White Stripe Down Cherry Shrimp Body

[FLFishChik]

 

I noticed this today on my Cherry shrimp. It’s way more pronounced on camera than it is in person. These Shrimp were moved from their 3g tank ( because it was difficult to maintain) to the 29g community tank about a week ago. They are eating and seem otherwise normal. Another Cherry has a whitish carapace ( doesn’t show up at all on camera) but she seems ok too. All 6 look like they are doing ok otherwise. Any ideas?

[SimmonsSnailsNScales]

No need to be concerned. I believe they are getting ready to molt. As shrimp grow larger they have to shed their current exoskeleton so that they can grow bigger. Pretty soon your shrimp will start bending themselves in half and eventually slip out of their exoskeleton and you will see clear floppy versions of your shrimp laying at the bottom of your tank. Just leave those in there and your shrimp will probably eat them eventually to regain those nutrients needed to keep growing their new skeleton.

Your water parameters are nearly identical to mine and my shrimp are doing great so far. 

So just to be clear. The white lines you see is where their exoskeleton has already separated from their body.

[FLFishChik]

Thank you! That makes me feel a lot better! I was worried the move might have stressed them out in some way. 

[JettsPapa]

I'll have to disagree with the reply above.  That doesn't indicate a readiness to molt.  However, it's not anything to worry about.  It's commonly called a "racing stripe", and is just a characteristic of some shrimp.  It will commonly get wider, with more ragged edges, as the shrimp ages.

It's fairly common with red shrimp and very common on yellow ones, but I don't think I've ever seen a blue shrimp or rili shrimp that had it.

[Guppysnail]

I agree with @JettsPapa  I have red, orange and wild type that get the racing stripe. I did have yellow sold to me as gold race stripe shrimp at one point. Now the stripe pops up randomly. 

[Patrick_G]

Some of my red shrimp develop that type of stripe also. I’ve wondered if it’s an indicator of something or just a color variation. 

[eatyourpeas]

Mine, including the blues, start showing a tripe as they get older, and the females seem to show them earlier, especially if they get berried often.

[FLFishChik]

Thanks everyone! I was really worried for a bit. None of my shrimp have ever been berries (mainly because it was difficult to keep water parameters in the 3g cube they were in) but have noticed since moving them to the 29g they are currently saddled and far happier! Hoping for some babies soon!