Great News!

[ger87410]

I came home today at lunch and found what I thought was my smallest crab "houdini" lying dead among the plants. There was the lifeless body floating in the current. He appeared much lighter hued then I remembered but maybe that's what dead crabs looked like after a while. Anyways I removed him and looked at the body, poking here and there with a pin trying to determine if it was a molt. I had 1 rcc die on me a while ago after a bad water change. I removed that 1 immediately and it was much darker colored. I noticed what looked like a little hatch on the bottom, towards his back. That wasn't there on my first one was it? I ask. I then flush it and carry on. I come back several hours later and to my elation who do I find? None other but houdini himself much larger and crawling around the plants! I was overjoyed! Until the next hair raising adventure of the molt! I don't know how many more molts I can take.

 

[kitababy]

That is so that he is alive not dead!!!! Good luck with the houdini. I am sure he will molt again. Congrates!

 

[Paul_MTS]

so when they molt and then re appear do they appear much larger than before, so rather than gradual growth they bulge out of there smaller shell get rid then get a much bigger etter model!!??

And chance of pictures of your layout?

 

[ger87410]

Before the molt, houdini appeared noticebly smaller when compaired to crabby. After the molt the 2 are almost identacle in body size, it's only the claws that are smaller. So apparently, the size of the claws will tell you the age of the crab. They seem to grow in spurts. A sudden growth spurt after the molt maybe.

 

[Opcn]

They Only grow after a molt and while size suggests age Food and water conditions also play a factor in how big your crab gets/how often it molts.

hth

Opcn

 

[ger87410]

I almost never see my crabs eat. I don't even got the foggiest idea of what they eat. I see them every noe and again picking somthing up and shoving it in there mouth, but I never see "food". I keep the water quality perfect though. The other one "crabby" molted this morning. Everything seems to be going fine.

 

[Cian McLiam]

When they molt, they are only a tiny bit bigger than before, then they absorb water which makes them bulge out. While they are bulged out, the shell hardens, when they then expel the water, they have loads of room inside the shell to grow.

They will eat bloodworms and catfish tablets, please make sure they get something to eat! They get aggresive if not fed properly, and will do anything to escape.

Ken

 

[Narayan]

Instead of flushing the moult, why dont you take it and pose it and let dry.

Over time you will be able to compare the size he was to the size he is now, and the stages he went through.

And it makes a nice little display