Blood Shrimp is white or translucent

Hi, I am fairly new and need some help. My tank has been running for 6 - 7 weeks and I have been adding things slowly. I have even been bringing my water to the LFS for a second opinion to make sure I didn't screw up my tests.

I have a 55 gallon tank with 30 lbs of live rock, 2 Ocellaris Clownfish, 10 turbo snails, 6 Margarita Snails, 4 hermits, and one blood shrimp.

The shrimp and the clowns were the first things I have added over two weeks ago. This morning now that my shrimp actually left his hiding spot, almost his entire side was white or almost translucent.

The only thing that I had done recent is add my first corals, a blue mushroom frag and polyp frag, as well as top off some evaporated water.

The only thing I can think of to save this shrimp is to do a 20% water change when I get home from work. Does this sound familiar or do you have any suggestions?

** Sorry I couldnt get a pick because this guy was only out of his cave for a brief moment.

Steve

 

it might be getting readdy to shed but to be safe i'd stop adding stuff for awhile.let the tank adjust to everything you've added before putting more stuff in.

 

Many times when shrimp are stressed/scared they turn whitish, this occurs esp. during transport. I would keep an eye on him and check salinity and your other params, other than that I would recommend to sit tight at the moment.

Good luck

 

Are you sure this whitish looking shrimp is actually the shrimp. Has it moved? If its not moving its most likely its molt. Shrimp tend to hide after they molt and leave their molted skin out in the open.
If this is the case, its a good sign, shrimp tend to molt when they are happy and growing

 

Thanks for all the responses. If it is molting that would be the best case scenario, but I think it is closer to Dr. Fragenstein's assessment. I have added fresh water to top off my aquarium this morning and some last night and I know they are sensitive to salinity. I will bust out the hydrometer when I get home.

So far unless my salinity is very messed up, it doesnt sound fatal. I hate making $50 or $60 mistakes.

Thanks all.

 

You might also want to check your iodine levels. I recently had similar prob with my blood shrimp losing their colour. Have started dosing small amounts of iodine and colour has come right back.

 

But be careful dosing Iodine in a tank. If done wrong it can wipe ya out.

 

*** Update

Thanks all for helping out the ultimate Newbie.

The crisis was averted as it was only a molted exoskeleton. Wow, it is amazing how close to the real thing it looks. :-[

But I have learned my lesson and I am not adding anything to my tank for quite some time.

Thank again to everyone!

 

thats good. I thought my shrimp had died when he first molted, it took a few min. to realize what had happened.

 

I think that just about everyone has made that mistake the first time they saw a shrimp (or crab) molt - I certainly did;D

Some pics of your tank would be nice to see.