Porcelain crab- possible molting...or death?

[ryan820]

Just as the lights came on this morning I notice, much to my dismay, what I believe was the dead body of my porcelain crab. I fished the parts out and noticed the body was hollow including the claws, which surprised me. I then got to thinking that I believe I read somewhere before that porcelain crabs molt and that this may be mine's exoskeleton. But one thing that worries me is that you could see his little fan hands, as I call them. Not sure if his fan hands would molt as well...

Anyway, I haven't seen him since I found the body parts. I wonder, could it be a molt and he's hiding post molt, or do you think it's a death? No spike in nutrients in the water and the skimmer shows no signs of distress. My cleaner shrimp and fire shrimp are both very very skilled clean up crew members so it would not surprise me that they would make quick work of a dead porcelain crab...which I believe is technically shrimp?

Sorry, no pics so I know not much can be concluded with this info but does anyone have any experience? Never saw him much but I loved my fan hands crab!

 

[Zooid]

Sounds like he molted. He'll hide until his exoskeleton firms up a bit.
At least that's what I hope it is hehe.

 

[jonthefb]

+1 a molt! They do shed their "fan hands", antennae and delicate appendages.

 

[ryan820]

Sweet! I hope it's a molt...fan hands is a fun creature to watch.

Interesting to note, however... I recently had water issues and my ca was low...I have since dosed with kalk and water changes and brought the ca up and I'm working on edging the alk up too...anyway, my cleaner and fire shrimp both molted in the last week and now possibly this crab....coincidence?

 

[lpsouth1978@msn.com]

It sounds like a molt to me. All of my porcelain crabs do this on a pretty regular basis. If your shrimp and crabs get enough to eat and your Ca and Als are in check, they will molt fairly regularly as they grow. Sounds like you are doing something right there.

 

[honoreetamore]

Yup! Molting seems to fit the bill perfectly I'll get these guys in by the dozens and they all freak me out when they molt LOL And Jon is right, they shed off EVERYTHING! haha