Molting emerald crab...

[Greatwhite]

So I have 2 little emerald crabs, and 1 big one with 1 arm at the moment.  One of the little guys has been veerrrry still.  Almost lifeless and dead looking for a couple days now.  But - there's twitches, and his little mouthy thing is moving.  So I'm waiting patiently for his shell to appear empty in the bottom of the tank...

Last night - Lefty (the 1 armed guy) was pulling at the little guy's legs, picking him up, tossing him around - and cleaning him.  I THINK he was trying to help loosen the shell - maybe???  Or perhaps he just had some pent up aggression to burn off and used the defenseless crab.

Anyways, I'm watching intently because I haven't witnessed a crab molting first-hand before.  I haven't actually SEEN a shrimp molt either, I've only just seen the empty ghost-like shell the day after, which is creepy when you aren't expecting it.

Nature is certainly amazing...

[Darth]

I used to have a horseshoe crab when I first started out, and then one morning my daughter goes daddy there is 2 crabs, and it was amazing I pulled out the shell, and if it wasnt for the fact it was so light you would not be able to tell it was a shell, even the little hairs were all in tact, all you could see was the seperation in the front of the shell where he squeezed out of, yes nature is amazing

[Greatwhite]

My little guy has been on his back for about 12hrs now.  Seems to work out well for him, since I just fed the fish and a few pieces of food landed directly on his mouth - which he gobbled right up.\

I was at Fish Tail one day, grabbing a few cleaners for my tank... Hermits, and such.  I looked in one tank, and saw a big turbo snail shell with long antennae coming out of it.  It looked AMAZING.  I said "I have NO idea what that thing is, but I want it!! How much?!?"...  Then it was pointed out that it was a fire shimp's molt, blown into a shell.  Might have had a hermit crab picking at the inside, dunno.  "But it's $50!" he says.