Is this a molting issue or something else?

[ekcrowley7]

So I came home tonight to this discovery. I don't know what happened. I am new to the shrimp keeping world, but this doesn't seem normal. I've had my shrimp for about 3 months now, 5 adults, and since have had 8 babies. This is the first loss.
I have looked through several other threads, but I haven't found anything describing anything like this. And I've seen dead shrimp before....nothing like this...

Did the saddle explode??? is that even possible? Or did it just start molting and die?
This is not a leech. I did ask this same question on a different forum and several people kept trying to tell me it was. This was part of the shrimp itself. Like it's shell broke off and turned BROWNISH and just curled up a bit like a collar.

Also I do not have a water heater in my tank, so it is not a burn. Water has always been about 73.

And of course, the dead shrimp has been removed from the tank.

[Mustafa]

Sorry to see what happened to your shrimp. I've seen this before. It usually is a symptom of adverse water conditions. It either happens after the shrimp dies, or sometimes even while the shrimp is still alive (and about to die). The exact cause is unknown but it *always* comes with adverse water parameters (high pH = high unionized ammonia, bacterial bloom, mini-cycle etc.). If only 8 babies survived from 5 females, then there is definitely something wrong. Are you using a water conditioner? What is the pH and kh of your tap water and aquarium water?