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...
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
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. :)