Shrimp Molt?

[jrhein]

Does anyone know whether its good to leave the shrimp molt in the tank or do you take it out?

[Jenn]

I leave mine in too - its been happening a lot lately!

[jrhein]

Cool...They will stay where they are then. Thanks for the help...

[matt]

If you can get it, I'd remove it. I think there's a lot of phosphate in old shrimp shells. I can't remember where I heard that, so consider it unreliable info!

[Instar]

I leave it in b/c its good food if something will eat it. Like fiber. That shell is made of chiton. Its only trouble if it floats around and gets stuck real good in a hard coral and thats not likely. If your tank was contaminated with a heavy metal of something, then it might be good to take it out. If your tank is cultured up real good, the thing will be gone in short order. Its also a good temporary breeding ground for some tiny little micro creatures.

[Instar]

No, I don't think so. I don't think the trace that is there returns to soluable iodine. Iodine is used and may be in soft tissue as well as a catalyst for reaction to shed. Trace elements are normally either consumed and dumped or borrowed and returned as ions. I don't really remember following the iodine all the way thru there on that one, so someone jump on in if I'm wrong here. There is at least one widely published marine guy that believes adding iodine is not necessary b/c its returned. Since he has a PHD after his name, people tend to jump on his band wagon. Trouble with his theory on iodine is that it is mostly wrong and is not in agreement with recent scientific studies.

[Henry]

I too always left mine in. Never had any ill effects. They were usually gone pretty quick. Never found out where they went.

[captexas]

In a similar question, anyone have their emerald crabs molt? I have come home a couple of times to find what looks like a dead emerald crab only to find out it is an empty body. I got two crabs not too long ago and for some reason one of them has tripled in size already! I left the last empty body in the tank and everything was eaten except the hard top shell plate.

[GaryP]

I think all crustaceans molt occasionally. Its the only way that they can grow since they are stuck inside a rigid exoskeleton. The molt is high in iodine but I don't think it would be returned to a soluble form in the water cloumn. Its probably incorporated into the biomass of whatever eats or digests it.

Gary

[GaryP]

Just did some quick checking about chitin. Its chemically similar to a carbohydrate so I'm sure someone in the tank is going to be happy to eat it.

In case anyone is interested, check the following link.

http://www.psrc.usm.edu/macrog/sea/chitin.htm

Gary