Oh my god

[RobbieM]

Is what I said when I looked into my tank to see another red claw crab, I pushed it around the floor with my inspection stick thinking my crab has given birth to a still born. After speaking to my old man and discovering that crabs shed thier shells as the grow, I feel very silly.

 

[Origami Gourami]

Oooops!

I didn't know that either, how does a crab wriggle out of it's old skin and leave it intact? Sounds like quite a manœuvre! Maybe that colour shell was too 'last season'...

 

[jams.alaskan]

How else do you grow when your skeleton is on the outside? That's so funny! Make sure he has places to hide till the new shell is hard - he's a soft shell right now...

ALASKA

 

[JAYJT]

Great one!

 

[Cian McLiam]

They should shed their shells evry two months at least for a mature crab, and every few weeks when they are younger. They have special fracture points in their shell and claws that spilt open, the crab then pulls itself out the back through a split that runs between the back legs. After this time the shell is very soft and the crab is very vulnerable. It is a very stressful time for them, so they must be well fed beforehand sothey are strong enough.

Here is a pic of a crab shell that has just been shed, left hanging from the wood, click the link HERE.

Ken

 

[Aqua_Princess64]

I thought the same thing when my MALE crab molted!!! That was kind of stupid because I knew crabs molted.

 

[Magnolia_360]

When my crab molted for the first time I was like woah!! I didn't know crabs molted either until then. It died though

 

[JAYJT]

My bamboo's have just shed there skin!

 

[orientboy]

My red claw cray moulted two days ago, much to my mums shock, she didn't have a clue what was going on, in fact she was rather freaked out


even though we had a red claw crab a few years ago that moulted

 

[Inchworm]

Hi RobbieM

Reading this thread made me remember another one about crabs that you might not have seen. This one was posted by nightlife20 and IMHO, it's gotta be a classic!

http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?sh...c=23290&hl=crab

I hope you enjoy reading it.