# How often do fan shrimp moult ?



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Been away for a week clearing out Mom's townhouse now she has gone into long term care, leaving a friend to feed my cats and my tank. Came home to happy feline overlords, and the tank looked fine too. Plenty of plants in there, but not much livestock yet. 2 danios, 3 fan shrimp, 3 clams, one kuhli loach, though I'll be getting him some friends soon as I can. So today, for the first time I had to clean a bit of algae off the back tank wall, before I rinsed out the filter pads, and I thought I saw a dead shrimp. Thankfully, it was a moulted exoskeleton, not a deceased shrimp. I've had these little guys, must be about a month now.. so I was wondering if anyone knows about how often I should expect them to moult ? Near as I can see, the shrimp is healthy, so I guess the moult went ok. Just can't tell whether it was one of the females or the male that moulted.

Also, should I leave the shed exo in the tank for them to recycle or remove it ? I believe dwarf shrimps eat their shed exos, but I don't know if fan shrimp are able to do that too.


----------



## fubujubu (Jan 10, 2011)

I got two of the little guys. Simply awsome when they turn bright red. Have had mine since november and they have each molted once. I pulled the molts out. Iv let past crays and scorpions eat their own molts but never bothered with these.


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Thanks.. I've pulled it out 'cause it was just sitting there, and nobody was touching it. Didn't want it to rot in the tank. Guess fan shrimp don't recycle. Hope one of them turns red, though I read on one site they only do that near the end of their lives. I sincerely hope that's not the case.


----------



## fubujubu (Jan 10, 2011)

After about a week of having them they both turned and have stayed that way even now. Might have something to do with the diet.


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

What are you feeding yours ? So far, mine get finely ground flakes, sinking pellets, and I just got some algae wafers, but I don't know if they'll eat those yet. I was thinking of getting an algae culture to brew some green water for them, or maybe infusoria, but never have done either one. My pump had to go back and I can't get a replacement 'til Wednesday, but even with the pump they never showed the fan feeding behaviour... they stuck to foraging all over the bottom, rocks, wood and moss. I have not seen any of them open a fan to filter feed as yet. Maybe they will with the new pump when I get it installed, it's got a variable output, so I can fiddle with it a bit.


----------



## fubujubu (Jan 10, 2011)

Mine hang off some wood infront of my eheim wand. If they arnt there they are on plants by the surface under my bio wheel. They occasionally grab a veggie pellet but mainly just grab flakes. I mainly use Cobalt "pro feeder flakes"


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Thanks.. I'll be watching to see if mine start hanging out in the new pump current when I get the pump in. I've been feeding mainly the finely ground flakes, a mix of basic tropical and veggie, plus some pellets for the kuhlis and the mystery snail loves those.. he grabs any he finds. I got some frozen brine shrimp today, I'll be interested to see if they grab any of those.


----------



## fubujubu (Jan 10, 2011)

I would imagin that diet would bring out the colours. Iv heard people say the amount of activity in the tank effects it too. Tho mine are in a 46 community and theres a ton of fish in it. Best of luck to ya!


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Maybe I should get them some of those colour flakes ? I am seriously considering culturing algae, especially since I now have some Indian Whisker and ghost shrimp, and since their eggs hatch into free swimming larvae, they need algae and bbs, at the very least, to feed on until they transform into the adult form.


----------

