Emerald crab molted - WOW

[chiqui bb]

I put an emerald crab in my tank on Oct. 16th to help with the "new tank" algae problem (he did a bang up job). His body was about the size of a dime and he had these cute little pincher arms. Well.....he molted Friday night and like most people with their first crab, I thought he was dead. I found him (actually, his shell) on the sand bed upside down. It appeared to be a fully intact crab. I went to get the net to fish him out only to realize that he was not dead, but hanging on the rock where I usually see him. I pulled out the old shell and went for my tweezers (I wanted to examine it in detail). I was having a difficult time trying to figure out how he got out of that shell as there seemed to be no cracks in it. I then realized that the top of the shell hinges open and, voila!, the inside was empty. Incredible! I went to the tank to see the new and improved crab. He doubled in size!!! He now has big beefy forearms with spikes. I think I'm going to call him Popeye. Has anyone else had an emerald crab that doubled in size? How did that big body fit in the old, small shell? I would have loved to see the molt in progress.

 

[SeattleDarko]

I know what you mean, I just had one molt and I took it out and had to look at it under a microscope...it really would be cool to see them get of it some time, its like they have a little zipper.

 

[chiqui bb]

That's funny because when my boyfriend saw me with the tweezers, he just shook his head. I told him I wanted a microscope for Christmas!

 

[Hiker4twenty]

Yes, it is quite a shock when you see their first molt. My fire shrimp finally molted a few days ago. It was my first experience with a shrimp molt and I thought it was dead, especially since I didn't see it anywhere in the tank. Three days after I found the molted shell the fire shrimp showed up again to eat a shrimp pellet. I guess it was just hiding until it's shell was hard again.

 

[SeaBee]

I have a skumk cleaner shrimp that molts every month. He shines like a new dime after that. Actually I've noticed a pattern they do: the night before the molt I always notice the shrimp doing a lot of stretching and pulling on his tail like to clean it only really curling it up. The next day I see the empty shell.

 

[SeattleDarko]

That's funny because when my boyfriend saw me with the tweezers, he just shook his head. I told him I wanted a microscope for Christmas!

haha yeah I have one my grandma got me last year for Christmas, it take pics too. lol It now lives on top of my hood all the time. My GF is in vet tech school I sent her with some skimmate and other goodies from the fuge, her whole class has seen some of my tank under there big microscope that is crazy big!

 

[Bifferwine]

It is hard to tell the difference between the molt and the animal itself. It's a pretty amazing process.

 

[dcantucson]

I always do the smell test. If it's dead then it usually has a bit of a smell to it. If it's just the molt there is no smell at all.

 

[SeaBee]

David you are one crazy dude!!!

 

[dcantucson]

The squish test works too !

 

[Gdbyrd]

The squish test works too !

But you can only do that one once

 

[dcantucson]

But if it's dead, it's dead. :lol:

 

[yote]

I always do the smell test. If it's dead then it usually has a bit of a smell to it. If it's just the molt there is no smell at all.

David you are one crazy dude!!!

At least he didnt mention the taste test :mrgreen:

 

[Mandarin66]

o.o.... or the chewing test lol

 

[Marine88]

my emerald crab like never molts the only invertebrate in my thank that never molts

 

[hazelsdad]

mine just molted today. I have yet to see him yet. looking forward to it.

 

[dcantucson]

my emerald crab like never molts the only invertebrate in my thank that never molts

It probably does it at night in the rock work so you never notice it. Has it gotten any bigger since you got it?:question:

 

[Dana42078]

Haha yea mine in my reef tank has molted 4 times and he is huge.

My mantis loves emeralds! I wish i could got the whole thing on record. NOt tryin to hijack your thread or anything but i thought id share =)

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOsyE0wpjak]YouTube - Mantis grabbing dinner[/ame]

After

 

[ErinCahir]

Dana... he is SO COOL!!

 

[Bifferwine]

He's like Rambo Crab!