Sexy Shrimp Decimated

[Pelagic One]

So I wake up, feed the tank, walk away for a bit and find my lone sexy shrimp is all torn to shreds! No, I won’t post a picture...

But who might have been the culprit amongst this first round of livestock in this six-week-old, 100 gallon tank?

All Small 2-3 inch fish:
- (2) ocellaris clowns
- (3) blue/green chromis
- (2) banghai cardinals
- (1) yellow coris wrasse
- (1) yellow tang

Inverts:
- (2) emerald crabs

From previous posts I’m guessing one or both of the emerald crabs may be the assassin.

Thoughts? Experiences? Witnessed it in the past, perhaps?

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

I'd put the coris wrasse pretty high on the list of suspects.

 

[andrewkw]

Are you sure it's not a molt? You mention just a 6 week old tank.

I would think the coris wrasse and potentially the bangais would eat the shrimp but I don't think they would tear it apart without eating. If it's not a molt and torn apart I would think perhaps fighting with the emerald crabs. There are a lot of possibilities, too many for someone to tell you for sure what to remove if you want more sexy shrimp.

 

[Pelagic One]

Thanks for the quick responses!

The tank flow pushed everything into the rockwork, so I can’t tell if it just molted or if it was really eaten. It was a lone shrimp, so if it shows up later, I’ll know my answer and will share my findings. If not, that’ll be my last shrimp for now.

Okay, now it’s time to read up on molting.

 

[Pelagic One]

Just wanted to close the loop on this thread, and hopefully enlighten other newbies so they won’t look as funny as I may have above...

So I wake up early, stare at the tank under the lunar LEDs, and I see two moving white antenna tips, barely visible between the rocks. Since I’ve only bought one shrimp a couple weeks ago, that has to be our guy!

So molting really is a thing. No Soprano actions are being undertaken by my fish or emerald crabs. That shrimp simply shed his carapace, including antennae and eye covers, and was not viciously attacked. Gotta love our fellow, but more aware, reefers who can put us at ease quickly.

I’ll feel silly for a few more days, or until I see another newbie posting in a panick about their very own molted shrimp!

 

[netdawg]

sign of a healthy shrimp. If you can find a small bottle you may want to dose Iodine on occasion as well to help the crusties out during the molts