Anenome Porcelain Crab

[FeedingFrenzy20]

How do u tell if your crab has died or molted. I pulled the "body" out and it did not smell and i cracked it open a couple of days later and there was no meaty parts in it. It has been a week and have not seen a sign of him. how do i know if its alive or dead. is there anything that would eat it when it has a soft exoskelton. i dont have n e fish big enough to eat it and then its in there with pepperment shrimp, a coral banded and a pistol shrimp. any suggestions on where it would be. thanks for the help.

 

[i have crabs]

probably just hiding real good

 

[Brisc0]

If it was dead I think you would have noticed things picking at it, etc. When my inverts molt they hide for a good week or so. Try to poke around with a flash light in the dark, you may have a better change of finding him crawling out after the lights are out if he feel vulnerable from a molt. Best of luck, im about to get my first porcelain this week.

 

[FeedingFrenzy20]

how many days do they usually hide for.

 

[Brisc0]

Well, if you have the proper conditions for a sucessful molt (mainly enough iodine) I would say it should be within a week. My lightfoot took about 3 days and my cleaner shrimp take 3 -5 days from beginning the molt to showing their faces again. The best practice to ensure a good molt is doing frequent water changes and providing high water quality in general.

 

[FeedingFrenzy20]

ok thanks for the help everyone

 

[FeedingFrenzy20]

its just kinda nerve rackin waiting for him to reappear considering that he molted only 3 days after i bought him. he already became one of my favorite inverts in the tank and now i am just waitin to see him again