Cleaner shrimp about to molt?

My cleaner shrimp has been hiding behind the rocks all day, well at least since i've come home from work. This is not like him, he's usually up in front and jumping around on all the rocks and window screen, i see his antena behind a rock, and just now has partially come out from behind it. But this still is not like the active shrimp i know.

Is this a process of molting, mainly hiding behind a rock and not being active?

 

bump, he was just out for a few seconds to eat, then went back behind the rocks, deffiently not himself

 

what kind of a cleaner is he?

 

He could have found a spot to set up his cleaning station that hey may like... Mine come out at random times to eat or for whatever reason. I doubt its molting, unless he already molted then they tend to hide.

 

If he does start molting beware. My peppermint shrimp was molting when a current picked him up and blew him out in the open.... then, a nessarious snail rose up and ate him alive

 

skunk.

would he setup a station even though none of the fish let him clean them? i'm really hoping it's not going to be behind the rocka s he's always so active.

I see him poking out over his hiding rock trying to grab one of the clowns then going back behind it

 

wow, i'm hoping the inverts wont eat mine when/if he's molting, i like him to much

 

Not really sure how to answer this one Puffer :-/. He should be OK, if this is his first time molting in your tank it might be kind of stressful to him/her. I do know they can regenerate their antenna. Usually when they are about to molt, they will stretch out and try to expand their exoskeleton. It is kind of amusing to watch.

 

Puffy, did your hand fall off yet? I see your still alive though!

 

if he is about to molt i'm hoping i can see it, and catch the skin before the inverts eat it to give it to my puffer, i want to see what he does with the shell