Weird growth on peppermint shrimp

dstienmann · Nov 4, 2016

Is this normal, this is my first batch!

It's only on one side of him, maybe it's my banded shrimp that disappeared ?

They've been in qt for about 4 days

Triggreef · Nov 4, 2016

I have no guesses, but i had one with exactly the same thing on it. I have no idea what ever happened to it as i had a bunch of them at the time. But i know it didn't seem to have an ill effect on the shrimp. I figured it to be some sort of parasite.

haleyf1024 · Nov 9, 2016

It's an Isopod. From what I remember when I researched it before, there are conflicting theories as to what the effects are to the shrimp. Most people said that the shrimp lived a normal life and the isopod didn't bother it. Others said it is like a vampire, and will weaken the shrimp until it dies. Then I have even heard that people had isopods spread to other shrimp/fish when the original host molted. I'd see what you can find online. I know they can be removed with a razor blade, tweezers, patience and a steady hand, though. Google "peppermint shrimp isopod surgery."

Triggreef · Nov 10, 2016

haleyf1024 said:
It's an Isopod. From what I remember when I researched it before, there are conflicting theories as to what the effects are to the shrimp. Most people said that the shrimp lived a normal life and the isopod didn't bother it. Others said it is like a vampire, and will weaken the shrimp until it dies. Then I have even heard that people had isopods spread to other shrimp/fish when the original host molted. I'd see what you can find online. I know they can be removed with a razor blade, tweezers, patience and a steady hand, though. Google "peppermint shrimp isopod surgery."

Interesting