Just lost my skunk cleaner of 2 years and I feel so depressed. Pistol shrimp could be the culprit

[Subnautica]

Just after a few days I bought the 2nd skunk cleaner, the older one died. So sad... The two sticked together like a couple, but now the smaller shrimp is alone.

It was 10pm I looked in my tank and immediately noticed the goby had shrimp whiskers sticking out of his mouth. I freaked out and tried to look for the skunk cleaner, but only found the smaller one (new one that I just added).

If that was a molt then he must have been hiding somewhere, but I couldn't find him. I was thinking the pistol killed him during defense or something. That shrimp had been living along side with the pistol for 2 years and had no issue until now. Anyway I feel really depressed because I loved my old shrimp so much...

 

[i cant think]

Just after a few days I bought the 2nd skunk cleaner, the older one died. So sad... The two sticked together like a couple, but now the smaller shrimp is alone.

It was 10pm I looked in my tank and immediately noticed the goby had shrimp whiskers sticking out of his mouth. I freaked out and tried to look for the skunk cleaner, but only found the smaller one (new one that I just added).

If that was a molt then he must have been hiding somewhere, but I couldn't find him. I was thinking the pistol killed him during defense or something. That shrimp had been living along side with the pistol for 2 years and had no issue until now. Anyway I feel really depressed because I loved my old shrimp so much...

Mine always go into hiding after shedding, if you only found the antennae/whiskers in his mouth last night at 10pm then it could still be a moly and the shrimp is hardening the exoskeleton still. Mine hide for days after they shed.

 

[Subnautica]

Mine always go into hiding after shedding, if you only found the antennae/whiskers in his mouth last night at 10pm then it could still be a moly and the shrimp is hardening the exoskeleton still. Mine hide for days after they shed.

I was really hoping that. But I tried shining the flashlight all over my tank and couldn't find him... Hopefully when I wake up tomorrow he'll be there.

 

[Subnautica]

But from my experience fish don't eat invert molt...

 

[i cant think]

I was really hoping that. But I tried shining the flashlight all over my tank and couldn't find him...

They can hide really well sometimes, you never really know whether somethings dead or not. If there was still parts of the shrimp out then you could probably know from that but if there isn’t then it’s a mystery of if it’ll emerge.
I have lost my cleaners for days after they shed and they just show up like nothing happened.

 

[i cant think]

But from my experience fish don't eat invert molt...

I’ve had my wrasses go for the molt - There’s got to be Atleast some nutrients in the molt. I haven’t got a watchman goby so I can’t say whether they would go for it or not but my wrasses and butterfly definitely do go for the molt.
I’ve also had my mini maxi carpet anemone eat some of the molt along with my other inverts (Urchins and Crabs).

 

[Derrick0580]

My tiger pistol killed one of my skunk cleaners after a molt so he was banished to the sump!

 

[old salt reefer]

Google search says they only live 3 to 4 years and you have no way of knowing how old they are when you get them. That said having had many, the most I've ever got out of 1 is about 2 years, well except for the totally blind one I have now. It's been blind(white eyes)for the last 2 years and I had it about a year before it went blind. If you want a pretty shrimp that you most likely will never see get a blood red shrimp. The only way I know mines still alive is when I find it's molt.

 

[Cell]

Pretty sure my ywg will try to eat anything that fits in its mouth.

 

[PR_nano]

But from my experience fish don't eat invert molt...

To be fair he did eventually spit it out. This one is grumpy. I seen him drag a moribund peppermint shrimp under, bite the claw of a scarlet and grab this blue hermit crab molt.

Pretty sure my ywg will try to eat anything that fits in its mouth.

^^ This