Black Stuff On Shrimp, Shell Disease

[atmmachine816]

Hate to just ask questions when I haven't been on much but I've been really busy. I've noticed two small black things on my peppermint shrimp. There just on the outside and look sort of like flakes. I noticed them after he recently molted last week. I checked water parameters, everything is at zero and pH is 8.2. He's still acting fine and normal. anybody know what this is?

thanks

 

[SkiFletch]

COULD be shell disease or it could just be an imperfection blemish after its most recent moult. If the spot gets bigger during the next moult, its shell disease, if it gets smaller, stays the same size, or disappears after the next moult, its just a blemish. Unfortunately there's no way to treat shell disease so just wait it out and see. Also remember, peppermint shrimp have a very short life-cycle.

 

[atmmachine816]

Ok thanks. I didn't know they had a short life span. How short are you talking about?

 

[SkiFletch]

Well depends how big you buy it at, but generally ~2-3 years by the time we get them in captivity

 

[atmmachine816]

O well that's not bad, I'm used to my ghost shrimp living short lives. I got the smallest they had, which is also the cheapest go figure

 

[atmmachine816]

I found it dead this morning. It must have been shell disease. What I read about it before and what I can find about it now is there's no cure like you said and sometimes they just get it after the molt. But is it a sign of poor water quality? I also found it right outside my emerald crabs cave, does this show anything?

thanks

 

[SkiFletch]

It CAN be a sign of too much light, but that's usually only the case with lots of high powered T5s or halides.

 

[atmmachine816]

Ya I only have pc's and there's a lot of rock for it to hide in. I guess I'll have to get another one. there's nothing that I did wrong right, shell disease just happens? Or is it that I did something. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...p;#entry1608182