Molting - gets me every time!

[Europhyllia]

I am so dumb!
I love my procelain crabs. I like to watch them, take pics, take videos. They are just so cool.
I figured they would do well in my system since I feed filter feeders several times a day and night.
So I was saddened when I found the remains of the first two after a few weeks.
I got two more and vowed to feed even more frequently!

I feed frozen filter feeder foods 2x a day and powdered 4 times! now

So 6 times a day the filter feeders get something prepared to catch. Every other day they also get a huge swarm of newly hatched live baby brine.

You'd think they'd do well but no :( Within a few weeks I found 2 more remains. :(

The live crabs are always beautiful blue spotted. The remains always pale.

Then I realized I found four 'bodies' but I still have crabs. :hypnotyized:

They molt!!! Like shrimp. DUH!

So I've been feeding like crazy to keep them from starving and probably just fattened them up faster, getting them to molt quicker and freaking me out with their 'demise'

[TaknByD]

I don't know, but it almost sounds like they have you trained pretty well... :D

[Europhyllia]

I know! Clever little critters...
http://www.dominopads.com/porcelaincrab2.jpghttp://www.dominopads.com/porcelaincrab2.jpghttp://www.dominopads.com/porcelain2.jpghttp://www.dominopads.com/porcelainandjaw.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xSXihGmVvE

[BSJF]

Thanks for the laugh Karin! You sure you weren't just looking for an excuse to add a few extras :)

[jrnannery]

I don't know, but it almost sounds like they have you trained pretty well... :D

+1

[Scream311]

Hahahaha don't worry your not the only one !

I Freaked when my Purple Lobster did that too lol

[TaknByD]

Are those crabs reef safe?

[Europhyllia]

yes they are filterfeeders. the catch stuff (small stuff) from the water with those feeler things. worst that could happen is that they don't get enough and starve. but they don't attack other animals or anything

[TaknByD]

That sounds cool... Maybe I should get me a couple... I like crabs but thought that they'd mess with the coral... What about lobsters?

[Europhyllia]

I am not aware of any filter-feeding lobsters

[SoLiD]

Porcelain Crabs are too cute. I just love mine. When it's warm here in Corpus Christi, I can usually catch about 20 at a time with most about the size of a dime and some the size of a quarter. One thing I noticed is that they seldom pinch with their claws. In fact they will drop their claws like a lizard drops his tail to get away from you... :heart:

[jrnannery]

Solid, you need to get me a few

[SoLiD]

Sure, when it warms up I will remind you :wink_smile:

[tonyydeee]

I panic for half a second when my harlequins / cleaners molt :P