Parasite on Neocaridina?

[eatyourpeas]

Hello,
Today I found one of my RCS with a white wiggle coming out of the right side towards the back of his head. From what I can gather, it looks like a parasite. I am also wondering if it is an injury to one of his legs). I have put him in separate jar after giving it a salt dip. The shell is pushed out a bit when looking at it from the front, back or top. Since I do not have a heater I put him in a small room that stays warmer than the rest of the house.

He is one of the offspring and has been in the tank since birth about two months. There are about 50 shrimp and he was the only one showing this issue. Tank has had no changes, heavily planted, lots of RCS and one kuhli loach (Igi the shrimp nanny). I recently started feeding frozen food (San Francisco Bay Brand), otherwise shrimp pellets, crab cuisine, the occasional zucchini and spinach (all organic). Water changes 20% once a week with substrate vacuum. Seachem Flourish tabs.

Tank parameters:
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Nitrates: <20 ppm
pH: 7.0 ppm
GH: 30 ppm
KH: 80 ppm
Temp: 76F

Running two sponge filters, heater, light on for 8 hours.

Any suggestions, diagnostics help, please?

 

[Colin_T]

can we get a clear picture of it?

 

[itiwhetu]

Hello,
Today I found one of my RCS with a white wiggle coming out of the right side towards the back of his head. From what I can gather, it looks like a parasite. I am also wondering if it is an injury to one of his legs). I have put him in separate jar after giving it a salt dip. The shell is pushed out a bit when looking at it from the front, back or top. Since I do not have a heater I put him in a small room that stays warmer than the rest of the house.
View attachment 120789
He is one of the offspring and has been in the tank since birth about two months. There are about 50 shrimp and he was the only one showing this issue. Tank has had no changes, heavily planted, lots of RCS and one kuhli loach (Igi the shrimp nanny). I recently started feeding frozen food (San Francisco Bay Brand), otherwise shrimp pellets, crab cuisine, the occasional zucchini and spinach (all organic). Water changes 20% once a week with substrate vacuum. Seachem Flourish tabs.

Tank parameters:
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Nitrates: <20 ppm
pH: 7.0 ppm
GH: 30 ppm
KH: 80 ppm
Temp: 76F

Running two sponge filters, heater, light on for 8 hours.
View attachment 120788
Any suggestions, diagnostics help, please?

Love the tank, but know nothing about these guys you are talking about

 

[eatyourpeas]

Yes, it is morning here. He is still alive, swimming (a bit lopsided) and not panicking or anything. Eating the shrimp pellet I put in. Hard to get a good picture with my one and only camera (phone), but here they are. I am trying to figure out if one of his legs is missing and this a rip injury.

Thanks so much for looking into it, @Colin_T

 

[eatyourpeas]

Update: he is slowing down, hanging upside down on a red root floater. Body "wound" has not changed.

 

[Colin_T]

The shrimp is still out of focus so no idea what is wrong.

It is not about the missing leg.

-------------------
If you want to try something, add 2 heaped tablespoons of rock salt for every 20 litres of water. Keep the salt in there for 2-4 weeks. See what happens.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Thank you, @Colin_T !

I moved him back to his tank today. He is eating, his side is still protruding a bit, but other than that he seems almost back to normal. I apologize for the pictures, but could not get a better one. Hoping he gets over this.

 

[eatyourpeas]

The shrimp is still out of focus so no idea what is wrong.

It is not about the missing leg.

-------------------
If you want to try something, add 2 heaped tablespoons of rock salt for every 20 litres of water. Keep the salt in there for 2-4 weeks. See what happens.

Well, the little guy molted! I have never seen the shell opening from the side like that, but he is looking and acting normal. Cleaning the tank today, so that always helps.