# WOw! Horrible molt! :(



## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

So my two crabbies have been doing well... This morning i went to check on them and noticed that my female Moon/Halloween crab didnt look right.. Turned out i was poking her molt.. LOL

She was hiding behind the molt in her cave so i didnt get a great look at her till i got home.
She is suposed to have 8 legs... She came out with only three 

Two on one side, one on the other...

I know i have herd of iodine helping aquatic crabs with molting.. But these guys rarely go into the water. :/
I feel so bad... I am happy she did molt... but she must have rushed and ripped the legs right off.

Perhaps it has somthing to do with calcium? They dont touch cuddlebone (sp?)

Any thoughts or advice would help greatly.. I know not to many people keep these guys.

Ps. here she is (with all legs  )


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Yesh ... that's pretty gruesome. Sorry, wish I can help but you probably know more than I do.

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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

That's a crummy thing to discover .

IIRC, iodine is a 2 part benefit. It acts as an anti-oxidant as well as part of the biomechanism to help in it's moult. I remember reading it in a journal quite a few years ago and I'll be darned if I can remember which one it was.

Losing appendages during the moult can be either from lack of iodine in it's diet or from a predator while it's hardening. You can check it's moult to see if there is flesh in the leg segments. You'll notice the opaqueness compared to the others if you hold it up against a light. If there is no flesh in the moult, most likely that the got nibbled off while it's in it's most vulnerable hardening phase.

Adding iodine rich foods into it's diet is probably the easiest way to supplenemt iodine. Kelp is richest source that comes to mind. Not sure how much it is in health food stores but one doesn't need much to add into the food. Probably 1/2in square piece weekly should suffice but to be honest, I really don't know what's a proper amount as there isn't much if any info out there.

HTH


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

I need to get a picture of one of my female Amanos.

They're beyond compare. They eat Cichlid complete. Lots of Seaweed meal and salmon milt.

And those skim milk based tetra pellets.

Ever since I went R/O they've been even better


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

That helps very much wilson... I will definitely be picking up some kelp..
I'll check out the food stores but if i cant find it the seaweed packs will be okay too? The ones in the fish shops?

I still have the molt and i have been looking at it for a while.. The flesh is still in the legs i think.. I'll have to double check when i get home.

I am wondering if it was the male..  

I am definitely learning as i go with these guys. I just love them.. 
I am wondering if they are any kept in zoos? I should maybe contact the toronto one and ask..although i am not sure where to start ^^


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Ironically, nori is very low in iodine compared to kelp. The question that needs answering is how much iodine is enough. The search continues..LOL.

I think Tom Mason is the man to ask at the TMZ. Harold can confirm this.

HTH


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## Canadiancray (Apr 27, 2006)

Iodine isn't really as criticle for larger Invertebrates such as Crabs & crays as it is for shrimp. I would bet the crab was rushed through the molt or was attacked by something else. Were the legs still inside the old shell???


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

After checking tonight i do definatly think the flesh is still in the legs..

So... this could have been a rushed effort or low iodine? Maybe a bit of both?

The male is usually tucked away in his cave and burrowed down.. She did that often as well till she molted..

Should i set up somthing separate for her? I dont want her to go through this again  Poor thing, the one lone leg had the tip snap off.. Only to make things worse.. 

I think i will email tom and definatly ask some Q's too..
I am always open to advice ^^


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

CC makes a very good point of a rushed moult and iodine requirements for larger crabs and crays.

I can't remember the post from the start of GTAA, but didn't you lose a crab awhile ago from aggression by another crab?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Yes i did, with another type of crab. That was with the fiddler pair i had. The male mated with the female i had, and then decided to eat her.

I've just had the big boy now since he's quite agressive and demands a lot of room for just him.


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