Actually witnessed a CRS molting!

[Neonshrimp]

Not more than 30 seconds ago I just witness one of the neatest shrimp experiences I have had since I started in the hobby I just saw one of my CRS molt right on top of the sponge filter.

I first thought it was attcking/fighting with another shrimp but then the other shrimp was white. Then it looked bazaar as the shedding shell was actually stretched to the point where it looked like rubber , looking like the alien popping out of an abdomen from the Alien movies

The shrimp then broke through the back of the molting shell by standing straight up and stretching. The old shell just popped open like a baloon and the shrimp just ploped out The shrimp had a hard time standing for a few second and looked like it wanted to hide inbetween the ridges of the filter. It then swam off and I started to post this experience.

Wow, I always wanted to watch a shrimp molt and heard of other hobbyist's experiences but never did untl now Please let me know if you have had the same experience. Was it the same as I described?

[RCSGuy]

Wow sure sounds like an amazing experience! I never actually thought of it but it must really look like an alien coming out of someone elses body That is really cool, I hope to witness this some day. I'm going to look for some videos, it must be hard to get it on camera but it's the internet

[badflash]

I've seen triops, amanos and M. Rosenbergii, but never cherry shrimp or bamboo. They are more secretive when they molt. Looks pretty much like you describe. It is amazing.

What I find the most magical is the period right after the molt. Their new skin is sort of folded up under the old and it inflates to make a bigger shrimp. Until it does they are pretty much helpless.

[Gregor Samsa Mendel]

Some months back, I caught a couple of my red cherries molting and mentioned it here. To me, it always looked like the shrimp was sneezing itself out of its old skin. It happens very quickly.