Cleaner shrimp getting stif/falling apart.

[Siegemaster]

I have had a cleaner shrimp for about1.5-2 years now, he is quite large and maybe old? but latley he has been losing feelers and one of his legs, and his remaining feelers look stiff and seem to have permanent bends in them. they no longer look fluid and flexible like they used to. I am wondering if this could be a suplementation issue. I give the tank a little bit of trace elements, but no calcium or iodine as the salt I mix says it is pre suplemented for use with RO water. I also wondered if my Emerald crabs may be going after him, but they have been together for some time with seemingly no problems. the tank in a 4G nano with softies and inverts only. any ideas?

 

[seahorsedreams]

As some of these guys get larger they can have difficult molts. Sometimes joints stiffen (if you will). Keep up on water quality, maybe test your iodine (don't dose without testing) and your calcium and hand feed him to encourage a molt to get rid of the "skin he's in". If he has a good molt he should be better next time around.

 

[Siegemaster]

ok, thats sounds good, any chance that he will regrow the lost feelers or leg? probably not I suspect.

 

[RicksReefs]

it should get both antennae and legs back after a molt or two.

 

[Siegemaster]

excelent! thanks for the info!