Cleaner shrimp has vanished

19jonesy86 · Sep 8, 2016

So got home from work today and noticed my cleaner shrimp wasn't out and about doing his thing! Upon close inspection found some of his antenna stuck amongst the rocks!? Has he molt or died?

We have a 90ltr tank water parameters are all good, fish, coral and other inverts are honky dory!

I don't know what to think as I know we have a pistol shrimp in there and he is grumpy always snapping away just hope he hasn't killed him! Anyone have any ideas?

marine2463 · Sep 8, 2016

If he just molted he will hide for the day till his exo grows back

bruleyii · Sep 8, 2016

Mine always hides when it molts. If you dont see it after a day or 2 it may be dead somewhere.

19jonesy86 · Sep 8, 2016

Ok I'll give it a day or 2 and come back!

Scubafrog · Sep 8, 2016

Yes, sometimes before and after they molt they will hide but usually you will see the molted skin in the tank.

I had a Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp for over a year and a half that was healthy and molting regularly that just disappeared one day. This is in a 29G Biocube so I figured I would be able to find him. I assume he died and became part of the reef. Never found any remains.

USMC 4 LIFE · Sep 8, 2016

How often do they molt?

marine2463 · Sep 8, 2016

Never kept track but I want to say once a month (ish)

Tahoe61 · Sep 8, 2016

Molting is based on growth, feed more and they grow faster and molt more often.
The exoskeleton is soft after a molt leaving the shrimp vulnerable so they hunker down until the exoskeleton hardens.
Molting is pretty stressful, insufficient trace elements can alter molt rates and lead to death during a molt.

FishLover01 · Sep 8, 2016

I'm sure he's probably just molting and will appear soon. However, I had that same problem one time in a FOWLR tank with a peppermint shrimp. He was in the molting stage and a chocolate chip starfish took advantage of it. I lifted the chocolate chip up and my shrimp wa's being consumed. Not good!

skipb1956 · Sep 9, 2016

I had mine for 2 months with all my fish and one day i watched as my fish ate him.

19jonesy86 · Sep 9, 2016

This guy has been with everyone for 18 months or so! So I have no clue! He still hasn't reappeared today!

bruleyii · Sep 12, 2016

If he hasnt showed up by now, I would more than likely chalk it up as a lost shrimp.

19jonesy86 · Sep 12, 2016

Yeah did a water change yesterday and moved the rock scape as didn't like the way it was and he's no where to be seen! :-/

bruleyii · Sep 12, 2016

Bummer. Sorry man. Maybe something got it while it molted.

19jonesy86 · Sep 12, 2016

Yeah that's what I'm thinking, got two 4 striped damsels and the big one is feisty as hell, so I'm thinking it was him

coltbill · Jun 13, 2024

FishLover01 said:
I'm sure he's probably just molting and will appear soon. However, I had that same problem one time in a FOWLR tank with a peppermint shrimp. He was in the molting stage and a chocolate chip starfish took advantage of it. I lifted the chocolate chip up and my shrimp wa's being consumed. Not good!

Mine disappeared and nothing found

H4Stewart · Jun 14, 2024

I had a nice cleaner shrimp doing nicely in my take, and foolishly I had two Damsels and next day it was shread - but I remove the rock and clean up the pieces. I though I lost the fire shrimp but found it later.

I also have a chocolate chip starfish but it has no problem. I got it at same time as cleaner and had no problems with it.

I will never put in Damsels in my tank again.