Can Fiddler Crabs kill themselves during molting?

[Arok2092]

Hey all,

I have a Freshwater fiddler crab named Feefee that I've had for over a year never with any problems. This morning though she was in the corner missing legs and possibly her right claw. It looked like some stuff was folded up on her right side too. We saw her molted skin hanging upside down in some leaves. Is it possible she got stuck there and ripped herself out? She doesn't look like she'll live but at the moment she is hanging on by a thread.

And I know she wasn't hurt by another fish because we only have 3 shrimp in there with her. Is there anything we can do, will she pull through on her own, or is she as good as dead?

I'm attaching a picture of her current condition too.

 

[Barbz99]

Are there an fish in there? Right after they molt their new shell is fairly soft and brittle. Possibly someone but her and because of the softness they were bit clean off....are the arm and leg in the tank still? If not then most likely that is what happened; someone got a snack sorry about your injury though :/
~Zac

 

[Barbz99]

Sorry about not reading the full question. I know know there aren't any fish in there...do you think your shrimp are big enough to chop a leg and arm off? Same question as before as well, are they still in the tank? If they are gone most likely someone did it too her.
Good luck!
~Zac

 

[Arok2092]

I dont' think they could. The biggest is barely an inch and the only change is we did recently add 2 cherry shrimp in there, but they're tiny. I think I see a couple of legs but it is hard to tell whether it is her leg, or the molted leg.

 

[Barbz99]

Well based on a process of elimination...I would say that she hurt herself molting

 

[Arok2092]

Well, she's dead. We went ahead and buried her. Looking in her shell we found her missing legs and claw that never made it out. Have to assume that she got herself stuck when molting and panicked and ripped herself free, or she got some kind of freak deformity that caused this molting to go wrong. I wish we could have done something but at least I know I couldn't have prevented it.

 

[Barbz99]

Stuff like that just happens lucky you can always buy a new one

 

[anteatergoanna]

Sorry to hear that you lost your crab.

 

[mattcham]

Yes crayfish lobsters crabs can lose limbs or die during moulting. Its very stressful time. Limbs and claws can regrow at next moult but there will initially be asymmetry in limb or claw size. New limb will be small, but if they keep that new limb for a long time it can catch up in size to the old limb/claw.

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