Iodine

When i first bought my cleaner shrimp, blue leg hermits and coral banded, they seemed to shred a couple of days after putting them in my tank and then a couple of weeks later, now it seems they have slowed right down, its been about a month now since the last shred, maybe i need to dose, all i use is instant ocean salt, and do a water change 25% every month, should i dose with iodine, do i have to?

 

by shred do you mean molt?

 

yes sparky i mean molt )

 

No and no. Iodine encourages molting which is not something you want to do. The shrimp will molt on its own when it's ready to. Your regular water changes will provide all of the iodine you need.

 

even if i had say 20 hermits in a 55 gallon?

 

Most of your food has Iodine as well. You are dosing it daily whether you know it or not.

 

Even if you had 100

 

I did not know that!

 

I dose with iodine. Using just instant ocean I would, I think you should. I don't know why you would not want your inverts molting. Mine molt at least once a month, and all my shrimp are very healthy. Now my carbs are different I hardly ever see my hermit and other crabs molt. Seachems makes a good iodine product. I think it is hard to test for iodine. But it does get used up. Dose IMO.