Bamboo Shrimp

Question
I have had my 60 gal tank for 6 months and it is completely cycled.  I have 6 platys, 2 Mollies, 6 tetras, jellybean ciclid, 2 golden snails.  I had a bamboo shrimp for about 4 months and now he has disappeared.  I looked everywhere under the decorations, in the plants, on the floor but can not find him.  If he died wouldn't there be a skeleton or something?

Answer
Hi Tim;

He may just be hiding very well. Shrimp and crabs shed their outer skins as they grow and they need to hide because they are very vulnerable during that time. The new shell underneath is very soft so until it hardens...they can disappear for a while. Many will also eat their old shell or the snails and fish will do so before you see it so you didn't even know. Hopefully that's all that is going on and he will come out again soon.  

Other considerably 'less than desirable' possibilities are; he jumped/climbed out of the tank, he died and was eaten, or he's inside the filter (if you have one he can get into). Hopefully not though...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins