I might just have my first successful molt...
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 7:29 am
And seems very likely! 
Following the post-molt death of Verden due to stress of not being allowed to molt in the petshop where he came from, I was a little worried as my crab Apex was insistently digging as if he was going to molt. Everytime I arrange the tank after the other crabs trashed it, I always, always dig up Apex from the bottom of the tank in the process...
After deciding that it seems to be his time for molting, I decided to do my final arrangement of the tank before I leave them alone, no matter how the other crabs trash it... Three days after my final arrangement, I notice my Indo named Eva digging under the water dishes as if she is heading towards a specific direction. Fearing the worst, I take her out of the tank along with the other crabs to check on Apex... I have read that crabs usually acclimate for about one to two weeks before the actual molting so I am pretty confident that my crab hasn't molted yet...
I was dead wrong... As I picked him up, I noticed that he had molted within the week, so I kinda panicked and set up an isolation bowl for Apex to rest in... I also put in the bowl the exo that he had shed for him to munch on... After I saw that he was more active, I added in to his isolation unit some shells filled with water, both saline and fresh for him to partake... He seems to be doing fine....
Now what did he look like after the molt... He was pale, and I think he'll darken after some time... He still has a complete set of legs (unlike Verden who lost a leg and died afterwards) and he regenerated his antennae into a beautifully long pair... I saw him walking around a little so he seems to be fine... I'll add cuttlebone into his bowl for additional calcium... I hope he makes it...
P.S. He turned shy though...
Following the post-molt death of Verden due to stress of not being allowed to molt in the petshop where he came from, I was a little worried as my crab Apex was insistently digging as if he was going to molt. Everytime I arrange the tank after the other crabs trashed it, I always, always dig up Apex from the bottom of the tank in the process...
After deciding that it seems to be his time for molting, I decided to do my final arrangement of the tank before I leave them alone, no matter how the other crabs trash it... Three days after my final arrangement, I notice my Indo named Eva digging under the water dishes as if she is heading towards a specific direction. Fearing the worst, I take her out of the tank along with the other crabs to check on Apex... I have read that crabs usually acclimate for about one to two weeks before the actual molting so I am pretty confident that my crab hasn't molted yet...
I was dead wrong... As I picked him up, I noticed that he had molted within the week, so I kinda panicked and set up an isolation bowl for Apex to rest in... I also put in the bowl the exo that he had shed for him to munch on... After I saw that he was more active, I added in to his isolation unit some shells filled with water, both saline and fresh for him to partake... He seems to be doing fine....
Now what did he look like after the molt... He was pale, and I think he'll darken after some time... He still has a complete set of legs (unlike Verden who lost a leg and died afterwards) and he regenerated his antennae into a beautifully long pair... I saw him walking around a little so he seems to be fine... I'll add cuttlebone into his bowl for additional calcium... I hope he makes it...
P.S. He turned shy though...