Zombie crab

[Harry Gross]

Here's one for the head scratchers.
In the processes of rebuilding my 100gal SW==restocking livestock phase we bought a goby..coupla damsels and a CUC of 5 nasurius (sp?) snails and 5 hermitts.
Upon introducing everybody to their new home one of the crabs had APPEARED to have NOT made it through the transition.For the past three weeks he's layed right where he landed when being (initially) placed in the tank.All others (of the CUC have been happily) at their prospective jobs one crab recently molting (adopting a new shell).
Yesturday (April 7) all 5 are up ALIVE and accounted for !!! (??)...and actively about their merry-little-biz !!
What gives ??
Zombie-walking-dead or what ??

 

[roka64]

Sounds like it was a molt to me.

 

[melosu58]

I agree with Scott. It was probably the molt you saw. They look like the real thing.

 

[Harry Gross]

K.
So "molting" is when they appear dead for a long period of time...(???) then come back to life ?? What is the process called when they adopt new shells??

 

[melosu58]

Molting is when they shed thir skin. They come out of the old skin and usually hide for a few days while the new skin hardens.

 

[Dr_Doom2]

I think what Roka and Melosu mean is that you picked up the discarded exo-skeleton and the crab that dame out of it is hiding!!

...I just noticed that this thread is kinda old so I don't know if this matters or not!!