# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Killifish >  Killies eating shrimps' shells

## gary35111

My cherry shrimps are shedding off their shells and their red turning more vivid. Good. But the bad new is the shells lying scattered all over my tank.

I do try to remove the shell but there are times when these shells are discarded in between the lush of plants and very difficult to remove them without messsing out my tank. My young killies are chewing and munching these shells and one of them (female) actually swollow it! This worrys me.

Will these shells, if consumed by killies pose a health threat to them? Also, will undiscarded shells in my aquarium generate germs or bacteria which can harm my killies and ottos?

Gary

----------


## stormhawk

Nope the shells will disintegrate over time in the water. These are made of chitin, very much the same material that makes up our fingernails.

Killies may try to ingest the shells but they more often than usual will try to spit it out if it tastes odd. 

If it makes you uncomfortable however, remove them with a pair of long tweezers if you spot any.

----------

