# Dying Cherry?!



## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

Hey, I purchased three cherry shrimp from Big Als. One of which came to me already pregnant. I found this one laying on its side as if it were dead the next day. Figuring it was dead, I did a water change and siphoned the sucker out. As I was examining the shrimp, it jerked back and started living again. This cherry is now quarantined in a small container with a plant in it. I should also mention that while i was siphoning, I found one of my otos dead and two ghost shrimp carcasses. I've never had ghost shrimp in that tank. I'm happy the cherry is doing fine right now but why was it like that?


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## Bigdaddyo (Jan 23, 2010)

It could have been molting. I've noticed that laying on the side and then jerking motion several times. Did you notice an exoskeleton shell?


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

Bigdaddyo said:


> It could have been molting. I've noticed that laying on the side and then jerking motion several times. Did you notice an exoskeleton shell?


Could that ghost shrimp carcass actually be the moulted shell?? Do tehy moult while being pregnant?


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## colio (Dec 8, 2012)

Kimchi24 said:


> Could that ghost shrimp carcass actually be the moulted shell?? Do tehy moult while being pregnant?


Yeah, I've made the same mistake. That was not a ghost shrimp, it was the skin from one of your cherries. When shrimp die, they are usually not clear, but turn a sort of pink/orange. That is if they don't get gobbled up by their tank mates first!


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

colio said:


> Yeah, I've made the same mistake. That was not a ghost shrimp, it was the skin from one of your cherries. When shrimp die, they are usually not clear, but turn a sort of pink/orange. That is if they don't get gobbled up by their tank mates first!


Its funny because that exact shrimp just gave birth. i have little shrimplets now!


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## PerryW (Feb 20, 2012)

That is awsome. Molding while berried. Not sure how common it is but nice to know. Congrats on the shrimplets


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Congratulations on the new babies !!

For berried shrimp to molt often isn't a good sign. You either change water too much/often or other factors to induce frequent molts. And when a berried female molts most likely they will leave most of the eggs in the old shell. Do less water change when there are berried shrimps in the tank.


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## xriddler (Feb 16, 2012)

randy said:


> Congratulations on the new babies !!
> 
> For berried shrimp to molt often isn't a good sign. You either change water too much/often or other factors to induce frequent molts. And when a berried female molts most likely they will leave most of the eggs in the old shell. Do less water change when there are berried shrimps in the tank.


awwww i wish i knew that earlier maybe that's why 7 of my pregnant shrimp dropped all the eggs boo urns i didnt know they did that molt and drop eggs. Well that and harassment from my fishes i guess


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

xriddler said:


> awwww i wish i knew that earlier maybe that's why 7 of my pregnant shrimp dropped all the eggs boo urns i didnt know they did that molt and drop eggs. Well that and harassment from my fishes i guess


Young females have tendency to drop their first clutch, but with fish in the same tank (or any other kind of stress) it's more likely to happen. They don't always molt and drop, a lot of times, they just drop


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## xriddler (Feb 16, 2012)

sad thing was 2 of them had been pregnant for at least 3 weeks and i saw little eyes before they dropped. they didnt give birth though cause i do not see any shrimplets in my tank at all.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

xriddler said:


> sad thing was 2 of them had been pregnant for at least 3 weeks and i saw little eyes before they dropped. they didnt give birth though cause i do not see any shrimplets in my tank at all.


Sometimes, shrimplets would hide very well so don't be too surprised if you see a bunch of babies in a few days.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Too true. Baby shrimp are very, very good at hiding. It is a survival trait for them. Once they grow some, they'll be easier to see, if there are any.


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

The shrimp is now dead  I came home from work only to see it dead. Just in case I've been tricked once more, I've put it in her own little tank.


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## xriddler (Feb 16, 2012)

As soon as your shrimp died i found a dead shrimp in my tank too


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Sometimes it gets discouraging, but keep on trying.

Next time you think you're seeing a dead Ghost shrimp, take something like a clean chopstick or the end of a net handle and poke the 'dead shrimp'. I think you will find it is only the shed shell from a moult, which will just float or roll away from you, and it will be clear there's nothing else there but a shell. They often just roll round until they're eaten. 

Don't remove them from the tank so long as there are live shrimp, because they do eat the moulted shells to recycle the calcium they contain. If all the shrimp have died, then do remove a moulted shell, as it might foul the water with no shrimp to eat it.


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