Gets me every time!

Jess

Jess

Member
6 years in and I still gasp everytime I see this:

0912091040.jpg


But then I see the other set of "whiskers" and am like *whew*. :smirk:
 
M

MrPex

Member
I had the reverse happen to me last month... I was doing my morning tank check before work and I saw skunk cleaner molt pinned to the intake on my Koralia. I thought, "oh cool, Fred molted again, right on schedule!" Fred had been molting about every 3 weeks.

But then I noticed it WAS Fred. And Fred was ded. No more Fred no more.

So now, Fred's replacement, 'Bob (short for kabob) has to be found every morning or I stress a bit until I can see him...
 
Jess

Jess

Member
Poor Fred!!!

Ya I just got this fireshrimp last week and I was sure he was a gonner.... but alas, Mr. E lives on!
 
proenca

proenca

Member
lol Jess.. I feel your pain : I had 6-7 shrimps and I was used to see them molt but still ... everytime I was looking and getting scared :)
 
Jess

Jess

Member
Ya proenca, my heart drops every time. But let me ask you this, friends, do you take the molt out of the tank or leave it? My Scopas tang keeps picking at it ha.
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
I leave mine - they disappear fairly quickly - eaten by the CUC I think, or they just dissolve via bacteria?
 
M

MrPex

Member
I leave mine (just molted this morn after i first posted to this thread, lol)... it just swirls around and breaks up into small pieces in a day or so then dissolves. CUC can use the calcium.
 
M

MrPex

Member
Hey Jess- how are the fires down there? I was in Bakersfield/Santa Clarita week before last on business, enjoying the smoke!
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
Not to get too technical, but the main component of the exosekeleton (molt) of shrimp & crustaceans is actually chitin (not chiton as in the chiton critters). I'm not sure that any calcium is even a component of the molts. :)
 
M

MrPex

Member
Wiki'd chitin... empirical formula is (C8H13O5N)n... hmm, no Ca... interesting! Seems to be more of a gelatin (like paintball skin) than anything else...

Thanks for pointing that out, reef!
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
Welcome! Calcium would be the logical thing to assume, but it doesn't seem to be involved at all. It's that 100 year old biology degree that has me remember some of this stuff LOL!
 
Jess

Jess

Member
Mr - they are much better, and under control. Fizzling out if you will :).

Do you live in So Cal?
 
M

MrPex

Member
No, I'm from that state just above yours, The State of Northern California. lol... I live in Antelope, it's a 'burb of Sacramento. I was just down there for work for a week...
 
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