New crab de-shelled multiple times. Dead?

[Scarletfire]

Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions as best you can. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
5:1.3 EE:sand, 8" deep

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?

80-83% RH, 25C

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
UTH on back

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Fresh and salt, both prime'd; salt is vibrachem, added to reach 1.022 to 1.023 SG

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Replaced every other day.
- Pre-mashed / cut / mixed dry food: oatmeal, quinoa, millet, peanuts, toasted coconut, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, birdseed, grounded almonds
- dried seaweed
- fresh veggies - spinach, kale, carrots
- fresh fruits - different depending on what's in the fridge
- shrimp once a week

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
- Adopted 3 together yesterday. owner didn't realize how much work was involved, and liked on tank on the local ads. They were in a carrier when I received them. Photo to follow. Doesn't look like a PP

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Unknown

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
50 gal, sliding glass top

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
8 including these 3. 1 large, 2 medium, 3 small, 2 tiny. I just received the 3; I have a 10 and 30 gal tank that can be set-up.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
About 28 turbos unoccupied in this tank.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Food bowls - cleaned with crabbie toothbrush when food is changed, sprayed with dechlor water. Water bowls - twice a week water is changed, things in the water scrubbed with toothbrush. sprayed with water.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
None

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
these 3 crabs

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
These are new crabs.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I came home from work, and checked the humidity, and to see if my new babies are hiding or out and about. Found this new one de-shelled. I rinsed the first shell that caught my eye in dechlor water. When I first tried to re-shell, he ran under a driftwood. I moved the driftwood, and apologized to the other two that were under there. I moved him into a container with sphagnum moss, sprayed water lightly, reshelled into the first shell that caught my eye. In the container, there's about 8 of the shells of different sizes. I put a leaf over him for "privacy" and to shelter from the light. I found his old shell, and put it in the container too.


Now that I'm sitting here and typing this out, I realized I re-shelled him into one too big. His tail was still sandy from running around. Not sure what else to do right now.

Edit: he came out of the shell again. I re-shelled him into his old shell

Edit 2: he came out of the shell again. Refuses to be re-shelled. current in iso in main tank with no moss, plastic mesh on bottm, lots of shells, honey and dried food.

[Scarletfire]

The crab's went naked several times since. Before I went to bed, ireshelled. When I woke up, he looked better, but naked. Ireshelled. When I came back, he was naked again, face in water, I scooped him up to resell, but was very limp. There's no smell. Is he dead?

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[curlysister]

Your tank conditions look good. My only suggestion would be to ensure they have a source of calcium, and to offer protein more than once a week.
It sounds to me like you are doing the right things for him.
Honestly, the problem likely stems from his conditions prior to your getting him. Going naked means he is too weak to hold and carry his shell. Those shells you have do look a bit heavier, you could try offering a lighter shell if you have any. But he may just have used up all his energy trying to stay alive in the poor conditions he was in prior to your getting him.

[purplepincher]

my crab got his shell ripped off his back when he surface molted when his molt tunnel colapsed.
he was too weak to change back. just offer him food and water.

[Scarletfire]

Despite going through my first crabbie death, I guess I'm quite fortunate that the other 6 crabs are doing well. They scared each other in the beginning, but they're even playing at night together. And huddling together in the day.

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[curlysister]

PurplePincher - a surface molt and a tunnel collapse are two very different scenarios.

Scarletfire - it's hard to lose a crab. I had added a third crab at one point (Chaz of course), but the poor thing died within a couple of weeks. I am amazed at how some will pull through and thrive after being kept in poor conditions, but sad that others just can't.