial.  Having said that, they do tend to hold steady withwhatever you dial in though.  Hence the need for the manual one to be accurate.

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Abut the line behind head- some people believe it is because of too much protein. Too much growth before ready to molt.

Others believe the minerals are a little off. Mostly needing more magnesium.

Interesting. I have seen the line many times and worried, but don't usually find a dead one after. (And I've never caught my shrimp eating the evidence, at least not yet.)

So, I guess I've found that the line isn't a death sentence, though maybe a sign I should try to tweak the minerals a little more. Do others see this too?

ETA: As for heaters, mine was always set to 84, but reliably kept the tank at 72 through the winter. :)(Verified by the old school glass suction cup thermometer) I pulled it out when our ambient temp was above the point the heater was on, just in case it decided to go bonkers and cook the tank.

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