How often...

[BankerJohn]

How often is normal for a Skunk Cleaner Shrimp to molt? I'm not panicking, just have not had good experience in the past with them. The SCS I have has shed twice in the month that I have had him/her and I'm wondering if this is normal, abnormal, a sign of good things or caused from excess stress. Hmmm?

 

[gatorolsen]

growing = molting

my pistol shrimp molts anywhere from 1 x every other month to twice a month

my pepermint and skunk have been as frequent as 2 x month

shrimp and lobsters can get a bit stressed at molting time but as long as eating well and water chemistry is good so they have the elements they need for "shell" or "skin" development

FYI lobsters (not sure if same for shrimp - earnie is the expert with those) but molting can be related to mating - if a male finds a female already carrying eggs from another male sometimes he can entice molting so in effect she molts her old skin and thus drops eggs from the other male leaving her receptive to mating with him and carrying his eggs - the male lobster will even stay with the female and protect her right after she sheds her old skin until it firms up enough where she isn't defenseless

nature is so cool