# Iodine for shedding?



## Egmel (14 Oct 2008)

I seem to remember reading that iodine helps shrimps shed.

I ask because I found a second half shed dead shrimp this morning and I wonder if it might be because my water is too hard and they're having difficulty shedding properly.

Any recommendations?


----------



## Fred Dulley (14 Oct 2008)

Just leave them to it. Ample amounts of iodine in tap water so long as you do weekly water changes. I don't see full sheds because most likely a fish or a group of shrimp have dragged off with it.


----------



## Egmel (15 Oct 2008)

Fred Dulley said:
			
		

> Just leave them to it. Ample amounts of iodine in tap water so long as you do weekly water changes. I don't see full sheds because most likely a fish or a group of shrimp have dragged off with it.


I'm losing shrimp during their moult, the shedding skin splits in a couple of places but doesn't come off completely and they die.  It's not that I'm seeing half sheds, I'm finding shrimp bodies halfway through a moult.

My water report doesn't mention iodine, though it appears our hardness is still as high as ever at 281ppm CaCO3 (15.7dH)!

Further reading suggests it's not iodine in it's pharmacuitical form but reef iodide that people are using.  Most of it appears to be anecdotal though.


----------



## JamesC (15 Oct 2008)

Wouldn't have thought that adding iodine to the water would make much difference unless shrimp absorb it, but I could be wrong. By far the best thing to do is to feed them iodine rich foods. Aqua Essentials sell shrimp food or you could feed them some blanched spinach.

James


----------



## Egmel (15 Oct 2008)

JamesC said:
			
		

> By far the best thing to do is to feed them iodine rich foods. Aqua Essentials sell shrimp food or you could feed them some blanched spinach.


That's a good idea, I'll have a look through AE's shrimp food options.
*edit* reading what they say it looks like most of them get their iodine from kelp etc, so maybe I'll just increase the number of algae wafers I put in.  I had dropped the number about a week ago to try and reduce the pest snails but maybe I went too far.


----------



## Fred Dulley (15 Oct 2008)

Is it possible that during a molt (when shrimps are vulnerable because they are "soft" a while afterward) they are being attacked?


----------



## Steve Smith (15 Oct 2008)

I'd imagine if they were being attacked, there wouldn't be much left to identify as a problem with moulting.  It sounds asif the shrimp that Egmel is finding are literally intact, just half/out of their old shell.


----------



## Egmel (15 Oct 2008)

SteveUK said:
			
		

> I'd imagine if they were being attacked, there wouldn't be much left to identify as a problem with moulting.  It sounds asif the shrimp that Egmel is finding are literally intact, just half/out of their old shell.


On the button!


----------



## Joecoral (15 Oct 2008)

I know in reef tanks, some people add iodine in the form of Lugols solution to help with invertebrate moulting


----------



## Egmel (16 Oct 2008)

I did a bit more reading on this over the past 24 hrs, there is a *lot* of (often first hand) anecdotal evidence to suggest that adding 1 drop of reef iodide supplement per 10g of water when I do a water change may help with shrimp health and shouldn't do any harm to my fish or snails.

Since I can get this additive cheaply on ebay I think I'll give it a go and see if it makes a difference.


----------



## Aqua Essentials (18 Oct 2008)

I recommend feeding your shrimp a high quality food that will help them with molting.  This should stop any more issues.


----------



## fishgeek (19 Oct 2008)

i would second the sentiment in AE's reply
protein quality(certainly amino acid ratio) is important in growth and shedding problems

anyone got an fact on the iodine story, my impression was it started from a retail source that were promoting the use of an iodine supplement at the same time, just call me cynical


----------



## Dave Spencer (19 Oct 2008)

I was chatting to a guy in TGM the other week and had Sera Aquatan recommended to me because it contains Iodine. I am desperate to keep shrimp, but they just keep dying on me.

Dave.


----------



## LondonDragon (19 Oct 2008)

I feed my shrimp JBL Novo Crabs, and they love it, sinks straight to the bottom and doesn't break up easy so the shrimp have time to eat it before it breaks away and pollutes the water. I am looking to get some extra ones on my next AE order.


----------

